Erika Balzarelli is a tri-sector leader in sustainable agriculture and food systems with over 20 years of experience spanning corporate, NGO, government advisory, and venture-building roles across Europe, Africa, and Asia. She has held senior positions with Syngenta, Corteva, and Nufarm, and led transformative initiatives with TechnoServe, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Olam Ventures.
Erika is the Founder and Director of The Sustainable Smallholder, registered and based in Cyprus, a boutique consulting and innovation studio dedicated to designing and co-implementing tailored (smallholder) farmer solutions and transition journeys toward sustainable, inclusive, and regenerative systems. The firm partners with organizations such as PepsiCo, Danone, BASF, RiceTec, GrowAsia, and IFAD, and operates at the intersection of strategic advisory, program design, and capacity building.
In addition to managing the work at The Sustainable Smallholder, Erika also collaborates and advises governments to co-create national food system transformation roadmaps – identifying opportunities to attract foreign direct investment and to design evidence-based pilot programs and policy innovations that demonstrate proof of concept for scalable change.
Drawing on her dual background in business and public policy, with an MBA from Groningen University and an MPA from Harvard University, Erika combines strategic insight with hands-on field experience to deliver impactful agricultural transformation programs. Her work focuses on gender inclusivity, climate-smart innovation, and the creation of shared value, building business models that are commercially viable, environmentally restorative, and socially inclusive.
Beyond her consulting work, Erika serves on multiple Boards of Advisors and Directors for social enterprises and start-ups advancing innovation in sustainable and regenerative food systems worldwide.