Mr. Keven Nancy is an agricultural professional with 30 years of experience in agricultural science, biosecurity, research, and management. He was first appointed as the Principal Secretary (PS) for Agriculture in May 2021 under the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment (MACCE), marking a significant milestone in his public service career. In recognition of his leadership and continued contribution to national development, he was reappointed in November 2025 as Principal Secretary for Agriculture under the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Blue Economy.
Throughout his distinguished career, PS Nancy has held several key technical and leadership positions within the agricultural sector. These include serving as Chief Plant Biosecurity Officer at the National Biosecurity Agency, where he played a central role in safeguarding the country against plant pests and diseases. He also served as Principal Agricultural Scientist at the Research and Development Section of the Seychelles Agricultural Agency, contributing to applied research and innovation to improve crop productivity and resilience.
Earlier in his career, he held the position of Director of Vegetable Evaluation and Research at the Anse Boileau Research Station under the former Department of Natural Resources, where he led varietal evaluation and adaptive research programmes tailored to Seychelles’ agro-ecological conditions.
At the international level, Mr. Nancy has been serving as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) National Correspondent for Seychelles since 2021, acting as a key liaison between the Government of Seychelles and FAO on agricultural policy, technical cooperation, and reporting obligations. In addition, he has contributed as a consultant on several regional and international projects implemented by organisations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) particularly in areas related to sustainable agriculture, biosecurity, and climate resilience.
PS Nancy also plays an active role in national governance through his membership and leadership on several statutory and technical committees. He serves as Chairperson of the National Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee (NSPS) of Seychelles and Chairperson of the Seychelles Organic Agriculture Committee. He is also a member of the National Pest Management Technical Committee (NPMTC) and the Seychelles Food Security Technical Committee, among others, contributing his expertise to policy advice, regulatory oversight, and strategic planning for the sector.
Academically, Mr. Nancy holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Agriculture and Development from the University of Reading, United Kingdom, a qualification that underpins his strong analytical and policy-oriented approach to agricultural development, particularly within the context of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Under his leadership, the Agriculture Department continues to carry a national mandate to ensure food and nutrition security and sovereignty, by sustaining and expanding local agricultural production while enhancing sustainability and resilience in the face of climate change. The strategic priorities of the agriculture portfolio, aligned with the policy direction of the Ministry, focus on driving innovation and technology adoption, advancing reforms at the School of Agriculture, promoting crop and livestock diversification, facilitating new agricultural investments, ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources, building core agricultural infrastructure, and supporting agro-processing and value addition to strengthen markets and increase the sector’s contribution to the national economy.