The view from Andrew Ndombo FCCA

I never imagined that I would become a fellow of the globally recognised ACCA. My plan was to be a computer programmer, so I studied for a computer science diploma. After graduation, I was employed by Coca-Cola Zimbabwe as settlement supervisor and, as such, was subjected to audits. It was through this that the internal audit manager recruited me as internal auditor.

Following a merger I was promoted to senior internal auditor in SABMiller. In 2008, I moved to Seed Co as group senior auditor, but I felt incomplete without an accounting qualification, so I enrolled for ACCA, qualifying in 2013. I started my working life in a corporate setup and I am still enjoying it. I believe I still have a positive impact to make.

Climate change presents real challenges, and our researchers have been developing climate-smart crop varieties that adapt to extreme weather such as droughts, floods and high temperatures. The varieties’ lifecycles fit into the short seasons that are becoming more frequent. They are using technology to produce varieties faster and cut the release time. Agronomists and researchers have influenced the government to adopt new farming policies by championing conservation agriculture. This gave birth to ‘pfumvudza’, a farming method which minimises land tillage to enhance water retention.

In Zimbabwe, high inflation rate is a serious threat to economic growth. The cost of living is very high, forcing skilled people to migrate in search of employment opportunities. In addition, the political difficulties increase the country’s risk, leading to low levels of foreign direct investment. Several companies have shut down, and many Zimbabweans have lost their jobs.

The country offers many opportunities in agriculture, mining and manufacturing. The climatic conditions are ideal for investment in farming. Zimbabwe has rich mineral deposits and a highly literate population; due to the high unemployment rate, labour costs are low.

If I had law-making powers, I would make it mandatory for any constitutional amendment to be put to a referendum. Citizens must participate in the constitution-making and amendment processes to avoid abuse by politicians. The constitution should be for the people and by the people.

My job is fulfilling because I enjoy solving complex business problems. I like challenging the status quo and influencing positive changes in the organisation. Travelling to other African countries has enabled me to learn new things from people of diverse backgrounds. My biggest achievement has been contributing towards the growth of Seed Co in Africa through the establishment and monitoring of internal controls and risk management mechanisms across the continent.

I would be an ICT professional if I had not moved into finance. I have a passion for information technology and apply my programming skills to data analytics. I also enjoy networking and learning about entrepreneurship.

Working for Seed Co lured me into farming. I am the proud founder of a well diversified startup farming venture called Asante Agro. The business has interests in livestock, field crops and vegetables.