HOW WE WORK
Understand to better serve our clientsThe Team
Combining unique agronomic and socio-economics skills.
Christophe Montagnon
CEO
Dr Christophe Montagnon is the Founder and Chairman of RD2 Vision. He holds a PhD in plant breeding and has produced over 100 publications on coffee and cocoa science. Prior to setting up RD2 Vision He was the Director of Coffee and Cocoa Research at CIRAD (agricultural research center for development). He believes that in order for an investment in tropical agriculture to be successful, it must be built on solid scientific foundations.
Catherine Montagnon
Head of Administration and Finance
Catherine provides administrative, financial and accounting support within the company. She is the contact point for our clients’ and partners’ financial and administrative matters. Hailing originally from France, she has a multicultural background thanks to time spent living and working in several African countries and Mexico.
Leonel Lara-Estrada
Expert/Collaborator
Alfredo Zamarripa Colmenero
Expert/Collaborator
Dr. Zamarripa Colmenero has been senior researcher at the Mexican Research Institute of Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock (INIFAP) for 31 years. He was the National Leader for the Coffee Research Program for 10 years at the same institution.
He has been collaborating with RD2 Vision in Central and South America and the Caribbean in different coffee projects.
Face complexity and make it simple
LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND
The first step is for us to listen, understand and digest your project. We know that while there may be similarities in overall objectives, the specifics are rarely comparable since every client and every project is different. This is why we take the time to really get to grips with your vision and, if relevant, those of the people you’re trying to help. To do this, we draw on two specific skills, namely humility and an open mind.
Sometimes the strategy we develop will require the input of several members of your team (e.g., CEO, Head of R&D or Sustainability, Farm Managers, etc.) At your request we will discuss the strategy with each person to ensure that the team is aligned.
The strategy may also include various stakeholders along the value chain including smallholder producers. We see it as vitally important that we take the time to understand both the producers’ constraints and their plans for the future.
Respecting confidentiality is central among our core values.
PROCESS THE INFORMATION
We then process the information we have gathered through our discussions with you. We do this by drawing on our own experience and the latest research or successful innovations.
We provide solutions that are supported by credible evidence including scientific research papers. We do not advise based on hearsay or perceived understanding.
Keeping abreast of the latest research trends and innovations is part of our DNA. An integral part of our team’s routine consists of literature reviews, interactions with scientists and discussions with innovators. In all our work, we consider both agronomic and socio-economic science as well as the interaction between the two.
If necessary, we will happily sub-contract work out or directly connect you to the best experts in the field that would be relevant to your project or objective.
DELIVER BEST STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
We deliver clear, feasible and efficient strategic action plans. We tackle complexity head on with a view to simplifying your challenges so that together we can implement a winning strategy.
Understand :
- Our motto is « Listen first »
- Use combined scientific skills to identify relevant context specific issues
Serve :
- Turn complex situations into workable solutions
- Deliver relevant, effective and efficient strategic action plans
They trust us
I had the opportunity to work with Dr Montagnon and RD2 Vision team on coffee projects and I really liked the way they combine useful science and practical approach on the ground to find out practical and workable solutions.
In my role, as I’ve been working through various supply chain strategies to deliver meaningful economic benefit to our producer partners, I engaged with a RD2 Vision. One aspect of their work with us was to really look at inputs—how much does it cost a farmer to achieve the level of quality that is suitable for higher-value markets, or to obtain a sustainability certification? RD2 Vision illuminated that it is not always in the farmer’s best interest to do more on the farm. Their findings were a humbling reminder that as much as we may sometimes think so, coffee is not at the center of the universe.
The Scientific advice and expertise of Dr. Christophe Montagnon and RD2 Vision has been extremely helpful for Olam Coffee to lay the foundations for sustainable and profitable large scale coffee plantations.