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Mike von Kaufmann
Mike von Kaufmann was born in Kenya and grew up on the family farm located in the Rift Valley province near the world famous Lakes Nakuru and Bogoria. This was a large mixed farm raising cattle for dairy and beef, growing maize, cotton, sorghum. This is the root of his interest in African agriculture.

After completing school in Kenya he completed a OND and then a BSc in Agricultural Engineering at the National College of Agricultural Engineering now part of Cranfield University in the UK. 

Mike then worked in the UK for a few years before moving to a Pineapple Plantation in Swaziland where he was the Agricultural Engineer until 1984 when he moved to the CDC managed Swaziland Irrigation Scheme as field services manager responsible for the management and operation of all equipment on 4,000 ha of irrigated sugar cane.  This position enabled him to build up his knowledge and experience with sugar cane handling, land development, land preparation, and land levelling.

Together with a Civil Engineering colleague   he introduced the concept of laser machine control for land levelling to the company. This and the introduction on a direct cane haulage fleet replacing a contractor and in house infield system were his major achievements in Swaziland.  

In April 1991 Mike joined Booker Tate and was seconded to Zambia Sugar's Nakambala Estate as Agricultural Service manager. Privatisation of the parastatal company looming and economic restraints easing Nakambala was in need of rehabilitation and the introduction of more modern methods. During the seven years Mike spent in Zambia amongst his achievements were:

• The introduction of laser land levelling equipment. This equipment prepared some 1200 ha a year and had completed 8,000 of the 12,000 ha by 1998, this included around 1500 ha of new land developed; the balance was old fields being redeveloped. 
• The introduction of all the land preparation and development equipment to produce 1200 ha a year for planting.
• The Modernisation of the Cane haulage fleet with the Introduction of the Bell Direct Haulage systems and Cameco loaders that moved 1.2million tonnes in the 1996/7 seasons.

Often asked for advice about equipment selection, cost analyses and process, Mike felt exploited when his advice was given to others without recognising his contribution.  After helping a friend start a plant hire business he decided that it would be worth moving on and started Kaufmann Agricultural Consultants.