David Puerta

David joined the Hohenheim Research Center for Global Food Security and Ecosystems (GFE) in 2022. He holds an MSc in Agricultural Economics from the University of Hohenheim. Before joining GFE, he worked at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), a CGIAR research center based in Cali, Colombia, where he supported the development and indexation of a scientific journal and conducted socio-economic value chain analyses within the Tropical Forages Program. He also contributed as an economic expert with Agrinatura at the University of Greenwich (UK) under the Value Chain Analysis for Development (VCA4D) program, focusing on cocoa value chains in Colombia.

At the GFE working team, David supports scientists within the University of Hohenheim in developing transdisciplinary research initiatives and provides strategic advice on funding opportunities from European, federal, state, and foundation programs. His work focuses on fostering knowledge co-creation across disciplines and sectors—bridging academia, policy, and practice—to enhance the societal relevance and impact of research. He is also involved in coordinating the implementation of research projects in Latin America and South Africa.