Professor Andy Frost
+44 (0)1634 88 3808
Professor Andy Frost re-joined the Institute in July 2016 to head the Food and Markets Department having previously worked for (OD) NRI between 1990 and 1996 before joining NR International when NRI was privatised.
Professor Frost is an experienced programme manager having managed components of the programmes under the ODA/FCDO Renewable Natural Resources Research Strategy (RNRRS, 1995-2006), the FCDO Research Into Use Programme (2006–2013) and the FCDO Social Enterprises for Economic Development (SEED) Programme (2014-2016).
He has a very keen interest in agricultural innovation and seeing research get into meaningful use, at scale, for the benefit of the poor. He has over twenty-five years’ experience in research and consultancy programme/project management, development of research strategies and management information systems in international development. He has extensive experience of scientific project design, financial management, project evaluation and reporting and a successful track record in developing new business including e.g. SEED and FCDO-funded Political Settlements Research Programme (whilst at the University of Edinburgh) and more recently at NRI including the Evaluation of the Global component of the FCDO India Innovative Ventures and Technologies for Development (INVENT) and the new research programme on Understanding Knowledge Systems and what works to promote science, technology and innovation in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.
He has worked for a number of donors including FCDO, EC and the World Bank and with regional organisations such as ASARECA, SADC and FANRPAN. Professor Frost has an excellent understanding of development/environment issues in developing-country context and practical experience working in over 20 developing countries.
He is the NRI adviser to the Agrinatura-EEIG and is currently also the Acting Director-Business Manager for the EEIG.
He graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1985 with an honours degree in Agricultural Biochemistry and gained a PhD in ruminant nutrition from the University of Aberdeen in 1989. More recently, he graduated with an MBA from Henley Management College (2008). He was awarded his professorship in 2020.
Main research interests and expertise:
Dr Frost’s work has sought to identify and address constraining factors which have prevented past (agricultural) research investment getting into meaningful use for the benefit of the poor. He has a strong interest in agricultural innovation and in impact assessment using innovative and pragmatic results measurements.
Current Project examples include:
- Team Leader for FCDO funded research programme on understanding knowledge systems and what works to promote science, technology and innovation in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda (2018 – 2019, DFID (now FCDO))
- Team Leader for performance evaluation of the Global component of the FCDO India programme, Innovative Ventures and Technologies for Development (INVENT) (2017 – date, DFID (now FCDO))
- Value Chains for Development (VAC4D) – programme management of large value chain programme (2016 on-going to 2022, EU DEVCO)
Other project examples include:
- Programme Director for FCDO-funded Social Enterprises for Economic Development (SEED) which sought to test the social enterprise model as an effective way of getting research into use, at scale, for the benefit of the poor (2014–2016, Rwanda)
- Deputy Director, FCDO Research Into Use (RIU) Programme which sought to identify and address roadblocks preventing past (agricultural) research investment getting into use, at scale using an innovation approach (2006–2013, Africa (Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda) and Asia (India, Nepal, Bangladesh)
- Team Leader for EU Framework contract to assist with developing the ASARECA TUUSI concept to up and out-scale appropriate research technologies (2006–2007, Uganda, ASARECA Regional)
- Team Leader for EU Framework contract 9 ACP SAD 001 Implementation and Coordination of Agriculture Research and Training in the SADC Region (ICART) – development of competitive regional agricultural research fund (CRARF), managing help desk facility and call for proposals (2005-2006, Botswana, SADC Regional)
- Acting Project Director for FCDO project “Karnataka Watersheds Development Project” and lead on Knowledge Management activities (2003–2005, India)
- Project Director for EC Civil Society Capacity Building project, providing backstopping support in development of procedures for a competitive grant facility (2005, Uganda)
- Project Manager for FCDO project “Improved Farmer Participation in Research and Extension in Benue State (IFPREB)” establishing semi-autonomous extension centre (CEC) within the University of Makurdi (1998–2002, Nigeria).
- Clark, N. and Frost, A. (2015) It’s not STI: It’s ITS – The role of science, technology and innovation (STI) in Africa’s development strategy
International Journal of Technology Management & Sustainable Development Volume 15 (1) 3-13 - Frost, A. (2013) Final RIU Report http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/pdf/outputs/ResearchIntoUse/RIU_Final_Report.pdf
- Clark, N., Frost, A., Maudlin, I. and Ward, A. (2013) Technology Development Assistance to Low Income Country Agriculture: Putting Research into Use (RIU) ISBN 978-0-415-82702-7 [Publisher: Routledge]
- Clark, N., Frost, A., Maudlin, I., Seward, P., Wainwright, H. and Ward, A. (2012) Putting Research into Use: A Market Failure Approach
International Journal of Technology Management & Sustainable Development Volume 10 (3) 185–200 - Hall, A., Clark, N. and Frost, A. (2010)
Bottom-up, bottom-line: Development-relevant enterprises in East Africa and their significance for agricultural innovation. RIU Discussion Paper No. 2 July 2010
Forewords written for independent evaluations of RIU work.
- Mur, R. and Nederlof, S. (2013)
Innovation for fashion or action? Building Innovation Capacity. Learning from Research Into Use in Africa. KIT Publishers. Amsterdam.
ISBN 978-94-6022-241-2 - Gilemacher, P. and Mur, R. (2012)
Bringing new ideas into practice; experiments with agricultural innovation. Learning from Research Into Use in Africa. KIT Publishers. Amsterdam. ISBN 978-94-6022-233-7