Mehrdad Ehsani joined The Rockefeller Foundation in September 2019 as Managing Director for the Food Initiative in Africa which seeks to enhance access to nourishing food for millions of people on the continent through sustainable food systems.
He has an interest in ecosystem approaches to transforming markets for greater inclusivity and sustainability. He has provided technical leadership and oversight of market development programs in Africa in food systems with Adam Smith International, Palladium Group and SNV with funding from UKAid, USAID, Directorate-General for International Cooperation, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Mehrdad holds a BSc in Agriculture from the University of British Columbia and an MSc in Agribusiness Management from Imperial College, London. Prior to joining the Foundation, he was in the leadership team of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa.
Authored Content
Apr 03 2020 Blog Post Five COVID-19 Reflections from a Food System Perspective—and How We Could Take Action As confirmed cases of COVID-19 increased throughout the world, the immediate instinct of many people was to ensure that they had enough food. The images of empty grocery store shelves and closed restaurants are stark and important reminders of how much we depend on our food system and how central food is in our […]