Leonard Mkusa is the Executive Director of the Centre for Urban Food Policy and Advocacy (CUFPA), Malawi’s pioneering institution dedicated to advancing sustainable urban food systems. He previously served as an Economic Growth Specialist with USAID Malawi, supporting the Presidential Feed the Future (FtF) Initiative. With over seven years of experience in development, Leonard has worked across government, humanitarian, and research sectors, contributing to policy and programming in food security, livelihoods, and food systems transformation at both national and international levels.

He is the Pioneering Lead for the FAO World Food Forum Malawi Youth Chapter. He serves on the inaugural Malawi National Food Systems Technical Working Group, where he advocates for inclusive and evidence-based approaches to food systems governance. Leonard’s interests lie at the intersection of urbanisation, food policy, youth engagement, and climate-resilient development, with a strong commitment to the New Urban Agenda and the Urban Food Agenda.

Through his leadership and research, Leonard continues to shape dialogues and interventions that address complex sustainability challenges in African cities, particularly in the areas of food equity, governance, and innovation.

To learn more about Leonard’s work:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonard-maximian-mkusa-90367577/

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Leonard-Mkusa