Henry Matthews

Henry has a background in practical agriculture with expertise in all aspects of farm management, crop and livestock production. Other areas of expertise include farm diversification, regenerative practices and environmental stewardship. He has carried out consultancy on value chains and development in former Soviet countries, Africa and South America.

Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/henry-matthews-8abb8119

Background

Henry grew up on and then managed a mixed family farm for 25 years in Essex. Crops included wheat, barley, oats, oilseed rape, beans, peas, borage and grass seed. Livestock enterprises included a sheep flock and a small suckler herd. Significant diversification projects were carried out including the development of farm buildings for office and industrial use and the farm entered a number of different environmental schemes. This was followed by five years as a partner in a Ukrainian farming business introducing integrated approaches to crop production.

Henry has carried out work for both international organisations and private companies providing consultancy in sustainable agricultural production and value chains. This was predominantly in Eastern Europe and Central Asia but also Kenya, Tanzania, the Dominican Republic and Peru. From 2019 this has focused on the marketing of organic products in European and US markets for the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

Research interests

• Regenerative agriculture
• Sustainability of food systems
• Adding value to agricultural and horticultural products
• Value chain development in former Soviet States
• Organic and biodynamic farming

Teaching

Courses taught:

• BSc Agriculture
• BSc Horticulture
• MSc Crop Production (Agriculture)
• MSc Crop Production (Horticulture)
• MBA Agribusiness

Qualifications

• MSc Agribusiness for Development - Imperial College
• BA (Hons) Modern History with Economics - University of Manchester
• PG Diploma Agriculture - Writtle College

Memberships, editorial boards

Fellow of the Institute of Agricultural Management

Research grants, consultancy, knowledge exchange

Consultancy

• International Marketing and Value Chain Expert, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan)
• Key Expert, Marketing European Union (Azerbaijan)
• Consultant, One Square (Ukraine)
• Consultant, Fairtrasa (Peru and Dominican Republic)
• Consultant, Terravost (Russia)
• Team Leader, Agriconsulting (Uzbekistan)
• Consultant and Trainer, NIRAS (Ukraine)
• Short term Expert, German Agro Action (Tajikistan)
• Consultant, Oxfam (Tajikistan)
• Lead consultant, Federal Bank of the Middle East (Tanzania)

Knowledge Transfer

• Landworkers Alliance, Scaling up (UK)
• British Council, New Product Development (Kenya)