Who I am

I grew up with deep ties to the land. I have worked with farmers who do not see their fields primarily as assets on a balance sheet but more as commitments to something larger.

That perspective shapes everything I write.

It also makes me restless with the way food security is discussed. Sometimes biology gets flattened into statistics and geopolitics oversimplified into supply and demand. Often the farmer disappears somewhere between these narratives.

My work tries to put those things back together.

What I do

I publish two regular series. Hard Ground examines the geopolitical forces shaping food security. The Understory looks at the biological dimension. My quarterly newsletter, Horizon Scan covers emerging risks and opportunities in the food security sphere for those with a stake in how food systems evolve.

I also take on a small number of commissioned analyses and curriculum projects each year, for clients who need food security expertise delivered clearly, independently, and without an agenda attached.

On independence

I am not the voice of industry or a green activist. I am not affiliated with any movement or ideological position that would require me to reach a predetermined conclusion before I start the analysis. I find that kind of independence increasingly necessary in this field.

If you are looking for someone who will tell you what the evidence suggests, with the context it deserves and the clarity it requires
— let's talk.

I hold master's degrees in agriculture and economics, and a PhD in insect ecology.

I am based in Europe.

A note on process: see my AI Use Policy for how I work with AI in producing this website's content.