November 24, 2005, New York, NY – The Global Partnership for Afghanistan (GPFA) has named Rupert Knowles to lead its operations in Afghanistan as Country Director, according to Regina Eddy, Executive Director of GPFA in the U.S. GPFA is a nonprofit organization working to create new farm businesses by helping rural Afghan families revive their orchards, vineyards and family gardens.
A horticultural consultant to various organizations in Europe, China and Africa, Mr. Knowles is a former Managing Director and owner of a commercial orchard business in the U.K. "His skills and knowledge are critical in helping both GPFA and the Afghan farm entrepreneurs we support," said Ms. Eddy. "As the managing owner of a successful orchard enterprise and a proven technical educator, he will be vital in helping GPFA achieve its mission of building capacity as we incubate new farmer-based businesses."
Most recently, Mr. Knowles served as visiting scholar at Northwest A & F University in Yangling, China, where he developed courses in horticulture and business management and taught post-graduate students. He was also a consultant to Orchard World Ltd., a UK importer of apples from Huasheng Company in China. Under his leadership, Huasheng became the first Chinese producer and exporter to achieve EurepGAP accreditation.
Mr. Knowles was the managing director of Olivers Orchards Ltd. in the U.K. for 30 years, producing 23 different crops with annual sales of £250,000. He also served as an agricultural consultant to various organizations in the U.K., China and Africa. In addition, he has led a number of fruit growers' and producers' groups.
A member of the U.K. Institute of Horticulture, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and the International Society for Horticultural Science, Mr. Knowles holds a Masters degree from Selwyn College at Cambridge University.
The Global Partnership for Afghanistan (GPFA) provides people-to-people, capacity-building assistance to rural Afghan families that are working to revive and rehabilitate their fruit and nut orchards, vineyards, woodlots, croplands and forests. Founded by Afghan Americans and Americans in November 2001, the GPFA is working with Afghan rural communities to rapidly restore the country's long tradition of cultivating trees, thereby generating food, jobs, income, and environmental and health benefits. GPFA is an NGO registered with the Afghan Ministry of Planning and has offices in Kabul and in Guldara. It is incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in New York.