Dr Gideon Onumah is a Principal Economist in the Food and Markets Department of the Natural Resources Institute (NRI), where he has been for over 20 years, having also actively collaborated with PARM through research and capacity development activities. His main practice area includes agricultural marketing, rural/agricultural/SME finance and risk management in agricultural value chains. He is a leading global authority in researching, piloting and promoting uptake of structured agricultural marketing and financing systems in developing countries. Gideon has undertaken research/development advisory services for governments, donor agencies, NGOs and the private sector in Africa, Asia and Europe. He has been actively engaged in projects that foster upscaling of technologies to boost productivity and/or reduce waste and losses in agricultural value chains across Africa.