Air Commodore Sunday Aliyu Istifanus (Rtd.) is a retired senior officer of the Nigerian Air Force and a passionate agricultural entrepreneur with deep-rooted experience in leadership, strategy, and community development. Following a distinguished military career, he transitioned into full-time farming, establishing Puma-Isti Farms, which operates across 218 acres of farmland in Nasarawa and Gombe States.

His farm enterprise focuses on animal husbandry, orchard management, cereal cultivation, and agricultural marketing. At the heart of his work is a commitment to sustainable practices, rural empowerment, and food security. Through innovation, local engagement, and practical solutions, he aims to strengthen the agricultural value chain while supporting the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and farming communities around his operations.

A 2025 Fellow of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG), Air Commodore Istifanus plays a strategic role in the Finance & Sustainability Workstream of the Food Security Insights Capstone Project. He brings firsthand insights on financing sustainable agriculture, optimizing resource use, and building scalable, impact-driven farm models. His guiding philosophy is simple but powerful: food security is a foundation of national security. With this conviction, he advocates for greater collaboration between agricultural stakeholders, relevant ministries and agencies, and development partners to build resilient food systems across Nigeria.

Air Commodore Istifanus is committed to advancing practical, homegrown solutions to the food crisis and strengthening the link between agricultural development and national stability.