Casper Nyaradzai Kamutando holds a PhD degree in Genetics from the Center for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, University of Pretoria. He is also an alumnus of the University of Zimbabwe where he attained his undergraduate degree in Agriculture (Crop Science) and a master’s degree in Crop Science (Plant breeding option). He joined the University of Zimbabwe in 2018 as a Senior Lecturer, and he has since contributed to mentoring 2 PhD, more than 25 masters, and more than 45 BSc graduates. He has also contributed to more than 30 peer-reviewed journal articles and 2 book chapters in the areas of Plant breeding as well as Microbial ecology. In December 2022, he received the ‘Young Scientist Award’ from RUFORUM.

His passion lies in developing technologies that enhances crop resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses by harnessing genetic potential of crops as well as their holobiont (especially, the beneficial microorganisms). He is the President of the Zimbabwe Plant Breeders Association (ZPBA), Founder of the Microbial Ecology Research Network in Zimbabwe (MERNZ) and is the EC Ambassador of the International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME) in Zimbabwe.