HarvestPlus Solutions is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Robert (Rob) Bertram as Senior Advisor to the organization and its Board of Directors.

Dr. Bertram brings decades of global leadership in agricultural research and innovation for nutrition. From 2014 to 2025, he served as Chief Scientist for Food Security at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), where he led agricultural and food systems research under the Feed the Future initiative. His leadership helped shape technologies, practices, and partnerships that reduced hunger, poverty, and child stunting through inclusive agricultural growth and improved access to nutritious diets.

Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Bertram has championed science-based approaches to global food security. He represented USAID within the CGIAR system, chaired the FAO Commission on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and led U.S. support for the Global Crop Diversity Trust.

We are honored to welcome Rob to HarvestPlus Solutions,” said Dr. Arun Baral, CEO of HarvestPlus Solutions. “His leadership in linking agricultural innovation with nutrition impact will help guide our growing portfolio of country-led programs and partnerships.

Professor Rudy Rabbinge and Peter McPherson, Co-Chairs of the HarvestPlus Solutions Board, added: “Rob has been an enduring advocate for innovation-focused agricultural development. His insights and experience will be invaluable as HarvestPlus Solutions expands its work to scale agricultural innovations.”

Reflecting on his new role, Dr. Bertram commented: “I admire HarvestPlus Solutions for its practical approach to scaling innovations that impact millions of people. The progress in Pakistan and Nigeria, for example, demonstrates the power of partnership to create real, lasting impact. I look forward to contributing to this important mission.”

Dr. Bertram joins HarvestPlus Solutions at an exciting time of growth and global engagement. His guidance will support the organization’s next phase, deepening collaboration with governments, research institutions, and private sector partners to scale agricultural innovations to impact food systems at scale.