Rachel Waterhouse
Resilient Food and Water Systems Lead
Dr Rachel Waterhouse leads international engagement strategy for the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on climate resilient, environmentally sustainable agriculture and food systems. Her career spans a varied history of promoting just transitions to sustainable land use and food systems, working with governments and a wide range of non-state actors internationally.
Rachel currently leads the Resilient Ocean-Coasts, Water and Land-Use Systems (ROWLS) team in FCDO; holding previous portfolios on forests, climate resilience and human development. She spearheaded the ‘Transition to Sustainable Agriculture’ campaign forUK’s COP26 Presidency, when she helped design and launch the Global Agriculture Policy Dialogue, co-hosted by the UK and World Bank as a peer platform for policy-makers to share experience and build ambition on reforms. Ahead of the United Nations’ Climate Action Summit in 2019, Rachel helped develop the Just Rural Transition initiative: setting the stage for increased visibility and non-state actor engagement in transition processes for a sustainable food system.
Before moving back to London, Rachel lived and worked extensively in the global South, particularly in Southern Africa, with a strong focus on inclusive rural development. She advised on agriculture and rural development programmes for Ireland, Canada and UN agencies in Mozambique. She led UK Government support to human development in Mozambique, social development in post-war DRC and growth and resilience in Uganda, also helping design and support Uganda’s first ever national social protection programme.
Her doctoral research explored the interface between gender and land rights in Mozambique and informed the development of Mozambique’s CommunityLand Rights legislation with a view to strengthening women’s land rights.
Rachel Waterhouse
Resilient Food and Water Systems Lead
Dr Rachel Waterhouse leads international engagement strategy for the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on climate resilient, environmentally sustainable agriculture and food systems. Her career spans a varied history of promoting just transitions to sustainable land use and food systems, working with governments and a wide range of non-state actors internationally.
Rachel currently leads the Resilient Ocean-Coasts, Water and Land-Use Systems (ROWLS) team in FCDO; holding previous portfolios on forests, climate resilience and human development. She spearheaded the ‘Transition to Sustainable Agriculture’ campaign forUK’s COP26 Presidency, when she helped design and launch the Global Agriculture Policy Dialogue, co-hosted by the UK and World Bank as a peer platform for policy-makers to share experience and build ambition on reforms. Ahead of the United Nations’ Climate Action Summit in 2019, Rachel helped develop the Just Rural Transition initiative: setting the stage for increased visibility and non-state actor engagement in transition processes for a sustainable food system.
Before moving back to London, Rachel lived and worked extensively in the global South, particularly in Southern Africa, with a strong focus on inclusive rural development. She advised on agriculture and rural development programmes for Ireland, Canada and UN agencies in Mozambique. She led UK Government support to human development in Mozambique, social development in post-war DRC and growth and resilience in Uganda, also helping design and support Uganda’s first ever national social protection programme.
Her doctoral research explored the interface between gender and land rights in Mozambique and informed the development of Mozambique’s CommunityLand Rights legislation with a view to strengthening women’s land rights.
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