Grace Choto

Grace joined AHDB in April 2009 after working as a science teacher in Kent for over five years, teaching all three sciences at GCSE and biology at A Level. Having studied for a BSc in Agriculture and Crop Science at the University of Zimbabwe, Grace worked for the Crop Breeding Institute at the Department of Research and Specialist Services, Zimbabwe before winning a UK Government Department for International Development scholarship to study for a Master’s degree in Postharvest Horticulture at the Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich.

Following completion of her Master’s degree, Grace returned to Zimbabwe where she worked as the lead researcher on commercial insects projects, and as an assistant researcher on other agricultural projects at the Scientific & Industrial Research & Development Centre, Zimbabwe. However, while considering her options for the future, she received funding to undertake a British Government ‘Graduate Teacher Programme’ placement to train to be a science teacher in the UK.teach science in the UK. After teaching, Grace successful applied to become a Research and Knowledge Exchange Manager at AHDB.

A typical day at AHDB involves planning and delivering Knowledge Exchange work in Field Vegetables for leafy salads, herbs, asparagus, plant propagators, sweetcorn. The Aphids Day on 25 November 2020 is one example of her work.

She is also the Research and Knowledge Exchange Manager for cucurbits and she also leads on work to keep fresh produce safe to eat. As such, she represents AHDB on the Red Tractor Technical Advisory Committee for fresh produce where she works with growers and the industry to update the fresh produce standards. Additionally, Grace is the horticultural knowledge exchange lead on soils and is currently planning and delivering soils webinars such as this one.

Grace finds the planning and delivering of knowledge exchange research and knowledge exchange work that has an impact for levy payers the most rewarding aspect of her role. She consults and works with industry on the work she delivers, with the AHDB Horticulture Microbial events, which she plans and runs annually, being one example of this.

If you would like to find out more about Grace’s work, the following resources may be of interest:

• Microbials Keep it Clean 18 & 19 February 2020 workshop


• Soil Improvement Webinar 14 Oct 2020


• Aphids Day 2020


• Crop Walkers Guides (Sweetcorn Guide, Cucurbits Guide, Leafy Salads Guide and Asparagus Guide)


• Several factsheets and other guides, including Pest insects infesting lettuce crops and Management of mirid bugs infesting outdoor celery crops


• The original Greatsoils project CP 107b, from where the AHDB GREATsoils brand derives its name. This delivered 24 soil assessment and soil improvement workshops for farmers and growers and twelve Greatsoils factsheets including:
  
  
  
  • Which nutrient management system to use
  
  
  • Soil pH – how to measure and manage it based on the understanding of soil texture
  
  
  • Short term green manures for intensively cultivated horticultural soils