Mozambique, October 2026
Senior Regional Advisor | CARD Secretariat
Meet our new Senior Regional Advisor for Southern Africa (Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the Southern African Development Community (SADC): DR. PAULO MOLE
Paulo Mole is an Agricultural Economist (PhD) from Michigan State University (2000), an Economist (MSc) from Clemson University (1991) both from the USA, and an Economist (BA) from Eduardo Mondlane University (1985) in Mozambique.
For over three decades, he has contributed to higher education, research, and university extension. His doctoral dissertation examined the relationship between cashew production and food security in Nampula Province, reflecting a scholarly focus on agricultural development in Mozambique.
As an educator, Professor Mole taught several fundamental courses, including Macroeconomic Policies, Analysis of Agricultural and Food Policies, Agricultural Economics, Econometrics, and Quantitative Methods Applied to both Economics and Management, in undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs. He supervised numerous research projects, making a decisive contribution to the training of economists, researchers, and managers who today hold prominent positions in public, private, and academic institutions. His dedication to teaching extended beyond the classroom.
Parallel to his teaching, he developed intense research and consultancy activities, coordinating and participating in projects in the areas of agriculture, industry and commerce, public policy, rural development, and food security. He also stood out in university extension, collaborating in national and international programs in partnership with development agencies, higher education institutions, and multilateral organizations. It was in that capacity that Professor Mole served as Director of International Advisory Services at KMPG for nearly a decade, facilitating cross-border knowledge exchange and institutional capacity building; and for another decade at AGRA, where he served as Mozambique Country Head, leading initiatives that strengthen agricultural value chains. His leadership at AGRA was marked by a focus on systemic change in support of smallholder farmers and SMEs.
After an exemplary career in academia, he retired on January 22, 2024, leaving a legacy of dedication, professionalism, and academic service that continues to inspire generations of students and colleagues. Joined CARD on September 7, 2026, Dr. Mole will provide strategic and technical guidance to support CARD’s mission of promoting sustainable rice sector development in Southern African countries, including Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and SADC.
