Mr. James Tefft

James Tefft, a former Michigan State University (MSU) Research Specialist, is an Economist in the Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA) at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. He is currently seconded to the World Bank as Senior Economist and Liaison Officer, focusing on urban agriculture. Previously based in the FAO Regional Office for Africa in Accra, Ghana, he has also worked in FAO Rome. ESA serves as FAO's hub for economic research and policy analysis on food security and sustainable development. Mr. Tefft's main responsibilities center around early warning systems and economic and food security analysis in sub-Saharan Africa. With 13 years of experience in Michigan State University's Food Security Project, his expertise lies in food security research methods, market information systems, food system development, and the linkages between agricultural productivity growth and child malnutrition.