Jared Okello Kassam is a Programmes Manager and Team Leader at FarmConcern International in Kisumu, Kenya. He has over 15 years of experience in rural economics, finance, community development, microcredit lending, product development, capacity building, market access assessment, and value chain development. He is skilled in mobilizing and motivating communities, meeting deadlines with minimal supervision, and has held several managerial roles with development organizations in Kenya.

1. Name: JaredJoelOkelloKassam
Designation: ProgrammesManager–MarketsandTrade&TeamLeader
Organization: FarmConcernInternational,LakeVictoriaHubOffice-Kisumu
Contacts: Mobile: +254-0707-156184/0722240453 Email:kassamjared@gmail.com
Expertise: RuralEconomics,FinanceandCommunityDevelopmentSpecialist
DateofBirth: November22nd
.1969
Gender: Male
Religion: Christianity
MaritalStatus: Married
COMPETENCIES
PersonalTraits:
• IamaKenyanmale,bornagainChristianwithoverFifteenyearsworkexperienceworkingwith
smallandmicroentrepreneurs,smallholderfarmerorganizations,businessdevelopmentpartners,
developmentpartnersandbothinformalandformalmarketactorsindifferentregionsinKenya.
• IhaveservedwithdifferentdevelopmentagencieswithinKenyathatequippedmewithbetter
understandingofvariouschallengesandsolutionsforthedesiredchange
• Iamadiligentindividual,ateamplayerwithexcellentorganization,leadershipandcommunication
skills
• Ihavetheabilityandexperiencetomobilize,organizeandmotivateacommunitytowardsachieving
theirdesiredgoals
• Iamself-motivated,experienced,skilled,creative,mature,initiatorandabletomeetdeadlineswith
minimalsupervision
RuralBasedcreditLending:
Over 10 years of experience in micro credit lending in the following areas: - Business and Farmer group
formation and management, mobilization, formation, training, appraisal, screening, credit disbursement,
monitoring and collection and evaluation. Savings mobilization and promotion of internal credit
schemes for business investment through table banking and merry –go- rounds.
Micro Credit Product Development
Holds over 10 years of group lending product development in KADET Limited, Micro Kenya
Limited and Micro Africa Limited. I spearheaded development and establishment of group
lending in the company. This involved development of sound group lending policies. Equipping
staff and Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) with skills for good and profitable business
performance, hence investment.
Institutional Assessment
I have been involved in the monitoring and evaluation of World vision Kenya, Nyatike Area
Development Programme and institutional assessment for Micro Economic Development Net-
works (MED-Net), Micro finance institution for world vision Uganda. Assessment for various local
Non-Government organizations and private companies in Western Kenya under USAID-Kenya

2. Horticulture competitiveness project. That led to capacity building of the same on the identified
capacity gaps.
SmallholderCommercialization
CapacityBuilding
Involved in the development of training materials and modules targeting trainers, technical staff,
smallholders farmers and extension staff within the United States of America International Development
Kenya Horticulture Competitiveness Project (USAID-KHCP) for partners in Nyanza, Western and South Rift
ValleyregionsinKenya.
Building capacity of horticulture, sweetpotato and cassava Smallholder farmers in Homa Bay and Busia
Counties under Expanded Commercial Village Processing Programme involving 52,750 smallholder farmers
oncommercializationandmarketaccess.
CapacityandTrainingModulesDevelopmentandCapacityDevelopment
Involved in institutional capacity assessment, training as well as module development to address various
capacity gaps identified among the assessed development institutions, smallholder farmers, and Business
serviceproviders.
MarketAccessAssessment andValuechaindevelopment:
Led a team of researchers and value chain development experts in carrying out market access research for
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported Kenya Agricultural Value chains
Enterprises (KAVES) in Western Kenya and for APHIA PLUS Western Kenya in identifying market driven value
chains for the Orphans and Venerable Children care givers/ mentors for the Aphia Plus intervention in Homa
Bay, Bungoma, Migori, Vihiga, Nyamira and Kakamega Counties where different value chains were
developed(Sweetpotato,pulses,vegetablesandfruits).
ExchangeProgrammes:
(i) Participated in an inter world vision micro credit exchange and experience gaining visit to Small
EnterpriseDevelopmentAgency(SEDA)inTanzaniaforlearningagriculturallendingpractices.
(ii) Participated in the AFRACA organized Agricultural Credit exchange visit to Rural Banking
managementandoperationsinGhana.
(iii) Participated in Micro Finance Institution assessment for MED-Net Uganda under World Vision
Ugandaonassessingthepolicyadherence,performanceandresourcemanagementinlinewith
bestmicrofinancepractices.
(iv) Participated in institutional capacity assessment for all USAID-KHCP partner funded
organizationsinWesternKenya
(v) Played host to the World Vision International 0ne millionth cheque disbursement while a
branchmanagerinBaringobranch
EDUCATION

3. 1995-:PostGraduate Diploma(PGD): InManagement: AgraUniversity,India
1991-1994:BachelorofArts(BA): InEconomics,RuralBankingandCommunityDevelopment&
ExtensionEducation.BalwantVidyapeethRuralInstitute(BVRI)Bichpuri,AgraUniversity,Agra,India
1986- 1989 KCSE– MasenoNationalSchool
1977-1985 KCPE– NyangerePrimarySchool
Short courses attended?
• Micro finance market orientation training Fine Line Systems –Nairobi 2002
• Arrears and default management by Neat Ideas Associate - Kisumu 2004
• Customer driven organization by British Council -Nairobi 2006
• Effective Team Leadership by Management Net – Nairobi 2006
• Customer care, Credit appraisal & delinquency management by Micro Skills Consultant -
Eldoret 2006
• Proactive and Exemption Customer Services by Mungai Kihanya -Limuru 2009
• Creating the ultimate team 101 by EDGE Consult - Naivasha 2009
• Peace building and reconciliation TOT by AMFI – Nakuru 2009
• Small and Micro Enterprises (SME) training by Micro Africa Ltd – Nairobi 2010
• Wise up lift yourself with business TOT by Making sense international Kakamega 2011
• Training of Trainers (ToT) on Nursery Management, Crop Production and Marketing by
Syngenta East Africa ltd- Kisii
• Training of Trainers (ToT) on Applied Basic Nutrition USAID-KHCP –Kisumu 2012
• Training of Trainers (ToT) on Applied Basic Nutrition by USAID-KHCP – Kakamega 2012
• Participated in leadership and management training facilitated by Africa Instore
Solutions – Nairobi 2014
Summary of Work Experience
2011 to Date Senior Programmes Manager Markets and Trade
Farm Concern International -FCI
Responsibilities:
• Management, administration and overseeing the implementation of
programmes and projects activities, ensuring that FCI procedures and donor
requirements are adhered to within the offices under Lake Victoria Hub
• Establishment and maintenance of effective partnership with the public and
private development partners like development partners (NGOs, CBOs &
farmers organizations), Government of Kenya and Counties line Ministries farm
input companies, financial service providers and other stakeholders
• Facilitate Value Chain Partnership along selected commodities within various
partnerships

4. • Development, implementation and monitoring of marketing strategy and pro-
poor business plans for priority value chains
• Facilitate Public - private sector development strategies and partnerships with
FCI
• Develop training programs for staff both internal and external in order that their
ability is enhanced with the changing circumstances and market needs
• Drive delivery of set objectives and performance targets for the various projects
• Prepare comprehensive operating budgets, business plans and devise
operational strategies in order to optimise the budget allocated so as to meet
the set objectives
• Facilitating local and regional trade links within the business and trade
partnership
• Coordinating market development activities within the partnership
• Promote and Supervise smallholder farmers’ commercialization
• Promote gender integration and youth participation in agro enterprise
• Developing suitable Market Information Systems
• Facilitating partnership with informal and Formal markets, institutions and
industrial market players
• Ensuring that project activities are of satisfactory technical performance, that
FCI technical expertise is sufficiently integrated into project activities;
• Provide management and operational support to projects/programmes, and
ensure timely and adequate reporting to resource partners;
• Awareness creation and promotion of nutrition activities among the target
communities
• Facilitate farmer groups linkages with Business Service Providers (BDS) to
enhance their performance for better livelihood
• Provide guidelines on the savings and Micro credit scheme for smallholder
farmers as well as offer technical support to the frontline staff in the
implementation of the same.
2009- 2011
Business Growth and Development Coordinator
Micro Kenya Ltd and Micro Africa Ltd.
Responsibilities
• Coordinate business growth by carrying out market surveys, customer assessments,
and field and branch office establishment
• Ensure effective coordination between the branches and field offices within the Rift
Valley region.
• Maintain overall responsibility of smooth and successful running of customers
training Programme.
• Organize, plan and participate in market promotions in the local formal and informal
markets.
• Provision of localized and targeted products, technology and agronomic information
and advice to Sales Reps, distributors, customers and prospects.
• Promotion of company’s credit products during farmers’ organized field days, and
one on one.

5. • Partner with the other business development service providers to maximize
customers return on investment through joint planning.
• Support new product launches and Partner with loan officers to plan strategies to
effectively compete with competitor products utilizing working knowledge of those
products.
• Identify, recruit, induct, supervise and appraise the personnel on the marketing
and implementation of the company products and policies on day to day
running of the company operations
2006- 2008
Regional Manager
Kenya Agency for the Development of Enterprise and Technology (KADET) Ltd currently
known and Vision Fund Kenya (VFK)
Responsibilities :
• Conduct market assessment and recommend the implementation of the
company operations
• Supervised 9 branches and 14 field offices across western Kenya region with a
total of 73 personnel
• Conduct training of trainers to the branch managers and lead credit officers
• Participate in staff identification, recruitment and recommend for hiring of new
staff
• Recommend or reprimand performing or non performing staffs respectively
• Participate in market surveys and establishment of a new branch based on the
survey report
• Participate in product development, test and promotion of the same in the
market
• Cross selling of company products to the consumers and getting feedback for
prompt actions
• Liaison officer as well as company contact person in the Western Kenya region
2004-2006 Branch Manager
Kenya Agency for the Development of Enterprise and Technology (KADET) LTD
Responsibilities:
• Responding to the branch audit queries and implement recommendations
• Appraise the newly identified business groups for credit worthiness before
accessing credit
• Organizing and coordinating business group leaders’ for business forums with
the company management team
• Coaching staff and customers on best Micro Finance practices
• Placing and maintaining company business position in the Micro finance
industry
• Recruitment, Supervision and appraisal of staff
• Management of character loans advanced to farmers and traders
• Setting of performance targets for every staff under my supervision

6. 2001-2004
Senior Credit Officer
Kenya Agency for the Development of Enterprise Technology (KADET) Ltd
Responsibilities:
• Supervision branch and field staffs
• Induction and Coaching of the field staff on new micro credit dynamics in line
with industry policies
• Preparation of the branch planning and budgeting
• Ensuring effective Promotional campaigns for new company products
• Prepare and maintain Calendar of events for staff development
• Competitive delivering of company products to targeted customers through
selected media
• Demand Creation at the customer level, ensuring that the customer is
knowledgeable on all the products available at all time
• Achieving sales, profit, and market share targets within territory and region.
Developing a profound understanding of customer needs via consultative
selling, recognized expertise, and trust with customers, within assigned market
area.
Regularly collecting and reporting market intelligence and relevant
• Prepare annual plans and ensuring implementation of the same at all levels
• Prepare periodic performance reports for the branch
1999- 2001
Field Credit Officer,
World Vision Kenya – Under Micro Economic Development (MED) in Nyatike Area
Development Programme (ADP)
Responsibilities:
• Planning, carrying out and coordination of branch budgeting, marketing and
promotional activities
• Carry out Customers awareness creation, Mobilization, recruitment, training,
appraisal and monitoring
• Conduct credit assessment, disbursement, monitoring, follow up, collection,
receipting, banking and reporting periodically
• Facilitate Savings mobilization, opening of group bank account and
monitoring of savings growth as investment plans
• Prepare and share periodic performance reports with national office
REFEREES:
1) Dr. Ed Rege
Director PICOTEAMEA
Nairobi. E-mail: ed.rege@picoteamea.org
Mobile: +254- 0722712986
2) Jorum Ndung’u Ndung’u
Executive Director
Jitegemee Credit
Box 1676, 00200

7. Nairobi. Email: jorum.ndung@visionfundkenya.co.ke
Mobile: +254 -0722864153
3) Charles Njoroge
Group Operations Director
Micro Africa Limited
Box 52926 - 00200
NAIROBI. E-mail:cnjoroge@microafrricagroup.com
Mobile: +254 - 0722628676
4) Bishop Dr. John Okinda
PEFA, Migori Worship Centre
Box 1150 40400. SUNA.
Mobile: 0722676902 E-mail: jokinda@africaonline.co.ke