Eric Emmanuel Pluato is a first-year student at Eduardo Mondlane University,   College  of Agronomy and Forestry Engineering where he is perusing his Master of   Science Degree in Agricultural Economics. He is a recipient of the ‘Intra-Africa   Mobility Train Agri-business and Food System Scientists for African Agriculture’   (TAFSA) Scholarship program Funded by the European Union, which has enable   him  foster his education in Maputo, Mozambique. Eric holds a Bachelor of Science   (BSc) Degree in Plant and Soil Sciences with Minor studies in Agribusiness at   Cuttington University, Liberia.

He began his undergraduate studies at the College of Agriculture and Sustainable Development, Cuttington University where he emerged as an outstanding student with the highest Grade Point Average of his first year of study, receiving the Webster Urey’s Academic Award. He completed his studies and graduated with an award of Academic Distinction (‘Manga Cum Laude’).

He served as classroom teacher, coordinator of Ministry of youth and Sports, and currently, he  a Research Assistant at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI). With his passion for Agriculture and Agribusiness, Eric worked with different Agriculture groups, cooperatives, and linking Research to Extension, and working with small-holder farmers to identify available markets for the sale of their products. Due to scarcity in opportunities, Eric could not pursue his MSc studies until he was awarded the TAFSA Scholarship based on his academic performance.

Currently, Eric holds a TAFSA Scholar at the Eduardo Mondlane University studying his MSc in Agricultural Economics.