dr. H. (Helena) Posthumus
Helena Posthumus is an expert in rural development, agricultural economics, and sustainable food systems with over two decades of experience working across Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, South America, and South-East Asia. She is currently working at the Centre voor Sustainable Agriculture Transition at Campus Fryslân, University of Groningen, as researcher and coordinator in the ReGeNL program in support of the transition of farmers to regenerative agriculture in the Netherlands.
Dr. Posthumus holds a PhD in Social Sciences and Production Ecology & Resource Conservation from Wageningen University (2005), where her doctoral research examined the economic benefits and adoption processes of soil conservation practices in the Peruvian Andes. She also earned an MSc in Tropical Land Use from Wageningen University (1998). Her academic credentials are complemented by specialized training in program management, international development, impact evaluation, and stakeholder engagement.
Helena's expertise spans multiple interconnected domains including sustainable agriculture, value chain development, land and water management, agricultural innovation systems, and impact evaluation. Her skill set encompasses quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, monitoring and evaluation, project management, and facilitation and training in adult learning contexts. Her work consistently focuses on empowering smallholder farmers, strengthening agricultural systems, and promoting sustainable practices that enhance both livelihoods and environmental outcomes.
Before joining Campus Fryslân in 2025, Helena served as Program Manager at WCDI (Wageningen UR). During 2021-2025, she was the Project Director of DeSIRA-LIFT, managing a €6.3 million initiative for the European Commission (DG INTPA) with a consortium of six European research institutes and 70 researchers and consultants from across the globe. Prior to that, Helena worked as Senior Advisor at the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) in Amsterdam (2013-2021), where she led consultancy and applied research on sustainable economic development in low- and middle-income countries. Her responsibilities included impact evaluations, capacity building in tertiary education, and leadership roles including chairing the Workers' Council and leading the Inclusive Food Systems team. Her international academic experience includes positions as Senior Research Fellow at the Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich (2009-2015), where she received the Excellence Award for Early Career Researchers in 2011, and as Research Fellow at Cranfield University (2005-2008), focusing on socio-economic and policy aspects of land and water management in the UK.
Dr. Posthumus has contributed to major development initiatives funded by organizations including the European Commission, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, CABI, IFAD, USAID, World Bank, and various bilateral donors. Her project portfolio demonstrates impact across diverse contexts, from monitoring cassava value chain development in multiple African countries, to researching conservation agriculture adoption, from assessing certification impacts on farmer livelihoods to strengthening plant health systems.