Contact: skanyamibwa@arcosnetwork.org

Dr Sam Kanyamibwa is a professional conservationist with over three decades of experience at the interface of biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and landscape restoration in Africa. He holds an MSc in Evolutionary Ecology and a PhD in Natural Population Dynamics from the University of Montpellier (France), as well as an MBA in Advanced Management from Ashridge Management College (UK). He has authored and contributed to numerous scientific publications, policy papers, and books.

Dr. Kanyamibwa is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS Network), a regional organisation established more than 30 years ago and dedicated to biodiversity conservation, community-based natural resource management, and sustainable development across Africa. Under his leadership, ARCOS has grown into one of the continent’s leading environmental organisations and has received several prestigious international awards, including the MacArthur Foundation Award for Creative and Effective Institutions (2012), the One Tree Planted Award for Long-standing Landscape Restoration Efforts in Africa (2023), and the King Albert Memorial Foundation Award for Outstanding Mountain Conservation and Sustainable Development in Africa (2024).

Prior to founding ARCOS, Dr. Kanyamibwa held senior leadership and research positions with major international organisations, including WWF (Regional Representative for Eastern Africa and Deputy Director for Africa), UNEP-WCMC (Head of Africa Programme), the African Wildlife Foundation (Regional Director for Eastern Africa), and the Wildlife Conservation Society (Director of Research, Nyungwe Forest Conservation Programme). He has also served as a Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge and as a Lecturer at the National University of Rwanda.

Over the past 15 years, Dr. Kanyamibwa has developed a strong focus on community-led agroforestry systems for landscape restoration, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable livelihoods. Through ARCOS, more than 100,000 farmers across Africa are currently engaged in agroforestry and restoration initiatives. ARCOS also convenes the African NGOs Alliance for Environmental Sustainability (ANAES), bringing together 35 organisations from 18 African countries working on landscape restoration and community development.

In addition to his professional career, Dr. Kanyamibwa is an active agroforestry and organic farmer and is currently establishing a rural training centre aimed at supporting unemployed youth through practical skills in sustainable agriculture and land management.

As Vice-Treasurer of the International Union for Agroforestry (IUAF), Dr. Kanyamibwa brings a strong combination of scientific expertise, financial and organisational management, and board-level leadership. He is committed to supporting IUAF’s sound financial governance, strategic growth, and its mission to advance agroforestry as a transformative solution for people, nature, and climate worldwide.