INDUSTRY AND SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD
BESTSTAR is extremely fortunate to have benefited from global relationships that span multiple industries leading the trend toward greater sustainability and environmental responsibility. Among the multiple of sectors, we have sought guidance we include agribusiness, technology, manufacturing, science, and academia. As a result of multiyear relationships, we have formed an advisory board from which we can gain timely and useful knowledge in the development of programs, products and processes that benefit the communities we serve.
The following are the members of our Industry and Science Advisory Board.
NEWTON K. AMAGLO, PhD, Board President
Lecturer at the Horticulture Department of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, and the Co-Chair of the Moringa Working Group of the International Society for Horticultural Science. https://www.ishs.org/ishs-group/V14/about In 2019, where he provided hands-on-the-job training in High Density Moringa Leaf Cultivation and Processing to International Standard in farming communities in Kitwe in the copper belt and Mukuni Village-Livingston all in Zambia. He was a key speaker at the Second International Symposium on Moringa which was held from 10-13 November 2019 in Pretoria, South Africa where I addressed the audience on various topics including the Agro-processing, Industrial Utilization and Commercialization of Moringa under the theme: “The Power of Moringa in Solving Global Problems”. During the International Webinar on “Moringa – A Super Food-Boon to Mankind” organized by Tamil Nadu 5-7 October 2020, he presented on the topic “Moringa Seed Oil Extraction and Applications”. His area of research is in the functional component chemistry of horticultural crops and his PhD research title is “studies into the extraction technology (supercritical carbon dioxide extraction) and health functions of high quality moringa seed oil”. My masters research thesis was on the High-Density cultivation and leaf quality of Moringa Leaves and he was a member of the Technical Committee (TC) which drafted first ever Moringa Standards by the Ghana Standards Authority. He has twenty (20) years of experience in commercial scale High Density Moringa Leaf Cultivation, Processing and Marketing.
An entrepreneurial visionary his entire life, Manfred Scheffler launched his own business in 1987, never looking back except for the benefit of lessons learned. As the visionary and executive leader of Plantafood Medical GmbH (https://www.animals-plantafood.de/), Manfred’s success is fuelled by unbridled intensity, excitement, and commitment to build an internationally acclaimed and respected business dedicated to quality of life, environment, food, nutrition, and society. He is dedicated to innovative ideas, while searching for new projects that will deploy his high ethical standards to achieve goal that change society in a positive and sustainable way.
JITU PATEL, PhD
Dr. Patel is a Lead Scientist, at the Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, Maryland. A highly respected food science professional, he is regarded by colleagues worldwide as a leader in understanding issues in food product development and safety. Published in scores of articles, most of which are peer reviewed, Dr Patel brings objectivity, knowledge, and awareness of agriculture’s challenges in farming, production, and processing of our global food supply. Prior to joining USDA, Dr Patel is an innovator in applications of technology to assist the food production and processing industry, having held key positions with manufacturers such as Tetley Tea and others.
HAMIDOU TAFFA, PhD
An assistant Professor at Gelisim University, Istanbul, Turkey, training on Climate Smart Agriculture (IAAS IAV, Morocco). Dr. Taffa earned his doctorate in Agricultural Economics and Masters in Sustainable agriculture and was awarded the successful completion of Social Protection Programmes (International Policy Centre for inclusive Growth). Dr. Taffa has been a speaker at FAO Workshop on Socio Economic Method for Evaluating Agricultural Farmer Climate Resilience, Erzurum, Turkey. He has participated at multiple FAO Workshops on Ecosystem Resilience, Ankara, Turkey, and was a participant at the first Turkey-Africa Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture and Agribusiness / Representative / Niger.
Rehab Ahmed Mohamed El Gamil, PhD
Dr El Gamil, currently a resident of Istanbul, Turkey, is an Associate Professor at Alexandria University (Alexandria, Egypt) and Gelisim University (Istanbul Turkey). In her multi-year career in academics, Dr. El Gamil has established international prominence in the field of eco-tourism, providing a strong background in language, arts, and sciences. She is multi-lingual, providing Beststar with an in-depth perspective on diversity, economics, and culture across the languages of French, Arabic, Spanish, and English.
Gabriele Lüdicke
Gabriele Lüdicke is a skilled professional in the fields of cosmetology and dermatology. Having delivered health related services to individuals over the past few decades, Gabriele is considered a practicing nutritionist specializing in homeopathic and alternative medicine remedies. She has received diplomas in Chinese Medicine, Meridien Energy Therapy, Reflexology and Biocybernetics. In the general business field, she has held executive assistant positions for senior officers of multinational, foreign trade entities where she worked in the automation industry and the export industry. In specifics, her multilingual skills served her successfully with export industry leaders specializing in technology, communications, and other electronic device products. With her direct knowledge in health and nutrition, and her skills speaking multiple languages, Gabriele will be of specific assistance in Beststar’s development of market areas.