Mariana Wongtschowski is a Brazilian agronomist, with an MSc in Agricultural Knowledge Systems from Wageningen University, the Netherlands. Between 1998 and 2002, Mariana worked with traditional communities in Brazil, focusing on supporting the community’s rights and sustainable use of natural resources. In 2003 and 2005, Mariana worked as a policy officer for the Department of Environment and Water of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands (DGIS). There, she managed and supervised several projects on agriculture and natural resources management (including managing core-funding to eight of the CGIAR centers), (agro) biodiversity, and indigenous peoples. At the ETC Foundation, a Dutch-based NGO, where she worked until early 2011, she was involved in and managed several programs and networks on agriculture research and development, and farmer-led innovation, As an employee at the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT), she has strengthened the organizations’ work on agricultural innovation systems and market-oriented advisory services, developing a portfolio of projects. Since 2017, she works for Porticus where she serves as Director Caring for the Earth overseeing the work on Forests, Energy, Purposeful Business, and Just Transition.