James Henderson

I am a land systems researcher and agricultural data specialist whose work bridges supply chain governance, food systems policy, and statistical capacity development. My doctoral research examines the structural conditions shaping deforestation-free commodity (DCF) verification in Paraguay's soybean sector, with a particular focus on why traceability mechanisms required under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) face fundamental feasibility constraints given indirect sourcing structures and broken chains of custody in export-oriented supply chains. Professionally, I serve as Agriculture Project Lead at the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD), where I lead the 50x2030 Initiative's data use constellation model and coordinate multi-country programs across Africa aimed at transforming agricultural data into actionable policy. A core part of my work involves supporting Ministries of Agriculture and National Statistics Offices to better coordinate with FAO and FAOSTAT, while strengthening national data systems and addressing data governance challenges that limit the production and use of reliable agricultural statistics. I also engage with FAO governance processes as an observer to the Committee on World Food Security, where my advocacy has contributed to establishing a standing agenda item on data and statistics within the Programme Committee. My work sits at the intersection of land use governance, global commodity systems, and the institutional conditions that shape whether sustainability commitments translate into verifiable outcomes.