Andrew Bovarnick is the United Nations Development Programme Global Head, Food and Agricultural Commodity Systems (FACS). With a Geography degree from Oxford University and a MA in International Relations from Tufts University, Boston, he is at the cutting edge of thinking on improving sustainability in commodities through lasting transformations of agricultural systems. He has 20 years of expertise in changing systems through collaborative action and brings the impact of collaborative working to food and commodity systems in a portfolio of 100 countries.

With a Geography degree from Oxford University and a MA in International Relations from Tufts University, Boston, Bovarnick built UNDP Green Commodities Programme’s expertise in Changing Systems through Collaborative Action (CSCA) and, with a team of 50, brings the principles of effective collaborative action to eight commodities in 12 countries.

In his more than 20 years at UNDP, Bovarnick introduced the application of economic approaches to natural resource management and provided much of the foundation for UNDP’s work on ecosystems services, environmental mainstreaming, and environmental finance. His thought leadership drove initiatives promoting market-based approaches and private sector engagement, certification, small business development, sectoral reform, supply chain management, economic valuation, payments for environmental services, and sustainable financing.

Tasked with founding the Green Commodities Programme in 2009, Bovarnick recruited and grew a team, and pioneered methodologies, a vision and mission, a strategy, and a project portfolio to transform commodity sectors in key producing countries to improve environmental, social, and economic performance around highly traded commodities such as palm oil, beef, cocoa, coffee, and soy.

More recently, he has taken this experience to a wider canvas with the UNDP Food and Agricultural Commodities Systems (FACS) initiative. UNDP has a portfolio of projects directly supporting FACS, representing over $1.2 billion, covering more than 100 countries and supporting initiatives that focus on increasing the resilience of agricultural systems and food security for more than 3.7 million people.

He is regularly called upon to contribute expertise to advisory boards including the Mondelez Advisory Council for its CocoaLife Programme, the Stakeholder Advisory Council of ISEAL, the Advisory Council of the Mars Inc. Farmer Income Accelerator Lab, and the Executive Committee of the Conservation Finance Alliance.

His latest publication is “From what to how: rethinking food systems interventions” in the Spring 2021 Journal of the Tropical Agriculture Association, Ag4Dev.