Leigh Hildyard is a Programme Policy Officer, in the United Nations World Food Programme’s Regional office in Johannesburg. As part of her role she is working with the South African government on linking smallholder farmers to the formal market, including institutional feeding opportunities. Before working in the regional office Leigh worked in Malawi for 5 years focused on smallholder famer development and livelihoods. Before joining WFP 6 years ago, she worked for the German Development Cooperation on a conflict prevention programme and lived in Mozambique. Leigh holds two Masters Degrees, one in Anthropology from Rhodes University and the second in Humanitarian Logistics and Management from Universita Della Switzerra Italiana.