Dr. Jonathan Atkinson brings more than 20 years of international experience in agronomy, sustainable land management and digital agriculture across the public, private and academic sectors. His career has focused on sustainable agriculture, soil health, climate resilience and agricultural innovation across Africa. His work centres on translating science into scalable, practical solutions that strengthen farming systems and improve livelihoods.
My vision is to position the Southern African region of Solidaridad as a systems catalyst for inclusive and climate-resilient agricultural economies.
Dr. Jonathan Atkinson
Extensive leadership experience in African agriculture
Dr. Atkinson holds a PhD in Agricultural Science from Stellenbosch University in South Africa, specialising in geospatial technologies for soil mapping and natural resource management. He is also a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions and a registered Geographical Information System (GIS) professional with the South African Geomatics Council.
Before joining Solidaridad, Dr. Atkinson served as Head of Agronomy for Maaden Africa and General Manager of the Meridian Group’s Farm Services Unit. In this role, he led a 300-person team across seven African countries and strengthened last-mile advisory delivery for farmers. Throughout his career, he mobilised more than 10 million USD in programme funding for agricultural development initiatives, building strategic partnerships with governments, development institutions and the private sector.
Advancing Dr. Atkinson’s vision for climate-resilient agriculture
Speaking on his appointment, Dr. Atkinson said: “My vision is to position the Southern African region of Solidaridad as a systems catalyst for inclusive and climate-resilient agricultural economies. This means moving beyond project delivery to scalable, market-integrated solutions that deliver measurable impact.”
His first 100 days will focus on strategic alignment, portfolio focus and strengthening partnerships to support long-term impact. “Real impact comes from collaboration across value chains. When off-takers, input suppliers, financiers, and farmers align, we unlock systems that improve productivity, traceability, and market access. Digital and data-driven systems will be central to this shift, from farmer profiling to geospatial intelligence and climate services. These tools are key to improving decision-making and scaling what works,” added Dr. Atkinson.
Strengthening agricultural transformation in Southern Africa
Solidaridad continues to expand its work in climate-smart agriculture and regenerative practices across Southern Africa, particularly in Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia. To date, the organisation has placed 162,861 hectares under sustainable management and supported 205,299 farmers to access improved services.
“Success is when Solidaridad is recognised as a trusted partner delivering scalable, market-driven solutions that improve livelihoods, strengthen soil health, and build resilience at scale. This must be achieved by a motivated team that is aligned and focused on impact,” concludes Dr. Atkinson.
Dr. Atkinson succeeds Shungu Kanyemba, who served as Managing Director for Southern Africa since June 2023.