NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Katie Ricketts is a Visiting Researcher at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture in Cali, Colombia (CIAT) where she is focusing on Sustainable Business Models for Rural Populations within CIAT’s Linking Farmers to Market program. Specifically interested in the social investment and financial underpinnings fueling agricultural enterprise innovation and financing, Katie is working with a variety of projects and partners establishing a better climate for sustainable agro-enterprise as well as uncovering new models for small holder inclusion in global value chains. Katie has spent her career in the public and private sector of sustainable agriculture, both in CSR management for food trade companies as well as doing small farmer organizing and entrepreneurship development. Katie holds a B.A from UCLA.

Mark Lundy is a Researcher at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, CIAT, in Cali, Colombia. His work focuses on rural enterprise development with small holder farmers and includes topics such as the establishment of learning networks to increase NGO and farmer capacities for enterprise development, how private companies can better partner with small holder farmers, the role of public and donor agencies in supporting better market linkages and how to establish and sustain effective trading relationships between buyers and small holder farmers that add business value while reducing rural poverty. Mark is lead author of a series of guides on participatory rural enterprise development and an active participant in the Sustainable Food Lab and other multi-stakeholder forums focused on sustainability and small holder inclusion in Latin America and Africa. He holds a B.A. in International Relations, an M.A. in Latin American Studies and a M.Sc. in Community and Regional Planning