"To make a difference is not what is in your pocket that matters, it is what is in your heart that truly matters." -  Dr. Cedric Habiyaremye

Dr. Cedric Habiyaremye is a globally recognized food security strategist, crop scientist, entrepreneur, and author whose life and work bridge science, policy, and human resilience. Born in Rwanda and shaped by early experiences of hunger, displacement, and life in a refugee camp, his journey planted the seeds of a lifelong mission: to help build a world where no one goes hungry.

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Today, Cedric serves as Policy Director at the Food Systems for the Future Institute (FSFI), where he leads high-impact policy initiatives at the intersection of food security, climate resilience, and economic development. His work brings together science, policy, and partnerships, working with governments, multilateral institutions, the private sector, and civil society across Africa, the United States, and other global regions to translate rigorous research into actionable policy and forge durable, system-level solutions that strengthen resilient, equitable, and sustainable food systems.

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Cedric is widely known for introducing quinoa to Rwanda and expanding its adoption across several African countries, positioning the crop as a powerful tool to combat malnutrition, strengthen farmer livelihoods, and enhance climate resilience. Prior to joining FSFI, he was a Research Associate at Washington State University, where he led global participatory research on quinoa and other climate-resilient crops, working directly with farmers, scientists, and institutions to ensure that innovation was locally grounded and farmer-led.

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An entrepreneur at heart, Cedric founded QuinoaHub, a multinational agribusiness advancing the research, production, and commercialization of nutritious, climate-resilient crops. In 2024, QuinoaHub was recognized by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Global Food Security as a VACS Champion for its innovative approach to participatory breeding, genetic diversity, and food security. He is also the founder of Origencia, a strategy and intelligence firm advising leaders and institutions on high-stakes decisions across food systems, climate, health, and economic development.

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Cedric’s leadership extends to the global policy and security arena. In 2024, he was selected as a Rising Leader with the Aspen Strategy Group, joining senior policymakers, defense leaders, diplomats, and thought leaders to address the most pressing national security and foreign policy challenges. He is a Senior Fellow with the Aspen Institute’s Global Innovators Group, a member of the Private Sector Mechanism to the United Nations Committee on World Food Security, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Healing Soils Foundation, as well as Vice-Chair of Building Bridges with Rwanda.

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Throughout his career, Cedric has collaborated with leading institutions including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), Harvard University, and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. His work has included participation in numerous White House briefings on global food security, contributions to the first-ever Global Diet Quality Monitoring System, and high-impact research initiatives shaping global food policy today. As the youngest member of the Chicago Council’s Global Agriculture Task Force, he helped shape the influential 2019 Global Food Security Report, work that continues to inform agricultural and food policy worldwide.

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Cedric’s innovative approaches and leadership in community development and the global fight against hunger have earned him numerous accolades, including the 2018 World Hunger Leadership Award. He is also a former fellow of the U.S. Borlaug Fellowship on Global Food Security (2017), the Norman E. Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program (2016), and the Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development (2015).

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Cedric’s work and story have been featured by major global media outlets, including Forbes, BBC, Al Jazeera, NPR, Thomson Reuters, and The Christian Science Monitor. His journey and impact were also profiled in Food Planet Future: The Art of Turning Food Climate Perils into Possibilities by Robert Dash, an award-winning book that received both the 2025 Gourmand World Cookbook Award and the Nautilus Book Award.

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A gifted communicator and sought-after speaker, Cedric is regularly invited to speak around the world, delivering lectures and keynote addresses at universities, international conferences, and global forums. In 2020, he gave a TED Talk viewed by more than 1.4 million people and translated into 20 languages, inspiring audiences to see food, science, and resilience as tools for transformation.

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Cedric holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Agronomy and Crop Science from Washington State University, a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science with Honors, and an Advanced Diploma in Soil and Water Management from the University of Rwanda. Beyond his formal roles, he is deeply committed to empowering the next generation; supporting education through scholarship initiatives, mentoring young leaders, and backing early-stage entrepreneurs whose ideas can meaningfully improve lives in underserved communities.

 

He currently lives in Spokane, Washington, with his wife and two daughters. Beyond his professional life, Cedric finds joy in music, dancing, and creative expression, plays various musical instruments, and speaks seven languages, reflecting his deep connection to cultures and communities around the world. To him, rhythm, language, and food are alike: they are bridges that connect people, ideas, and hope across humanity.