UW–Madison Division of Extension is excited to welcome Tawonga Zakeyu, our new Regional Diversified Vegetables and Emerging Crops Educator, who began her role in January 2026. Tawonga will serve Barron, Burnett, Sawyer, and Washburn counties, working closely with small and mid-scale mixed vegetable farms and producers of emerging crops.
In this role, Tawonga will support growers of diversified vegetables and emerging crops such as hazelnuts, honeyberries, currants, small grains, and fiber crops. She will help connect farmers with research-based resources, identify local needs, and build strong networks between producers and agricultural professionals to improve production efficiency and profitability.
Originally from Malawi, Tawonga brings a global perspective and deep commitment to food security and sustainable agriculture. She holds a B.S. in Agricultural Sciences from EARTH University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Food Security and Nutrition from the University of Edinburgh, and recently earned her M.S. in Horticulture and Crop Science from The Ohio State University. Her background includes work in climate-smart agriculture and agricultural research in Malawi and the United States.
Please join us in welcoming Tawonga to the UW–Madison Extension team. We’re excited to have her supporting our region’s farmers and agricultural communities!
Tawonga’s office is located in Shell Lake at the Washburn County Extension Office. She can be reached at tawonga.zakeyu@wisc.edu or 715-645-9800.
