Bhavani Shankar is an economist and Professor of Food Systems, Nutrition and Sustainability at the University of Sheffield. In recent years his work has focused on how to improve the access of disadvantaged communities and people to nutritious foods.
Bhavani’s research has been funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Wellcome Trust, The Leverhulme Trust, UKRI, FCDO/UKAid and the European Commission, among others. He currently co-leads INFUSION, a large project that works with the Government of India to improve the functioning of rural Indian markets from a nutrition perspective.
Issues relating to equity in food systems are prominent in his work. During 2022-23 Bhavani served as team leader for the landmark High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) of the UN Committee for Food Security (UN-CFS) report on ‘Reducing Inequalities for Food Security and Nutrition’.
In 2024, Bhavani was named as one of ten 2024 Goalkeepers Champions by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The list spotlights individuals from across the globe who are leading the way towards a more nourished world and making transformative progress on tackling malnutrition.