Andrew Bovarnick

Andrew Bovarnick has over 20 years of experience in UNDP and is focused on transforming commodity sectors through the UNDP Food and Agricultural Commodities Systems (FACS) initiative. UNDP has a portfolio of projects directly supporting FACS representing over $1.2 Billion, in more than 100 countries covering initiatives that focus on increasing the resilience of agricultural systems and food security for more than 3.7 million people.

Andrew led the application of economic approaches to natural resource management in UNDP 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, Andrew recruited and grew a team, pioneered methodologies, vision & 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.

With a Geography degree from Oxford University and an MA in International Relations from Tufts University, Boston, Andrew 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 8 commodities in 12 countries.

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. He holds US and British citizenship and lives with his wife and two children in Panama.