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University of Greenwich Campus Medway

Food and Markets Department

Name Details
Dr Louise Abayomi
  • Qualifications: BEng (Hons), MSc, PhD, MSCI, MAAB, MISTRC
  • Biography:

    Dr Louise Abayomi is a member of the Foods and Markets group within the Natural Resources Institute of the University of Greenwich and is a Senior Research Fellow in Postharvest Technology and Marketing Systems.  She is certified with HACCP Level 4 for Food Safety for Manufacturing, BRC Version 8 Lead Auditor. Louise is certified Professional Trainer, and a member of the Society of Chemical Industry (SCI); the International society for tropical root crops (ISTRC); the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS); and Association of Applied Biologists (AAB).

    With 20 years of experience in postharvest systems, of which 10 years were within the private sector, Dr Abayomi has postharvest handling experience across both perishable and durable crops; the management, application, and implementation of appropriate technology within value chains; NPD involving fortification and flour composites, including development of product specifications.  As well as long-term research and development, Louise also undertakes short-term assignments for the private sector, including various strategic organisations such as the United Nations International Development Programme (UNIDO), UK Department for International Development (DfID, now FCDO), and the World Food Programme (WFP) in various areas across the food system continuum.
  • Research / Scholarly Interests:

    Scholarly interest in postharvest quality and impact of climate and technology; food  systems and food environment; practical low-cost tools for quality management; fortification and NPD; standards and compliance; processing and operations management in value chain development
  • Research Projects:
    • 2008-2012 DfID: ASEC programme- Ensuring Compliance Increases Trade for Developing Countries
    • 2008-2019 Bill and Melinda Gate’s Foundation: Cassava Adding Value for Africa (C: AVA I/II)
    • 2009-2012 EU-ACP: Science and Technology for Enhancing the Contribution of Roots and Tubers to Development in ACP Countries project
    • 2010-2014 EU EDES programme- Strengthening Food Safety in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific
    • 2011-2015 EU: Gains through Losses of Roots and Tubers (GRATITUDE) project
    • 2011-2016 Bill and Melinda Gate’s Foundation: Yam Improvement for Income and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA)
    • 2012 DfID: GEMS3 (Growth and Employment in States) programme
    • 2013-2018 Bill and Melinda Gate’s Foundation: Cassava Growth Markets (G-Markets)
    • 2018-2021 UN World Food Programme: Various
  • Research Students:

    6 (x2 current)
  • Teaching Programmes:

    Training and capacity building for value chain development; HACCP; Quality Management
  • Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: https://gala.gre.ac.uk/view/authors/3526.html
  • External Profiles:

    ORCID

    https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0479-1463
  • Selected Publications:
    • Omohimi, C., Piccirillo, C., Ferraro, V., Roriz, M. C., Omemu, M. A., Santos, S. M. D., Da Ressurreição, S., Abayomi, L., Adebowale, A., Vasconcelos, M. W., Obadina, O., Sanni, L., Pintado, M. M. E. (2019). Safety of Yam-Derived (Dioscorea rotundata) Foodstuffs - Chips, Flakes and Flour: Effect of Processing and Post-Processing Conditions. Foods 8: 1.
    • Omohimi, C. I., Piccirillo, C., Roriz, M., Ferraro, V., Vasconcelos, M. W., Sanni, L. O., Tomlins, K., Pintado, M. M., Abayomi, L. A. (2018). Study of the proximate and mineral composition of different Nigerian yam chips, flakes and flours. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 55 (1):42-51
    • Lamboll, R., Martin, A., Sanni, L., Adebayo, K, Graffham, A., Kleih, U., Abayomi, L., Westby, A. (2018). Shaping, adapting and reserving the right to play: Responding to uncertainty in high quality cassava flour value chains in Nigeria. Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies 8, 54-76.
    • Pyrotis, S., Abayomi, L. A., Rees, D. and Orchard, J. E. (2015). Effects of force on the development of dry bruise on strawberry fruit. 1st International conference for postharvest loss reduction. Rome, Italy 4th-7th Oct 2015 (Poster presentation).
    • Abayomi, L. A. Quality of high quality cassava flour (HQCF) in Nigeria. National Stakeholders' Forum on Cassava Bread, Nigeria, October, 2013 (Oral presentation).
    • Abayomi, L. A., Sandifolo, V., Naziri, D., Kaitano, V and Shaw, M. Cassava Adding Value for Africa (C: AVA II) investment study (2013). NRI project report
    • Shittu,T, Egwunyenga, R, Sanni, L and Abayomi, L (2013). Bread from composite plantain-wheat flour: I. Effect of plantain fruit maturity and flour mixture on dough rheology and fresh loaf qualities. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation.
    • Naziri, D., L., Abayomi, L., Sandifolo, V., Kaitano, V. and Sergeant, A. (2013). Market opportunities for cassava in Malawi. NRI project report.
    • Naziri, D., Sergeant, A., Graffham, A., Sanni, L., Abayomi, L. and Siwoku, B. (2013). Market opportunities for cassava in Nigeria. C:AVA NRI project report.
    • Pyrotis, S., Abayomi, L. A., Rees, D. and Orchard, J. E. (2012). Effect of temperature and humidity on strawberry firmness at two different sites in the Huelva Region of Spain. Acta Horticulturae. 926, 567-570
    • Adebayo, K., Abayomi, L. Abass, A. Dziedzoave, N. T., Forsythe, L. Hillocks, R. J. Gensi, R., Gibson, R. W., Graffham, A. J., Ilona, P., Kleih, U. K., Lamboll, R. I., Mahende, G., Martin, A. M., Onumah, G. E., Orr, A. W., Posthumus, H., Sanni, L. O., Sandifolo, V. and Westby, A (2010). Challenges for extension services in the sustainable inclusion of smallholders in the emerging high quality cassava flour value chains in Africa. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 14: 1.
    • Abayomi, L. A., Alacho, F. and Kirya, M. (2010). Evaluating the root causes of variable HQCF quality arising from group processing in Uganda. NRI project report.
    • Terry, L.A., Bordonaba, J. G. and Abayomi, L. A. (2010). Development and optimisation of amperometric biosensors for improved postharvest quality control. Acta Hort. 877, 927-932.
    • Pyrotis, S., Abayomi, L., D. Rees, D. and Orchard, J. Effect of temperature and humidity on strawberry firmness at two different sites in the Huelva region of Spain. XXVIII International Horticultural Congress on Science and Horticulture for People (IHC2010): International Symposium on Berries: From Genomics to Sustainable Production, Quality and Health, Lisbon, Portugal 22-24th August 2010 (Poster presentation).
    • Abayomi, L. A. (2009). Technical and Quality Evaluation of Cassava Flour Processing and End-Use Market Requirements in Malawi. NRI project Report.
    • Bordonaba, J. G., Terry, L. A. and Abayomi, L. A. (April, 2009) Development and optimisation of amperometric biosensors for improved soft fruit quality control. 6th International Postharvest Symposium, Turkey (Oral presentation).
    • Abayomi, L. A. and Terry, L. A. (2009). Implications of spatial and temporal changes in concentration of pyruvate and glucose in onion (Allium cepa L.) bulbs during controlled atmosphere storage. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 89, 683-687.
    • Abayomi, L. A. and Terry, L. A. (2007). A pyruvate dehydrogenase-based amperometric biosensor for assessing pungency in onions (Allium cepa L.). Sensing and instrumentation for food quality and safety 1, 183-187.
    • Abayomi, L. A. Terry, L. A. White, S. F. Warner, P. J. (2006). Development of a disposable pyruvate biosensor to determine pungency in onions (Allium cepa L.). Biosensors and Bioelectronics 21, 2176-2179.
    • Abayomi, L.A. and Terry, L.A. (2006). Development of two disposable pyruvate biosensors to determine pungency in onion. National Allium Research Conference (NARC), 7-8 December, College Station, Texas, USA
Phone: +44 (0)1634 88 3734
Associate Professor in Food Technology & Food Systems Management
Dr Parag Acharya
  • Qualifications: BSc (Hons.), MSc, PhD, FIFST, MRSC
  • Biography:

    Dr Parag Acharya, with 14 years of industrial food R&D experience, is leading alternative protein-based food research and innovation at the Natural Resources Institute (NRI). Since joining NRI in 2020, he has taken the helm of the research group focusing on food processing and innovation as well as led the establishment of the Medway Food Innovation Centre equipped with cutting-edge facilities to foster sustainable food technologies. Led by Parag, MFIC has already positioned itself as a key player in the UK for alternative protein research and innovation. It is also playing a key role in $30m Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein led by Imperial College, London where Parag is co-leading the Plant Pillar platform.

    Besides, Parag is also the innovation growth manager for Growing Kent and Medway (GKM) agri-food cluster (http://www.growingkentandmedway.com) funded by £17.8 million UKRI Strength in Places grant. As part of the GKM team, he co-authored UKRI report (2022) Alternative Proteins: Identifying UK Priorities (Alternative Proteins Roadmap: identifying UK priorities – UKRI) and is also leading the GKM Alternative Protein Research Network.

    Parag is highly skilled in building multi-disciplinary collaborations. He has initiated contacts with StartLife in Wageningen, GROW in Singapore, and Swiss Food Valley to leverage their experiences in setting up a framework for the plant-based food accelerator programme in the Medway campus. This accelerator programme has, so far, brought a significant knowledge exchange impact by delivering business mentoring and technical support to 100+ regional food companies, facilitated 18 new product launches, and helped 12 businesses to successfully apply for further R&D funding.

    Since 2021, Parag has also brought a significant research funding (see below) to deliver the scientific unlock on how to innovate climate-smart food utilising sustainable protein sources (e.g. currently leading projects on alternative proteins from under-utilized legumes, algae, agri-food side-streams like spent grain etc.) by connecting domains of ingredient research, novel processing, clean label formulation (e.g. how to replace additives with natural alternatives), and taste & flavour technologies. He is also co-supervisor for a collaborative PhD project (with University of Aberystwyth) on RuBisCO protein funded by the UKRI Food system CDT.  

    Parag has been appointed as steering committee member of BBSRC Diet and Health Open Innovation Research Club (OIRC), selected as member of BBSRC Pool of Experts (2023-2026) and was part of Algae-UK organizing committee for developing the Roadmap for Algae in UK diets. He is the steering committee member of the UK-Kenya Alternative Proteins Network (2024). Parag had also featured in Good Food Institute (GFI) website (Meet the researcher: Parag Acharya on building a one stop shop for sustainable proteins - GFI Europe) and was mentioned in the GFI Europe report among top UK researchers in the field of alternative protein (Sustainable proteins in the UK – an ecosystem report (gfieurope.org))

    Before joining NRI, Parag had been working for Unilever Food R&D in Netherlands (2011-2020) with a proven track record of successfully delivering patented technologies (lead inventor of 4 patents: WO 2020099180, WO 2017140439 A1, WO 2017001154 A1 and WO 2013189709 A1). He led strategic open innovation partnerships as well as championed several industry-academia collaborations funded by EU FP-7 ITN, TKI-Agri Food, BBSRC-CTPs etc. His pioneering research at Unilever also delivered scientific insights on the causative chemistry of culinary flavour generation by unravelling how aroma generation can be controlled by the optimal processing of plant-based food.
  • Research / Scholarly Interests:

    Parag’s interest lies in demystifying science enablers to develop future-fit technologies for alternative protein-based food innovation. His research priorities are alternative protein and developing clean label product technologies by connecting domains of upcycled ingredient technologies, sustainable processing, and novel product formulation. When designing food, it is ubiquitous to understand the molecular properties of ingredients and how they interact with the food matrices during processing to impart various functional attributes. Parag’s research work therefore aims to understand how novel processing affects physicochemical properties of alternative plant/algae/fungal protein and hybrid protein ingredient to deliver the desired functionalities of meat alternatives and dairy free products. To feed ~10 billion people by 2050 with food that does good to people as well as nature, a total re-invention is needed on how raw materials being sourced, food products are designed and processed. This necessitates key scientific unlock to create a circular food value chain and to adequately address the Net Zero challenges for the UK agri-food sector. Parag’s research should enable more efficient and resilient, low-carbon food production with better understanding of drivers for sustainable manufacturing and consumer acceptability.

    His motivation to return to academia and join the NRI, Faculty of Science and Engineering has been to leverage his industrial knowledge for delivering user-inspired research and innovation programme in alternative protein which will help the UK to accelerate its shift to a more sustainable food system. Consumer habits are changing with rising vegan and flexitarians choices, growing demands for clean label (free from additives) and authentic food products. Such scenarios entail a transformative opportunity to re-think the fundamentals of food technologies and deliver a disruptive food innovation with more industry-academia partnerships. Thus, Parag’s ambition is to integrate Medway Food Innovation Centre with the enterprise vision of the University of Greenwich by strengthening the connection between science and application.
  • Research Projects:

    (1) BSG4PROTEIN: Alternative protein from brewer’s spent grain (EAT IT UP fund supported by Starbucks, PI, 2024); Eat It Up Fund | Hubbub x Starbucks — Meet the winners

    (2) BBSRC LUNZ-Hub: Land use for net zero hub (impact of alternative protein on UK land use change, funded by BBSRC and Defra, Co-I, 2023-2026)

    (3) PROFILE: Protein RecOvery for Food using Novel Extraction (funded by Innovate UK, Co-PI, 2023-2025; in collaboration with Imperial College and Arborea Ltd.); New project to develop sustainable algal protein with enhanced flavor | PPTI (proteinproductiontechnology.com)

    (4) AgriFood4NetZero Network+: Plausible Pathways, Practical and Open Science for Net Zero Agri-food (funded by UKRI, champion for Cellular Agriculture, 2022-2025; CHAMPIONS - AgriFood4NetZeroNetwork+)

    (5) IPSUS: Climate Smart Food Innovation Using Plant & Seaweed Proteins from Upcycled Sources (A trans-national consortium consists of 7 universities and 2 industrial partners across 6 countries from 3 continents; funded by ERA-NET SUSFOOD2-FOSC, PI, 2022-2025; Home | IPSUS)

    (6) Food Basket LCA: Identifying opportunities for sustainable productivity growth across the UK agri-food chain (Led by Dr Conor Walsh; in collaboration with Rothamsted Research and University of Surrey; funded by DEFRA, Co-I, 2021-2023)

    (7) From nutrition to flavour: novel food and food ingredients from microalgae (Led by Dr Sui Yixing; in collaboration with Open University and funded by STFC Food Network+ PoC grant, Co-I, 2022- 2023)

    (8) Seaweed Protein Extraction: Scoping novel extraction technologies by addressing poor process inefficiencies (funded by STFC Food Network+, PI, 2021-2022)

    (9) Rice Protein: Assess value chain opportunity by upcycling by-products & improving food safety (funded by GCRF Networking Grant in collaboration with HUST Vietnam, UK PI, 2021-2022)

    (10) Umami from microalgae: Identification of umami taste markers by optimizing microalgae harvest (Led by Dr Sui Yixing and funded by STFC Food Network+, Co-I, 2020–2021)

    (11) REUNION: Science and technology for valorization of onion waste (lead: University of Reading, funded by BBSRC-CTPs, Co-I/Unilever science lead, 2018–2022)

    (12) Waste2Taste: Technology for valorization of vegetable waste (lead: Wageningen University, funded by TKI-Agri Food, Netherlands, Co-I/Unilever science lead, 2017–2021)
  • Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: https://gala.gre.ac.uk/view/authors/8189.html
  • Responsibilities:
    • Innovation Growth Manager for Growing Kent & Medway innovation cluster
    • FMD research group lead for Food Processing and Innovation
    • Leading development of Medway Food Innovation Centre
  • Awards:

    Professional activities/Recognition:

    • Fellow, Institute of Food Science & Technology
    • International advisory group member of Plant Based Food Institute, USA
    • Invited expert member of the Bioeconomy Working Group for STFC Food Network+
    • Member, Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC)
    • Member, Algae-UK
    • Review editor, Frontiers Food Science and Technology; Reviewer: J. Food Engineering, Food Chemistry, J. Food Quality, ACS Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
    • Past Industry Advisory Panel member of Biochemical Society (UK)
    • (Former) Scientific committee member of “Total Food 2017”

    Prizes/Awards:

    • 2019: Unilever Global Product Network award
    • 2019: Unilever Food Science and Technology Recognition award
    • 2007: Alberta Ingenuity R&D Associateship, Canada
    • 2004: IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists for best PhD thesis in chemical sciences
    • 2003: IUPAC Travel award for Young Scientists
  • External Profiles:

    ORCID

    https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2521-9968

    ResearcherID (WoS)

    https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/2051455

    Research Gate

    https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Parag_Acharya2
  • Selected Publications:
    • Euston, S.; Groves, K.; Huatuco, L.; Falloon, P.; Kirwan, L.; Smith, E.; Brites, C.; Panzone, L.; Monteiro, D. S.; Acharya, P. Food systems research to positively impact the sustainable bioeconomy and transformation of smart food systems – an overview of gaps and future research agenda. Position paper: SFN+ Expert Working group “Bioeconomy and Smart Food Systems for sustainable and healthy futures”, November 2023
    • Sui, Y.; Celente, G de S.; Acharya, P. Seaweed as an alternative protein source: Prospective protein extraction technologies. Innovative Food Science and Emerging Tech. 86, 2023, 103374
    • Sui, Y.; Mazzucchi, L.; Acharya, P.; Xu, Y.; Morgan, G.; Harvey, P.J. A Comparison of b- Carotene, Phytoene and Amino Acids Production in Dunaliella salina DF 15 (CCAP 19/41) and Dunaliella salina CCAP 19/30 Using Different Light Wavelengths. Foods 2021, 10, 2824
    • Pegiou, I., Mumm, R., Acharya, P., de Vos, C. H., & Hall, R. D. (2020). Green and White Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis): A Source of Developmental, Chemical and Urinary Intrigue. Metabolites, 10(1), [17]. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo10010017
    • Qiu, J., Acharya, P., Jacobs, D. M., Boom, R. M., & Schutyser, M. A. I. (2019). A systematic analysis on tomato powder quality prepared by four conductive drying technologies. Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, 54, p. 103-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2019.03.013
    • Koutidou, M., Grauwet, T., Van Loey, A., Acharya, P. (2017). Impact of processing on odour-active compounds of a mixed tomato-onion puree. Food Chemistry, 228, 14-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.01.135
    • Koutidou, M., Grauwet, T., Van Loey, A., Acharya, P. (2017). Potential of different mechanical and thermal treatments to control off-flavour generation in broccoli puree. Food Chemistry, 217, 531-541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.09.003
    • Koutidou, M., Grauwet, T., Acharya, P. (2016). Effect of different combined mechanical and thermal treatments on the volatile fingerprint of a mixed tomato–carrot system. Journal of Food Engineering, 168,137-147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2015.07.028
Associate Professor in Food Innovation
Dr Tonna Anyasi
  • Qualifications: BSc, MSc, PhD
  • Biography:

    Dr Tonna Ashim Anyasi is a Senior Lecturer in Food Innovation at the Department of Food and Markets, Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich. Dr Anyasi holds a PhD in Agriculture (Food Science and Technology) and an MSc in Food Technology, with research focus on sustainable food and agro-processing, postharvest technology, carbohydrate polymers, phenolics as well as bioactivity, bioavailability and biodigestibility of food matrix in fruits, vegetables, cereal, root and tuber crops.

    Before joining the Food and Markets Department, NRI, University of Greenwich, Dr Anyasi was a Senior Researcher at the Agro-Processing and Postharvest Technologies Division, Agricultural Research Council – Tropical and Subtropical Crops, Nelspruit, South Africa. Prior, Dr Anyasi was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and the University of Venda, South Africa where he conducted research on several food processing techniques and their effect on the antioxidant properties and phenolics of tropical fruits, cereal, legumes, root and tuber crops.   

    Dr Anyasi has mentored and supervised to completion several PhD and MSc students; is a National Research Foundation of South Africa Y-Rated Researcher; a member of the Early Career Scientist Section of the International Union of Food Science and Technology and International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST/IAFoST-ECSS); a member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT); and a professional member of the South African Association for Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST).
  • Research / Scholarly Interests:
    • Sustainable agro and food processing
    • Postharvest technology
    • Food loss and waste
    • Phenolics in fruits, vegetables, cereal, root and tuber crops
    • Plant nutrients antioxidant activities
    • Carbohydrate polymers
    • Bioavailability and biodigestibility of plant nutrients
  • Teaching Programmes:

    2021 – 2024

    Food Processing and Tree Crop Water Utilisation in various Provinces of South Africa. Water Research Commission (WRC) of South Africa – R2 500 000.00  

    2022 – 2023

    An Impact Study of the Sulphur dioxide usage within the South African Dried Fruit Industry. HORTGRO South Africa – R183 791.00

    2021 – 2022

    National Research Foundation of South Africa Research Grant Incentives for Rated Researchers – R50 000.00
  • Awards:
    • International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) 2018 Young Scientist Award; admitted as a member of the Early Career Scientist Section of IUFoST.
    • Foods (MDPI Journal) Poster Award for Best Poster/Short Oral Presentation at the 5th International ISEKI Food Conference, ISEKI_Food 2018.
    • National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, Y-Rated Researcher
    • Editorial Board Member, BMC Nutrition
    • Review Editor, Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 
    • Special Issue Editor, Frontiers in Nutrition
    • Special Issue Editor, Processes, MDPI Journals
    • Grant Reviewer and Review Panel Member, National Research Foundation of South Africa Rating and Funding Applications
  • External Profiles:

    Google Scholar

    https://scholar.google.co.za/citations?hl=en&imq=Tonna+Anyasi&authorid=&user=Hb2wdpAAAAAJ

    ORCID

    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2242-3501

    ResearchGate

    https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tonna-Anyasi

    LinkedIn

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonna-anyasi
Senior Lecturer in Food Innovation
Dr Vahid Baeghbali
  • Qualifications: BSc, MSc, PhD, FHEA, ISO 9001 Lead Auditor
  • Biography:

    Dr. Vahid Baeghbali joined the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) in 2022, bringing over a decade of combined industrial and academic expertise in research and development (R&D), production, quality control, industrial consultation, and research management.

    His international experience includes serving as a Research Scholar at McGill University (Canada), and as a Research Associate and Lecturer at Shiraz University and Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Iran). Currently, he holds the position of Senior Fellow in Food Innovation at the NRI, where he leads technical and operational activities at the Medway Food Innovation Centre. In this role, he integrates industrial insight with academic rigour to advance research, foster innovation, and facilitate knowledge exchange between academia and industry.

    Dr. Baeghbali’s research portfolio includes the design and fabrication of patented pilot-scale food processing machinery, with a focus on modelling and optimisation. He is a Co-Investigator at the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein, where he leads research and new product development initiatives in the field of alternative proteins. In addition to his academic and research roles, he provides technical consultation to food manufacturing companies, supporting innovation, process improvement, and product development across the sector.
  • Research / Scholarly Interests:
    • Food Engineering
    • New Product Development
    • Alternative proteins
    • High moisture Extrusion
    • Food 3D Printing
    • Novel Extraction and Processing Technologies
  • Research Projects:
    • Advancing High Moisture Extrusion of Plant Protein blend for Next Generation Meat Analogue (2025) Funded by Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein
    • Development of hybrid plant and algal protein meat alternative (2025) Funded by GKM Partnership Grant
    • Sustainable plant protein concentrate production by dry fractionation (2024) Funded by ECR Network Seed Funding
    • Dehydration of Viable Probiotic Cells Using Novel Drying Technologies (2021) funded by Iran National Science Foundation
    • Extraction, Emulsification and Encapsulation of Herbal Essential Oils (2020) funded by Shiraz University Postdoctoral Research Award
    • Modelling and Optimisation of Ultrasound and Infrared Assisted Conductive Hydro Dryer (2019) funded by Iran National Science Foundation
  • Teaching Programmes:

    Programmes:

    • PhD Food Science and Marketing
    • MSc Food Innovation
    • BSc Food Science and Nutrition

    Courses:

    • FOOD-1073: Alternative Proteins
    • FOOD-1057: Food Processing and Preservation
    • NUTR-1026: Food, Nutrition & Public Health
  • Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/user/10507
  • Responsibilities:
    • Leading technical and operational activities at the Medway Food Innovation Centre
    • Postgraduate supervision and academic tutoring
    • Health and Safety Local Officer
    • First Aider and Fire Warden
  • Awards:
    • 2025: Growing Kent and Medway Partnership for Development of hybrid plant and algal protein meat alternative
    • 2024-2025 Greenwich Research and Innovation (GRI) RCIF award to purchase the LumiSizer Dispersion Analyser
    • Recognised reviewer of Journal of Food Engineering (over 60 reviews), Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, Applied Food Research
    • Member of International Society of Food Engineering (ISFE) 
    • 2018: Distinguished Student of Shiraz University School of Agriculture
    • 2017: Iran Ministry of Science, Research and Technology scholarship for visiting research scholar
    • 2017: Iran National Elite Foundation award for level 3 inventions
    • 2016: Iran National Science Foundation award for US Patent application.
    • 2016: Iran International Grand Prize final stage attendance award.
    • 2015: Iran National Science Foundation award for Optimization of continuous Refractance Window dryer for drying of heat sensitive food stuff and herbs.
  • External Profiles:

    ORCID

    https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5054-6747#

    LinkedIn

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/vahidbaq/

    Google Scholar

    https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FfECmwQAAAAJ&hl=en

    ResearcherID (WoS)

    https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/1835518
  • Selected Publications:
    • Munialo, C. D., Baeghbali, V., & Acharya, P. (2025). Plant-based alternatives to meat products. Foods, 14(8), p 1396. (doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14081396)
    • Baeghbali, V. and Niakousari, M., 2025. Hybrid CHD processes. In Conductive Hydro Drying of Foods (pp. 317-332). Academic Press. (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-95602-4.00013-0)
    • Baeghbali, V. and Boostani, S., (2024). Spray drying of dairy and soy proteins. In Spray Drying for the Food Industry (pp. 125-143). Woodhead Publishing. (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-819799-8.00011-9)
    • Hedayati, S., Baeghbali, V. and Jafari, S.M., (2023). Cooking equipment for the food industry. In High-Temperature Processing of Food Products (pp. 59-76). Woodhead Publishing. (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-***************04-5)
    • Baeghbali, V., Hedayati, S. and Jafari, S.M., (2023). Infrared processing equipment for the food industry. In Emerging Thermal Processes in the Food Industry (pp. 47-61). Woodhead Publishing. (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-822107-5.00009-X)
    • Homayoonfal, M., Malekjani, N., Baeghbali, V., Ansarifar, E., Hedayati, S. and Jafari, S.M., (2022). Optimization of spray drying process parameters for the food bioactive ingredients. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, pp.1-41. (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2022.2156976)
    • Baeghbali, V., Hedayati, S. and Jafari, S.M., (2023). Storage vats, vessels, and tanks. In Transporting Operations of Food Materials Within Food Factories (pp. 15-30). Woodhead Publishing. (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818585-8.00012-X)
    • Lorenz, T., Iskandar, M.M., Baeghbali, V., Ngadi, M.O. and Kubow, S., (2022). 3D Food Printing Applications Related to Dysphagia: A Narrative Review. Foods, 11(12), p.1789. (doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11121789)
    • Hemmati, F., Abbasi, A., Bedeltavana, A., Akbari, M., Baeghbali, V. and Mazloomi, S.M., (2022). Development of fortified probiotic dairy desserts with added date extract, whey protein, inulin, folic acid, vitamin D and calcium. Journal of Food Science and Technology, pp.1-11. (doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-022-05356-w)
    • Hedayati, S., Baeghbali, V. and Jafari, S.M., (2022). Application of Releasing Active Packaging in Cereals and Cereal Based Products. In Releasing Systems in Active Food Packaging (pp. 403-425). Springer, Cham. (doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90299-5_14)
    • Baeghbali, V., Ngadi, M. and Niakousari, M., (2020). Effects of ultrasound and infrared assisted conductive hydro-drying, freeze-drying and oven drying on physicochemical properties of okra slices. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 63, p.102313. (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2020.102313)
    • Baeghbali, V., Niakousari, M., Ngadi, M.O. and Hadi Eskandari, M., (2019). Combined ultrasound and infrared assisted conductive hydro-drying of apple slices. Drying Technology, 37(14), pp.1793-1805. (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07373937.2018.1539745)
    • Baeghbali, V. and Niakousari, M., (2018). Ultrasound and infrared assisted conductive hydro-dryer. U.S. Patent Application 15/789,742.
    • Baeghbali, V., Niakousari, M. and Farahnaky, A., 2016. Refractance Window drying of pomegranate juice: Quality retention and energy efficiency. LWT-Food science and technology, 66, pp.34-40. (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2015.10.017)
Senior Fellow in Food Innovation
Dr Baqir Lalani
  • Qualifications: BSc, MSc, PhD
  • Biography:

    Dr Baqir Lalani is a Senior Research Fellow in the Food and Markets Department at the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) with experience in the economics/adoption process of improved practices; agricultural innovation systems and farmer decision making/learning processes in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. Baqir joined the NRI in 2016 after completing his PhD which explored the farm-level economics and adoption dynamics of Conservation Agriculture (CA) among smallholder farmers in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. 

    Prior to pursuing his PhD, he spent six years' working for the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) in Syria and Tajikistan. His role involved Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of rural development projects including related to specific value chains i.e. olives, cereals and livestock sectors (e.g. sheep fattening and poultry). Baqir has a keen interest in conducting interdisciplinary research related to sustainable intensification issues, post-harvest loss reduction and in understanding decision-making in smallholder households. He has long-term field experience in Mozambique, Syria and Tajikistan and has conducted consultancy assignments for the FAO, FCDO, WorldFish and the OIC.   

    Baqir has secured funding as PI from the University of Greenwich’s seedling fund to undertake a modelling exercise, in collaboration with a team from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), using APSIM to explore different agricultural practices under several climate scenarios. More recently, he was also awarded funding (PI) from the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) to undertake further research in Mozambique (in collaboration with researchers from Michigan State University) to map farmers’ perceptions related to Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices using Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM), alongside on-farm measurements and remote sensing imagery.

    Dr Lalani’s role at the University includes a contribution to research, teaching and consultancy, including involvement with undergraduate and postgraduate/ PhD supervision. 
  • Research / Scholarly Interests:
    • Farm-level economic analysis and simulation
    • Agriculture and food value chain analysis
    • Conservation Agriculture/Sustainable intensification
  • Research Projects:

    Sustainability - intensification trade-offs in coffee agroforestry (BBSRC)

    Goal: 1 - Identify and assess trade-offs between intensification (maximising productivity and profits) and sustainability (provision of ecosystem services, climate and market resilience) in coffee monocultures and agroforestry systems
    Goal: 2 - How to meet the growing demand for agricultural products and sustain livelihoods of farmers, in a context of climate change and market variation, while maintaining ecosystem services that are required for production and society as a whole.

    EC Food Fortification (European Commission)

    Public and private sector commitment to food fortification and biofortification.  This project aims to identify sustainable, effective business models, particularly for small-scale producers of fortified and biofortified foods. In doing this the project will identify primary drivers and bottlenecks for public and private sector commitment to food fortification (e.g. issues with packaging, costs of premixes, ...) a. Cereal / flour fortification b. Fortified complementary foods c. Bio-fortified seeds and crops

    Value Chain Analysis for Development (VCA4D)

    The VCA4D project aims to analyse the extent to which agricultural value chains contribute to economic growth in EU partner countries and are inclusive, socially and environmentally sustainable. The aim is to provide tangible and robust information to improve EU operations in these countries, in keeping with and in support of local policies.
  • Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/view/authors/6324.html
  • Responsibilities:

    Research, Consultancy and Teaching/Supervision
  • External Profiles:

    ORCID

    https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8287-3283

     
  • Selected Publications:
Phone: +44 (0)1634 88 3571
Senior Research Fellow in the Economics of Agri-Food Systems
Dr Charoula K Nikolaou
  • Qualifications: PhD, MSc, BSc, RD
  • Biography:

    Dr Charoula Konstantia (aka Dina) Nikolaou is an HCPC registered dietitian specialising in Diabetes and Obesity management with several years of clinical nutrition experience in hospitals and community nutrition. She received her PhD in Nutrition from the University of Glasgow specialising in Obesity Prevention in 2014. During her PhD, she developed an eLearning programme for unwanted weight-gain prevention using as a basis two distinct behavioural models, the rationale and the stealth model. Both programmes were successful in preventing weight-gain over a course of a year but mostly the one based on the stealth model, opening new avenues for interventions away from the classical health education model. She further expanded on her eHealth knowledge during her research fellow position for Imperial College and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine in Nanayng Technological University in Singapore. She worked as a researcher and co-ordinator for a WHO-commissioned programme on the effectiveness of different eLearning modalities for training health care professionals.

    She joined NRI, Food and Markets department, in January 2020 as a research fellow in Public Health Nutrition. Before joining NRI, she worked at the University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Medicine, Global Health Policy department and St Luke’s International University, Graduate Public Health School after having been awarded an individual international fellowship from the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science. Her work in Japan focused on local food policies and legislation and how these affect obesity rates, food availability, and food prices. This work was partly a continuation from her work carried out during her fellowship at the Catholique Université de Louvain in Belgium in 2015-2017. Her work in Louvain focused on how Human Rights and specifically the Right to Food could be utilised to prevent malnutrition (underweight and overweight) along with relevant policies and legislation. She is particularly interested in preventing obesity in young adults, the group at the highest risk for unwanted excessive weight gain. She is trying to achieve this by exploring information on nutrition policies and legislation and their influence into personal decision-making. Moreover, she is trying to utilise modern technology for empowering young citizens to manage their lifestyles by providing vital information in a suitable format. The importance of her work has been recognised by the US Obesity Society while still a PhD student when she received the award for one of the most influential papers for 2014 in the field of Obesity for the paper ‘Preventing weight gain with calorie-labelling’. Her PhD thesis was also shortlisted for the Best Thesis Award in Europe from the European Association for the Study of Obesity in 2015. Several other publications also attracted wide media attention due to their importance for public health policy and practice.
  • Research / Scholarly Interests:

    Dr Nikolaou’s main research interests are;

    • The use of modern technology for the prevention of malnutrition and non-communicable diseases underpinned by malnutrition (overweight and underweight).
    • Preventing malnutrition in all its forms (underweight and overweight) through policies, legislation, and behavioural economics interventions.
    • Harnessing modern technologies for amplifying social movements for food citizenship and mobilization of the civic society.
    • Developing risk prediction models for weight-gain.
  • Research Projects:

    State Scholarship Foundation of Greece and European Union

    Individual Award of 16,400 Euros

    Marie Curie-Move-in Louvain Fellowship

    Individual Award of 83.000 Euros

    JSPS Fellowship

    Individual Award of 8.868.000 JPY plus grant-in of 2.400.000 JPY with Prof Gilmour
  • Teaching Programmes:

    Master of Public Health, UNICAF and the University of South Wales
  • Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: https://gala.gre.ac.uk/view/authors/7826.html
  • Awards:

    2017 – 2019 JSPS individual fellowship, Global Health Policy department, Graduate Medical School, University of Tokyo, Japan. Transferred to St Luke’s International University

    2015 – 2017 Marie-Curie/Move in Louvain fellowship, Institut pour la recherche interdisciplinaire en sciences juridiques (JUR-I), Catholique Université de Louvain, Belgium

    2015 Best Thesis Award, Award received from the European Society of Obesity, Award received in Prague, Czech

    2014 Most Influential paper for the understanding of Obesity, US Obesity Society

    2013 Saltire Fellowship, Scottish Government Mobility Award, Public Health, Harvard University, USA

    2011 – 2013 European Union and State Scholarship Foundation of Greece, Scholarship for PhD studies, awarded on the merit of the proposal

     

    Membership

    2007 – Present Registered Dietitian, Health and Care Professions Council, UK

    2013 – Present Member, European Public Health Association

    2014 – Present Member, Association of Obesity, US

    2013 – Present Member, European Association of Obesity
  • External Profiles:

    ORCID

    https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6519-4174

    LinkedIn

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/charoula-konstantia-nikolaou-98691323/?originalSubdomain=jp

    Google Scholar

    https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=sa_V6CAAAAAJ&hl=en

    Research Gate

    https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Charoula_Nikolaou
  • Selected Publications:

    Nikolaou, C.K., Hankey, C.R. and Lean, M.E.J., 2015. Elearning approaches to prevent weight gain in young adults: A randomized controlled study. Obesity, 23(12), pp.2377-2384

    Nikolaou, C.K., Robinson, T.N., Sim, K.A. and Lean, M.E., 2019. Turning the tables on obesity: young people, IT and social movements. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, pp.1-6.

    Nikolaou, C.K., Hankey, C.R. and Lean, M.E.J., 2015. Weight changes in young adults: a mixed-methods study. International journal of obesity, 39(3), p.508.

    Nikolaou, C.K. and Lean, M.E., 2017. Mobile applications for obesity and weight management: current market characteristics. International Journal of Obesity, 41(1), p.200.

    Nikolaou, C.K., Hankey, C.R. and Lean, M.E.J., 2014. Preventing weight gain with calorie‐labeling. Obesity, 22(11), pp.2277-2283.

    Gentry, S.V., Gauthier, A., Ehrstrom, B.L.E., Wortley, D., Lilienthal, A., Car, L.T., Dauwels-Okutsu, S., Nikolaou, C.K., Zary, N., Campbell, J. and Car, J., 2019. Serious Gaming and Gamification Education in Health Professions: Systematic Review. Journal of medical Internet research, 21(3), p.e12994.

    Dunleavy, G., Nikolaou, C.K., Nifakos, S., Atun, R., Law, G.C.Y. and Car, L.T., 2019. Mobile digital education for health professions: systematic review and meta-analysis by the digital health education collaboration. Journal of medical Internet research, 21(2), p.e12937.

    Saxena, N., Kyaw, B.M., Vseteckova, J., Dev, P., Paul, P., Lim, K.T.K., Kononowicz, A.A., Masiello, I., Car, L.T., Nikolaou, C.K. and Zary, N., 2018. Virtual reality environments for health professional education. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2018(10).

    Gasch, M., Dunleavy, G.J., Kyaw, B.M., Lean, M.E. and Nikolaou, C.K., 2016. Personalized Health, eLearning, and mHealth Interventions to Improve Nutritional Status. Current nutrition reports, 5(4), pp.295-306.
Phone: +44 (0)1634 88 3269
Research Fellow in Public Health Nutrition
Claire Coote
  • Qualifications: PGCE, MSc, BSc
  • Biography:

    My career as an agricultural economist has been development focused and much of the research work I have undertaken has been applied and people-focused in developing countries. I joined NRI in 1997 having worked in Papua New Guinea for an international development capacity building project, for the EU, for ODA (now FCDO) and for international organisations in Geneva (ILO, GATT). My work at NRI is mainly in postharvest areas of agriculture, particularly in market access and value chain development; I have also been involved in social forestry research, particularly in Malawi, and in biomass energy applications for SME in Sri Lanka and Belize.

    Between 2003 and 2004, I was based in Mauritius where I led a small EU project to improve the quality of horticultural exports. Between 2006 and 2010, I was part of the NRI team that worked together with CGIAR researchers (CIP – Jan Low - and HarvestPlus – Howdy Bouis, Anne-Marie Ball), funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to develop an approach to reduce vitamin A deficiency via biofortification of orange-fleshed sweet potato varieties to increase their vitamin A content. I developed the marketing strategy for supporting sustainable market development, working with World Vision and other NGOs and two PhD students from Uganda and Mozambique to oversee implementation as well as ascertaining the effectiveness of the approach. I have undertaken market studies on grain legumes for the McKnight Foundation and for ICRISAT.

    During the last decade I have become engaged in university teaching, developing courses at Masters level, on Corporate Social Responsibility and Natural Resources Management; Economics, Agriculture and Markets; Understanding Rural Development; Food Marketing, and Food Ethics. I have also developed and delivered a complete MA programme – Rural Development Dynamics. I have used my experience of teaching, particularly of international students, at the University of Greenwich to get involved in supporting teaching and learning at other universities, in the UK and in Africa. I am an external examiner for four Masters courses in agricultural economics at the University of Reading. I have developed and deliver short courses on development to Commonwealth PhD scholars. I have recently delivered training on interactive teaching and learning to staff at Gulu University in northern Uganda, where I am part of a Dutch-government funded NICHE project. My work also encompasses capacity building and I have been involved in FCDO-funded research and training to support capacity development in upgrading value chains, in Mali and Botswana, bringing together policy makers, extension workers and research staff to consider and adopt innovative approaches to increase food security and agricultural incomes. I am currently involved in the Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems (CD-AIS) project, jointly implemented by AGRINATURA-EEIG and the FAO, and funded by the EU. I am the country focal person for Bangladesh.
  • Research / Scholarly Interests:

    I am particularly interested in agricultural education delivery and the learning challenges faced by international MSc students in the UK and in developing country universities. Current focus is on provision of education to many students rather than on the quality of the education provided and the usefulness of such education for employers and for self-employment.

    I am also interested in the development impact of PhD research undertaken by developing country Commonwealth Scholars studying in the UK and selection of appropriate indicators to measure the future impact of resources invested by donors in PhD training.
  • Research Projects:

    Capacity Building for Agricultural Innovation Systems, 2015 – 2019

    Action research designed to make agricultural innovation systems in developing countries more efficient and sustainable in meeting the demands of farmers, agribusiness and consumers to facilitate the sustainable intensification of agriculture to enhance food security and nutrition.

    Emphasis is on building research institutions and establishing a relationship between research institutions and farmers, particularly women and youth. Capacities to be developed include communication, partnership building negotiation, conflict management, lobbying and advocacy.

    Initial work is to be undertaken in eight countries with aim of developing an effective global mechanism to promote, coordinate and evaluate capacity development approaches to strengthen agricultural innovation systems.
  • Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/view/authors/1920.html
  • Responsibilities:

    Member of the Athena Swan Working Group Co-Athena Swan Champion, Natural Resources Institute
  • Selected Publications:
    • Coote, C. and Okwadi, J. (2014) The importance of measuring financial viability: the example of orange sweet potato processing in Uganda. Food Chain Journal 4 (3).
    • Utono, I. M., Coote, C. and Gibson, G. (2014) Field study of the repellent activity of 'Lem-ocimum'-treated double bags against the insect pests of stored sorghum, Tribolium casteneum and Rhyzopertha dominica, in northern Nigeria, J. Stored Products Research.
    • Coote, C., Orr, A. and Munyua, B. (2012) Value chains for pigeon pea, groundnuts and chickpea in East and southern Africa: A synthesis. ICRISAT for the Africa Rising Initiative
    • Coote, C., Tomlins, K., Massingue, J., Okwadi, J. and Westby, A. (2011) Understanding farmers, trader and consumer decision-making to assist sustainable marketing of vitamin A-rich sweet potato in Mozambique and Uganda. IFPRI, 2020 Conference New Delhi, 2020 Conference Note 1
Phone: +44 (0)1634 88 3921
Principal Economist, Teaching & Learning Leader
Clare Hopson
  • Qualifications: MSc
  • Biography:

    Clare has worked in plant science for over thirteen years having joined the Natural Resources Institute in November 2017. Clare works at the Natural Resource Institutes postharvest crop laboratories based at The Produce Quality Centre, a collaboration between NRI and NIAB EMR. In her current role she provides vital planning, technical and research support for the successful delivery of national and international, commercial and academic projects e.g. Innovate UK Coolberry, FreshWorks™, Safepod Agritech. On a day to day basis she provides set up, implementation and assessment on a range of storage and shelf life trials. Clare also provides occasional research support to PhD students and to other non-perishable food crop specialists within NRI, including the Nutritional Postharvest Loss Estimation Methodology (NUTRI-P-LOSS) project.

    Previous to this, Clare spent over a decade working at East Malling Research Station and later NIAB EMR. As such she has an extensive experience of working on both top and soft fruit, leaf and root vegetables and ornamental plants and flowers. She has accrued a range of technical and organisational skills, accompanied with essential working knowledge in a number of fields, including plant breeding, entomology, and physiology, applied to academic research, consumer research and commercial farm processes.

    Postharvest quality, plant physiology, crop storage management,
  • Research / Scholarly Interests:

    Clare is chiefly interested in reducing food and product waste and the effect of storage or shelf life conditions on produce quality. She is also looking forward to expanding her knowledge and skills in the field of plastic alternatives and edible coatings to promote sustainable packaging whilst still ensuring minimal food loss and reduced carbon emissions.

    Clare’s main goal is to support commerce through research, turning theories into practicalities that will support industry needs. With particular consideration to sustainable production alongside reduced losses to support a viable economic framework.
  • Research Projects:

    Commercial trials at the Produce Quality Centre

    NRI’s storage research facilities at the Produce Quality Centre, East Malling are the most extensive research facilities in the UK for trials on controlled atmosphere storage (reduced oxygen and increased CO2 to slow down metabolism and increase storage life). The facilities are used to carry out trials for commercial companies to optimise storage protocols for new varieties of apples and pears and to test sea freight conditions for imported fruit such as avocado. In addition, over the past few years they have been used to investigate novel storage strategies for produce for which controlled atmosphere storage has not traditionally been used. In recent years NRI has carried out trials on a wide range of produce including leeks, asparagus, cabbage and daffodils.

    CoolBerry: Innovations for in-field cooling of soft fruit

    2019-2022. NRI project lead: Richard Colgan. Funded through Innovate UK. Partners: JDCooling Ltd, Berry Gardens Ltd, Scorpion Ltd.

    Removal of field heat from perishable produce is critical for quality and storability. In order to extend storage life, this project is developing a mobile field based cooling-rig, initially for soft fruit, that will enable growers to rapidly remove the field-heat from produce immediately after harvest to below 5°C.

    Prototype cooling-cells constructed at the PQC will be used to optimise the cooling process in terms of rate of cooling, and control of humidity to minimise moisture loss, which can be a major problem during cooling. The design and composition of packaging will be optimised to improve the rate and efficiency of cooling, thereby reducing energy usage. A close partnership with growers during the development of the cooling rig will ensure that the design is optimal to fit with the logistics of complex field harvesting logistics.

    Developing Practical Strategies to Improve Quality and Storage Potential of UK Apples

    2016 – 2021 NRI project lead: Richard Colgan. Funded through AHDB – Horticulture. Partners: NIAB EMR, FAST, Landseer Ltd

    There is evidence that apple fruit with high dry matter content at harvest have better eating quality and also store better. The underlying basis of this relationship needs to be better understood so that it can be manipulated to deliver premium fruit quality. This will be achieved through a combination of a meta-analysis of existing data sets to obtain a greater understanding of the factors controlling both fruit dry matter content and quality, and the development of practical strategies in terms of novel pruning strategies, reflective covers and manipulation of crop load through bud and fruit thinning to help growers to improve the quality of stored apples.

    SafePod: New technology for intelligent control of fresh produce storage

    2015 – 2018 NRI project lead: Debbie Rees. Funded through Innovate (Agritech Catalyst) Partners: Storage Control Systems Ltd, AC Goathams and Son, Avalon Produce Ltd, Sainsbury’s Ltd

    After harvest, apples may be stored for up to 12 months in large controlled atmosphere stores (low temperature, low oxygen and high CO2). The SafePod technology was initially conceived as an environmentally controlled chamber to be placed within commercial apple stores to monitor fruit respiration as an indicator of low oxygen stress (the ratio of CO2 evolution to O2 consumption increases when fruit start to respire anaerobically). However, with its highly sensitive monitoring of respiratory characteristics it has turned out to be a valuable tool for following produce status during storage and predicting physiological deterioration, as well as for evaluating new storage protocols. It has potential for a wider range of produce than apple alone, both commercially and also as a tool for crop research centres and universities.

    The SafePod system was built by Storage Control Systems with scientific support from NRI and in collaboration with Sainsbury’s PLC, AC Goatham & Son, Avalon Produce Ltd. The system is now being trialled by apple growers in the UK and North America, with more than 200 units sold or leased in 2019. This project has been highlighted by BBSRC in an impact case study.

    https://bbsrc.ukri.org/documents/bbsrc-safepod-impact-case-study/

    Bio-based Packaging for Fresh Food: BioFreshPak

    2017-2020 NRI project lead: Debbie Rees. Funded through Newton Bha-Bha. Partners: Nextek Ltd, Solutions 4 Plastic, Brunel University, Earth Champions, Punjab Agricultural University, Manbras Plastics,

    This project is focused on improved packaging materials for the Indian fresh produce supply chain that will be biodegradable and recyclable and will A) reduce wastage by improving the storage stability and shelf life of food during transit between the producer and the urban consumer, B) reduce the level of adulteration via sealable and tamper-evident features, C) reduce urban solid waste from packaging going to landfill, and D) improve health and wellbeing of the population by improved retention of nutritional quality and reducing risk of spoilage in meat or vegetables. To achieve these objectives, the project will develop innovative bio-based hybrid polymer packaging films with selective humidity and permeability control and improved shelf-life performance with enhanced environmental characteristics. The packaging systems will be based on the incorporation and compatibilisation of presently under used agri-waste (tapioca starch recovered as a waste product from starch factories) at low costs into conventional and other bio-based polymers. The treatment of the agri-waste will contribute to reducing the significant cassava waste problems.

    https://www.biofreshpak.global/
  • Responsibilities:

    Clare provides laboratory technical assistance and project support for both commercial and academic research projects. She provides assistance to the Produce Quality Centre Faculty Manager and is responsible for the Oreto compliance of projects. Recently Clare has taken up health and wellbeing roles, providing mental health support for colleagues.
Phone: +44 (0)1732 523 738
Postharvest Technical Assistant
Dr Paula Dominguez Salas
  • Qualifications: BSc, MSc, PhD
  • Biography:

    Dr Paula Dominguez-Salas joined NRI in July 2020. She has a background in veterinary sciences and in food technology (University of Zaragoza), and has an MSc in Agricultural Sciences (University of Zaragoza) and a MSc and a PhD in Global Public Health Nutrition (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, LSHTM).

    Paula started research at LSHTM in 2009 and worked until 2013 at the LSHTM Medical Research Council International Nutrition Group. She left LSHTM to work at a joint Royal Veterinary College (RVC)/ International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) position until early 2017. She re-joined LSHTM in 2017 as an Assistant Professor in Nutrition-sensitive agriculture, also as a joint position LSHTM-ILRI. Before working in in academia, she has worked in international organisations, such as Medecins du Monde or European federations.

    Paula´s research has taken place in low- and middle-income countries (West and East Africa and South America), and has focused in maternal and child nutrition. She initially studied the effect of seasonality in maternal nutrition security in Sub-Saharan Africa and different outcomes, including epigenetic profiles of their offspring and aflatoxin exposure in The Gambia. She later merged her two main interests together and moved to the interface between agriculture, specifically livestock production and animal-source foods, and human nutrition, particularly focusing in livestock value chains, food safety and gender aspects. She is involved in several projects in Kenya and Tanzania related to Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) strategy design, and to women empowerment among pastoralists. She is also involved in work on urban livestock value chains in Kenya, including a randomised controlled trial to assess the impact of a dairy market intervention in Nairobi, on nutrition. She also participates in the UKRI GCRF Action against stunting Hub, to address the intractable global challenge of child stunting Applying a holistic, Whole Child Approach, and working with communities across India, Indonesia and Senegal.

    Beyond working on a regular basis with multidisciplinar teams at LSHTM, ILRI, RVC and LCIRAH, she collaborates with researchers of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Emory University, Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania, University of Nairobi in Kenya and with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
  • Research / Scholarly Interests:

    Paula is an interdisciplinary researcher who has a food systems (production/safety/quality) hat, and a maternal and child nutrition hat, with a focus in the Global South.

    Her interest is to overcome some of the challenges of the very complex problem of the provision of healthy diets to the most vulnerable populations, and understand which food-based strategies can be more efficient, within a One Health approach.

    She wants to develop, adapt, test and promote science-based practices, tools and packages that are sustainable and scalable, which can then persuade decision-makers into action, including policies and investments for better nutrition. Examples of research areas are:

    • Dietary substitution effects of specific food-based strategies
    • How can value chains be adapted to prevent double burden of malnutrition
    • How can combinations of interventions enhance impact in nutrition
    • Trade-offs between food safety and nutrition and joint optimisation
    • Role of traditional and new food technology methods to increase access of the poor to healthy diets
    • How can food waste reduction systems contribute to better nutrition
    • Methods to capture diet and food environments and indicators that can assist in understanding these dynamics
    • Lessons from private business for value chain development and nutrition/health messaging
  • Research Projects:
    • DFID/BMGF Drivers of food choice grant: Drivers of demand for animal-source foods in low-income informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya 2019.
    • KRI GCRF Action against stunting Hub, 2018
    • Three separate proposals to DFID/BMGF “Agriculture-Nutrition Impact studies” grant that finally merged into one large dairy proposal: A large project funding RCT on improvement of food safety standards of informal sector milk, in Kenya and India; and two formative research in nutrition education to improve ASF consumption and one on the implications of bans in informal trading of milk, in Kenya and Tanzania) 2016
    • DFID/BMGF Drivers of food choice grant: ‘Understanding the drivers of diet change and food choice among Tanzanian pastoralists to inform policy and practice’ 2016
  • Research Students:

    Lydia O’Meara: The role of food environments in enabling healthy, sustainable diets for rural women and young children: insights from Uganda
  • Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: https://gala.gre.ac.uk/view/authors/8236.html
  • Awards:
    • Member of Scientific Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition and Health Academy Week (2016-2020)
    • Member of Agriculture, Nutrition and Health Academy (2016-current)
    • Technical Evaluation Panel on Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems (2021)
  • External Profiles:

    ORCID
    https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8753-4221
  • Selected Publications:

    Scientific papers:

    • Brouwe, I.D., van Liere, M.J., de Brauw, A., Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2021). Reverse thinking: taking a healthy diet perspective towards food systems transformations. Food Security (in press).
    • Ngutu, M., Bukachi, S.A., Muthiru, A.W., Lepine, A., Kadiyala, S., Dominguez-Salas, P. (2021) Food Safety and Animal Source Foods in Low-income Urban Settlements in Nairobi: A Qualitative Exploration of Consumers’ Perceptions. BMC Nutrition, July
    • Alarcon, P., Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2021) The importance of a food systems approach to low and middle income countries and emerging economies: a review of theories and its relevance for disease control and malnutrition. Frontiers in sustainable Food systems April
    • Muunda, E., Mtimet, N., Schenider, F., Francis, W., Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2021) Can Kenyan dairy policy change affect milk allocation to infants? A Best-Worst Scaling approach. Food Policy, February
    • Watts, N., (…) Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2021) The 2020 report of The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change responding to converging crises. The Lancet, review Vol 397, issue 10269, January.
    • Alonso, S., Dominguez-Salas, P., Grace, D. (2019) The role of livestock products for nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life. Animal Frontiers, Volume 9, Issue 4.
    • Galiè, A., Webb-Girard, A., Baltenweck, I., Dominguez-Salas, P et al. (2019) Women empowerment, food security and forage in pastoral communities of Tanzania. Global Food Sec, special issue
    • Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2019) Leveraging human nutrition through livestock interventions: perceptions, knowledge, barriers and opportunities in the Sahel. Food Security
    • Watts, N., (…) Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2018) The 2018 Report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change. Lancet, 392.
    • Enahoro, D., Lannerstad, M., Pfeifer, C., Dominguez-Salas, P. (2018) Contributions of livestock-derived foods to nutrient supply under changing demand in low- and middle-income countries. Global Food Security, Vol 19
    • Galiè, A., Teufel, N., Korir, L., Webb, A., Baltenweck, I., Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2018) ‘The women’s empowerment in livestock index’. Social Indicators Research.
    • Watts, N., (…) Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2017) T. The Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change – 2017 Report. Lancet.
    • Häsler, B., Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2017) Where food safety meets nutrition outcomes in livestock and fish value chains: a conceptual approach. Food Sec Aug.
    • Alarcon, P., Murungi, M.K., Muinde, P., Akoko, J., Fèvre, E.M., Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2016) Mapping of the beef, sheep and goat-source food systems in Nairobi: a framework for policy and identification of structural vulnerabilities. Agricultural Systems 152: 1–17.
    • Cornelsen, L., Alarcón, P., Häsler, B., Djesika, D.A., Ferguson, E., Fevre, E.M., Grace, D., Dominguez-Salas, P.//Rushton, J. (2016) Cross-sectional study of price and other drivers of demand for animal source foods in peri-urban Nairobi, Kenya. BMC Nutrition, 2:70.
    • Watts, N., (…) Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2016) The Lancet Countdown: tracking progress on health and climate change. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)32124-9, Lancet
    • Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2016) Nutritional characterisation of low-income households in deprived areas of Nairobi: socioeconomic, livestock and gender considerations and predictors of malnutrition from a cross-sectional survey. BMC Nutrition, 2:47
    • Kühnen, P., Handke, D., Hennig, B.J., Fulford, A.J., Waterland, R.A., Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2016) Interindividual variation in DNA methylation at a POMC metastable epiallele is associated with obesity. Cell Metab, S1550(16)
    • Picchioni, F., Aleksandrowicz, A., Bruce, M.M., Cuevas, S., Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2015) Agri-health research: what have we learned and where to next? Food Security December
    • Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2014) Maternal Nutrition at Conception Modulates DNA Methylation of Human Metastable Epialleles. Nat Comms., 29;5:3746
    • Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2013) DNA methylation potential: dietary intake and blood concentrations of one-carbon metabolites and cofactors in rural African women. Am J Clin Nutr, 97:1217-1227.
    • Dominguez-Salas, P. (2012) et al. Maternal nutritional status, one-carbon metabolism and offspring DNA methylation: A review of current evidence in humans. Proc Nutr Soc, Feb; 71(1):154-65

    Other publications:

    • Gordon, I.J., Alonso, A., Crump, L., Dominguez-Salas, P. and de Garine-Wichatitisky, M. (2020) Chapter 26 on Food Security and Nutrition. One Health: The Theory and Practice of Integrated Health Approaches. CABI Book
    • Dominguez-Salas, P., Kauffman, D. (2020) Harnessing the potential of livestock to improve nutrition of vulnerable populations. Technical guidance for program planning. FAO, Rome. http://www.fao.org/3/ca7348en/CA7348EN.pdf
    • Tarawali, S., Aronson, D., Baltenweck, I., Dominguez-Salas, P., et al. 2019.White Paper Meat: the future series. Options for the livestock sector in developing and emerging economies to 2030 and beyond. World Economic Forum. January
    • Dominguez-Salas, P., Galiè, A., Omore, A., Omosa, E. and Ouma, E. (2019) Contribution of milk production to food and nutrition security. In: Ferranti, P., Berry, E.M. and Anderson, J.R. (eds), Encyclopedia of Food Security and Sustainability, Volume 3. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. pp. 278–291 http://hdl.handle.net/10568/96305
    • Dominguez-Salas, P., Omore, A., Omosa, E. and Ouma, E. (2019) Agrifood systems in low- and middle-income countries: Status and opportunities for smallholder dairy in LMIC. In: Ferranti, P., Berry, E.M. and Anderson, J.R. (eds), Encyclopedia of Food Security and Sustainability, Volume 3. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. pp. 326–339. http://hdl.handle.net/10568/97599
    • Grace , D. , Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2018) The influence of livestock-derived foods (LDF) on nutrition during the first 1000 days. Chatham House report.
    • Grace, D., (…), Dominguez-Salas, P. et al. (2018) Working paper on Food Safety Metrics relevant to Low and Middle Income Countries. Agriculture for Nutrition and Health Academy (https://anh-academy.org/sites/default/files/Food%20Safety%20Working%20Paper%20Final_0.pdf; https://anh-academy.org/sites/default/files/FSWG_TechnicalBrief_Final.pdf ).
Associate Professor of Food-based Strategies for Nutrition
Professor Apurba Shee
  • Qualifications: BE, MS, PhD
  • Biography:

    Dr Apurba Shee is a Professor of Applied Economics in the Food and Markets Department within the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) at the University of Greenwich and an ESRC Policy Fellow at the UK Ministry of Justice. Apurba holds an M.S. in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University and a PhD in Applied Economics from Penn State University. Before joining NRI in 2017, he worked as an economist for six years in the CGIAR institutions, first at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and then at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to increase resilience and reduce vulnerability for rural populations in developing countries.

    Apurba's research interests are in the fields of applied microeconomics, development economics, agricultural finance, and applied econometrics. He is an experienced researcher on innovative climate risk financing, adaptation, and food systems resilience. Apurba undertakes research to identify what works in real-world contexts and their social and economic impacts to inform and shape effective public policy. His research relies on experiments and observational data. Having been based in Africa (2012-2017), he has extensive experience conducting research throughout the continent (Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast). In addition, he has extensive experience in promoting microfinance and women empowerment collectives in India. His research has been published in leading agricultural economics journals and policy forums.

    He has led or co-led many internationally recognised research projects as the Principal Investigator or a Co-Investigator in the UK, Asia, and Africa. His research projects have been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the African Union, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Apurba is currently leading (Principal Investigator) two major three-year research projects: The project “Economic and Empowerment Impacts of Millet Enterprises by Women Collectives”, funded by 3ie under the Swashakt program supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he is leading a large international team of researchers from UK and India. He is co-leading the project “Risk Contingent Credit for Resilience and Food Security” in Kenya and Ethiopia in partnership with IFPRI, funded by GIZ.  

    Apurba has contributed to improved policymaking by translating complex research information through clear communication both in the UK and overseas in addressing economic and social problems by developing innovative evidence-based research. Along with his NRI role, he is an ESRC Policy Fellow at the UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ), working across several civil service analyst teams to provide evidence-based policy advice to reduce reoffending and protect the public; specifically, provide expert advice and review various experimentation and evaluation projects to make better decisions to improve justice outcomes in the UK.
  • Research / Scholarly Interests:

    • Poverty, agricultural development and sustainable intensification

    • Research/Scholarly InterestsAgricultural Finance and Production Economics

    • Innovative microinsurance and risk-contingent credit instruments

    • Impact Evaluation of socio-economic programmes

    • Agriculture and food value chain analysis

    • Applied Econometrics  
  • Research Projects:
    • Principal Investigator, ESRC Policy Fellowship; “Ministry of Justice - Experimentation and Evaluation Fellowship” 2022- Current and Previous Funded Research Projects
    • Principal Investigator, “Economic and Empowerment Impacts of Millet Processing and Value Addition Enterprises by Women SHGs in Tribal Areas of Odisha” funded by the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2020-  
    • Principal Investigator, “Developing Price Risk-Protected Warehouse Receipt System in Promoting Resilient Food Supply Chains in Africa” funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Food Network+, 2020-2021
    • Project co-leader and Co-Principal Investigator, “Promoting Resilience and Food Security through Risk-Contingent Credit in Africa” funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, 2020-
    • Project leader and Principal Investigator, Uptake and Evaluation of Innovative Insurance Linked Credit for Promoting Resilience and Livelihoods for Farmers in Kenya, 2017-
    • Project co-leader and Principal Investigator, Satellite Technologies, Innovative and Smart Financing for Food Security (SATISFy), 2016 – Aug 2017
    • Monitoring and evaluation specialist, Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation (Africa RISING) projects in Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Ethiopia, Ghana and Mali, 2015-17
    • Principal Investigator, “Piloting Risk-Contingent Credit for Weather and Market Price Risks in Kenya”, funded by BASIS Assets and Market Access Collaboration Research Support Program (USAID), 2013-14
    • Product design lead, Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) in arid and semi-arid regions of Northern Kenya, 2012-15
  • Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/view/authors/6390.html
  • Responsibilities:

    Responsibilities include implementation and delivery of externally funded projects, supervising PhD students and teaching.
  • Awards:

    External Recognition

    • Platform for Agricultural Risk Management (PARM) Advisory Committee member, 2023-
    • Associate Editor/ Editorial Board– Agricultural Finance Review, 2015- Present External Recognition
    • National Research Committee (NRC) Lead Reviewer, 2022-
    • Membership affiliation – UK Evaluation Society, American Economic Association (AEA), Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA), Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development (AIARD), International Association for Agricultural Economists (IAAE), American Risk and Insurance Association (ARIA)
    • Reviewer- Journal of Applied Econometrics, World Development, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Finance Review, Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics, Food Security, AAEA Annual meeting 2017 contributed papers, ICAE 2018 contributed papers

    Awards

    • Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Policy Fellow at the UK Ministry of Justice, 2022
    • University of Greenwich Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship, 2018
    • Ford Foundation International Fellow, 2005
    • AIARD (Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development) Future Leaders Scholarship, 2009
    • Competitive International Tuition Grant-in-Aid, Penn State University, 2011
    • Gamma Sigma Delta, The Honor Society of Agriculture, 2011
    • Penn State nominee for the AAEA Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award, 2013
  • External Profiles:

    ORCID

    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1836-9637
  • Selected Publications:
    • Turvey, C. and Shee A. (2023) Inclusive Finance and Agricultural Development in Africa, Handbook of Microfinance, Financial Inclusion and Development. World Bank Handbooks in Development. Edward Elgar. ISBN 978178990386.
    • Shee, A., Ndegwa, M.K., Turvey, C. G. and You, L. (2023) Transforming Food Systems through Risk Contingent Credit in Rural Africa: Development, Experimentation, and Evaluation; Food Systems Transformation in Kenya: Lessons from the Past and Policy Options for the Future. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Book. (In Press)
    • Shee, A., Parmar, A., Rout, S., Strum, B. and Bennett, B. (2023). Assessing the Measurement Methods of postharvest Food Loss and Waste: Opportunities and Challenges, Forthcoming Journal of Enterprise Development and Microfinance
    • Oyetunde-Usman, Z. and Shee, A. Abdoulaye, T. (2023). Does Simultaneous Adoption of Drought Tolerant Maize Varieties and Manure Impact Productivity and Welfare Outcomes? Evidence from Rural Nigeria Forthcoming Australian Journal of Agricultural Economics.
    • Ngwenyama, P., Siziba, S., Nyanga, LK., Stathers, T., Bechoff, A.,Shee, A., and Mvumi, BM. (2023). Determinants of smallholder farmers’ maize grain storage protection practices and understanding of the nutritional aspects of grain postharvest losses. Forthcoming Food Security
    • Bechoff, A., Shee, A., Mvumi, B. et al. (2022). Prediction of nutritional postharvest losses along the crop value chain: a case study with three key food-security crops in sub-Saharan Food Security https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-021-01238-9
    • Ndegwa, M.K., Shee, A., Turvey, C. G. and You, L. (2021) Sequenced crop evapotranspiration and water requirement in developing a multi-trigger rainfall index insurance and risk-contingent credit. Weather, Climate, and Society. 14(1): 19-38.
    • Shee, A., Turvey, C., and Marr, A. (2020). Heterogeneous Demand and Supply for an Insurance-Linked Credit Product in Kenya: A Stated Choice Experiment Approach Journal of Agricultural Economics https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-9552.12401
    • Ndegwa, M.K., Shee, A., Turvey, C.G., You, L. (2019). Uptake of Insurance-Embedded Credit in Presence of Credit Rationing: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Kenya, Agricultural Finance Review, https://doi/10.1108/AFR-10-2019-0116
    • Shee, A., Azzarri, C., Haile, B. (2020). Farmers’ Willingness to Pay for Improved Agricultural Technologies: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Tanzania. Sustainability, 12, 216. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010216
    • Turvey, C.G., Shee, A., and Marr, A. (2019) Addressing Fractional Dimensionality in the Application of Weather Index Insurance and Climate Risk Financing in Agricultural Development: A Dynamic Triggering Approach. Weather, Climate and Society, https://doi.org/10.1175/WCAS-D-19-0014.1
    • Shee, A., Mayanja, S., Simba, E., Stathers, T., Bechoff, A., and Bennett, B. (2019). Determinants of postharvest losses along smallholder producers maize and sweetpotato value chains: An ordered probit analysis Food Security, 11: 1101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-019-00949-4
    • Shee, A., Turvey, C., and You, L. (2019). Design and Rating of Risk-Contingent Credit for Balancing Business and Financial Risks for Kenyan Farmers. Applied Economics, 51:50, 5447-5465
    • Rajandran, S., Afari-Sefa, V., Shee, A., Bekunda, M., Dominick, I. and Lukumy, P. (2017). Does crop diversity contribute to dietary diversity? Evidence from integration of vegetables into maize-based farming systems in Tanzania. Agriculture & Food Security 6:50
    • Shee, A. and Stefanou, S. E. (2016). Bounded Learning-by-doing and Sources of Firm Level Productivity Growth in Colombian Food Manufacturing Industry. Journal of Productivity Analysis, 46(2): 185-197
    • Woodard, J., Shee, A., and Mude, A. (2016) A Spatial Econometric Approach to Designing and Rating Scalable Index Insurance in the Presence of Missing Data, The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance-Issues and Practice, 41(2): 259-279
    • Shee, A. and Stefanou, S. E. (2015). Endogeneity Corrected Stochastic Production Frontier and Technical Efficiency. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 97(3): 939-952
    • Shee, A., Turvey, C. G. and Woodard, J. A. (2015). Field Study for Assessing Risk-Contingent Credit for Kenyan Pastoralists and Dairy Farmers. Agricultural Finance Review 75 (3): 330-348
    • Vrieling, A., Meroni, M., Shee, A., Mude, A. Woodard, J. de Bie, Rambold, F. (2014). Historical Extension of Aggregated NDVI from Operational Products for Livestock Insurance in Kenya. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 28 (238-251).
    • Leeuw, J.D., Vrieling, A., Shee, A., Atzberger, C., Hadgu, K.M., Biradar, C., Keah, H., Turvey, C. (2014). The Potential and Uptake of Remote Sensing in Insurance: a review. Remote Sensing 6, no.11: 10888-10912
    • Shee, A. and Turvey, C. G. (2012). Collateral Free Lending with Risk-Contingent Credit for Agricultural Development: Indemnifying Loans against Pulse Crop Price Risk in India. Agricultural Economics 43, 561-574

    Recent Conference Presentations

    • Agricultural and Applied Economics Association conference (AAEA), Farmer preferences for adopting drought-tolerant maize varieties: evidence from a choice experiment in Nigeria, Aug 16, 2021 Online
    • Agricultural and Applied Economics Association conference (AAEA), Does Simultaneous Adoption of Drought Tolerant Maize Varieties and Organic Manure Impact Productivity and Welfare Outcomes of Farm-households in Nigeria? Aug 17, 2021 Online
    • STFC Food Network+ 4th Annual Conference, Developing Price Risk-Protected Warehouse Receipt System in Promoting Resilient Food Supply Chains in Africa, 27 May 2021 Online
    • International Seminar on Food and Nutrition Security in Africa, FaNSI Conference (Keynote speech) “Assessing the Measurement Methods of Food Loss and Waste: Opportunities and Challenges” 27 Jn 2021 Online
    • AAEA 2019 conference “Heterogeneous Demand and Supply for an Insurance-Linked Credit Product in Kenya: A Stated Choice Experiment Approach” Jul 22, 2019, Atlanta, USA
    • Agricultural Economics Society Conference 2019 “Fractional Dimensionality of Weather and a New Approach to Risk Financing in Agriculture: Evidence from Kenya” Apr 15, 2019, Warwick, UK
    • AAEA 2018 conference “Heterogeneous Impacts of Credit Rationing on Agricultural Productivity: Evidence from Kenya” Aug 6, 2018, Washington DC, USA
    • ICAE 2018 conference (session chair and presenter) “Design and Rating of Risk-Contingent Credit for Balancing Business and Financial Risks for Kenyan Farmers” Jul 31, 2018, Vancouver
    • Innovate for Climate Conference (I4C) (Presenter and panel discussion) “Risk-Contingent Credit: An Innovative Solution for Climate Risk Finance in Sub-Saharan Africa” May 23, 2018, Frankfurt, Germany
    • UTK Research Seminar Presentation “Heterogeneous Impacts of Credit Rationing on Agricultural Productivity: Evidence from Tanzania” University of Tennessee, Jan 10, 2017 Knoxville, TN, USA
    • International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) TW13 Inception Workshop, “Uptake and Evaluation of Innovative Insurance Embedded Credit for Promoting Resilience and Livelihoods for Smallholder maize and wheat farmers in Kenya” 3-4 November 2016, New Delhi, India
    • Africa RISING ESA Project Phase 1 Legacy Review Meeting, Presented two papers “Farmers’ Willingness to Pay for Improved Agricultural Technologies: Results from Field Experiment in Tanzania” and “Heterogeneous Impacts of Credit Constraints in the Presence of Risk Rationing: Evidence from Tanzania” 30 June- 2 July 2016, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
    • IFPRI RISE Research Day “Heterogeneous impacts of credit constraints in the presence of risk rationing” March 16, 2016 Washington DC
    • SCC-76 Annual Conference on Economics and Management of Risks in Agriculture and Natural Resources, “Heterogeneous impacts of credit constraints in the presence of risk rationing” 17-19 March 2016 Florida, USA
    • Africa RISING West Africa Project Annual Review and Planning Meeting, “Africa RISING Baseline Survey Data Summary for Ghana and Mali” 24 March 2015, Accra, Ghana
Phone: +44 (0)1634 88 3042
Professor of Applied Economics

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