The Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) has appointed Senegalese academic and higher education expert Dr Momar Dieng as its new Vice Chancellor, effective November 1, 2026.
Dr Dieng, who brings more than two decades of experience in university leadership, academic development and institutional partnerships, will lead efforts to strengthen RICA’s mission of advancing conservation agriculture, research and innovation.
In a statement released on August 6, 2026, RICA said Dr Dieng’s expertise will contribute to improving the quality of education, expanding research capacity and strengthening the institution’s impact in sustainable agriculture.
“Dr Momar Dieng will bring knowledge and experience that will help RICA continue advancing excellence in education and research in conservation agriculture,” the institution said.
Dr Dieng welcomed the appointment, saying he was ready to build on the achievements made by the outgoing leadership and support RICA’s continued growth.
“I am honoured to continue the work started by Dr Yerokun and the RICA leadership team. RICA has already established itself as a centre of excellence in conservation agriculture, and I look forward to contributing to its efforts to support smallholder farmers in Rwanda and beyond through research, education and knowledge transfer,” he said.
Before his appointment, Dr Dieng served at the African School of Governance (ASG), where he was responsible for executive education programmes and taught courses on decision-making.
He previously led the Business School at the African Leadership University (ALU), where he played a role in transforming teaching approaches and launching a specialised Master of Business Administration programme focused on leadership.
Dr Dieng has also served as Director of Strategy and Partnerships at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and as Senior Technical and Policy Adviser to Senegal’s Minister of Education.
His career includes advising the World Bank on education programmes and technology-driven reforms aimed at improving service delivery in West and Central Africa.
He also taught applied mathematics at Harvard University for more than 15 years.
Dr Dieng holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of California, Davis, and a postgraduate qualification in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
He takes over from Dr Olusegun Yerokun, who has been serving as RICA’s acting Vice Chancellor for more than a year. Dr Yerokun will continue serving at RICA as Deputy Vice Chancellor responsible for academic affairs.
Founded in 2019 through a partnership between the Government of Rwanda and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, RICA is dedicated to developing skilled agricultural professionals through conservation agriculture, innovation, research and entrepreneurship.
