Dr Hapson Mushoriwa, a Zimbabwean national, holds a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and a Master’s in Business Administration from KwaZulu Natal University and the University of Zimbabwe, respectively. His exceptional contributions in Africa focus on applying quantitative genetics to achieve continuous genetic enhancements in pigeonpea.
Dr Hapson's journey in plant breeding commenced at the Crop Breeding Institute (CBI) in Zimbabwe. During his tenure at CBI, the team successfully released four soybean varieties for commercial use.
In 2003, he joined Seed Co Research & Development, where his responsibilities involved breeding and developing competitive soybean varieties for Southern Africa. After nine years at Seed Co, he joined Pannar Seed in South Africa. He continued his soybean breeding efforts there, spanning regions such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique. In 2015, Hapson returned to Seed Co as a Lead Scientist for Soybean Breeding. He contributed significantly to food and nutrition security by establishing a strong market presence for his products across sub-Saharan Africa. His dedication led to developing and releasing six soybean varieties for commercial use in the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) region.
Currently serving as a Principal Scientist and Pigeonpea Breeding Lead Scientist for ESA, Hapson leads and coordinates pigeonpea research activities. He is also the Product Placement Lead for Southern Africa, overseeing multi-location testing and seed delivery systems. Notably, he played a crucial role in driving the modernization initiative.
Dr Hapson has effectively cultivated networks and partnerships with National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES), advanced research institutes, donors, the food processing industry, and the private seed sector. He has participated in several collaborative research involving these diverse partners. He has also mentored five MSc scholars and six researchers, currently guiding an MSc student from Lupane University.
Dr Hapson is an active member of the African Plant Breeders Association and the Zimbabwe Plant Breeders Association.