Ataharul Chowdhury

Ataharul Chowdhury is an Associate Professor in Capacity Development & Extension at the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph. His roles include Graduate Coordinator for CDE and leadership in organizations like the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAE), where he serves as President. He holds a PhD from BOKU (Vienna) and degrees from Wageningen University and Bangladesh Agricultural University.

• Education:
  • PhD in Sustainable Agricultural Development, BOKU, Austria (2011)
  • MSc in Management of Agro-ecological Knowledge, Wageningen University, Netherlands (2007)
  • BSc in Agricultural Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University (2001)

Dr. Chowdhury’s research focuses on capacity development in agriculture, ICT for rural innovation, and combating agri-food misinformation. He employs mixed-methods, including Q-Methodology and social network analysis. His work spans global collaborations with FAO, CGIAR, and universities in Canada, Bangladesh, and the Caribbean.

Key achievements include awards for leadership, mentorship, and research excellence. He has secured over $1M in grants and trained 23+ HQPs (Highly Qualified Personnel). His Agri-food, Climate and Rural Miscommunication Platform addresses misinformation in agri-food systems.

Advising & Grants:

• Guided 6 PhD candidates and 14+ MSc students
• Secured grants from SSHRC, Mitacs, and the Livestock Research & Innovation Corporation

His labs/teams include the CAPINNOV platform and partnerships with Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture and international bodies like Agrinatura.