Professor Bhavani Shankar

School of Geography and Planning

Professor of Food Systems, Nutrition and Sustainability

Bhavani Shankar profile photo
Profile picture of Bhavani Shankar profile photo
b.shankar@sheffield.ac.uk
Geography and Planning Building

Full contact details

Professor Bhavani Shankar
School of Geography and Planning
Geography and Planning Building
Winter Street
Sheffield
S3 7ND
Profile

Bhavani works on research areas at the intersection of food systems, health and environmental sustainability. He joined the Institute of Sustainable Food and the School of Geography and Planning in April 2020. 

From 2011 to March 2020, Bhavani was Professor at SOAS University of London, and has previously also held appointments at the University of Reading and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Bhavani鈥檚 recent work has been funded by the Welcome Trust, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Leverhulme Trust, UKRI, GCRF, UKAid and the European Commission, among others. 

During 2022-23 Bhavani served as team leader for the High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) report on 'Reducing Inequalities for Food Security and Nutrition'. He is on the Management Committee of the Institute for Sustainable Food at Sheffield and serves on the editorial advisory boards of the journals Global Food Security and Food Policy. In 2024 Bhavani was named as one of ten 鈥楪oalkeepers Champions鈥 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation helping make transformative progress on global nutrition.

Research interests

Bhavani鈥檚 current research interests include sustainable diets, climate and nutrition-sensitive food systems, food and nutrition policy evaluation and inequities in food systems and nutrition. Much of his work is of an interdisciplinary nature, conducted in collaboration with nutritionists, geographers and health, agricultural and environmental scientists. 

Current externally funded projects:

 INFUSION is studying was in which rural communities in India can gain better access to nutrient-dense foods through improved functioning of food markets. 

: IMMANA aims to stimulate the development of novel methods and metrics for research linking agriculture and nutrition. It is co-funded by and .

: Nutrished aims to develop and demonstrate a spatially-explicit foodshed-level planning approach that will enable planners to diagnose and plan interventions to help communities ensure stable and resilient supplies of key nutrients. 

: NAPIC is a BBSRC and Innovate UK funded Centre pioneering innovative solutions in alternative proteins in the food system. 

Publications

Journal articles

  • Watts M, Cooper GS, Purushotham A, Shankar B, Bhogadi S, Harris-Fry H, Kadiyala S, Gupta A, Sandalinas F, Bajaj S , Bhushan N et al (2026) . Health & Place, 98, 103618-103618.
  • Fivian E, Harris-Fry H, Shankar B, Pradhan R, Mohanty S, Padhan S, Prost A, Parida M, Mishra NK, Rath S , Rath S et al (2025) . The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
  • Crowe S, Green R, Reynolds C & Shankar B (2025) . Nutrition Bulletin, 50(2), 326-339.
  • Begum IA, Alam MJ, Shankar B, Mastura T, Cooper G, Rich K, Parikh P, Ratna NN & Kadiyala S (2025) . Journal of Food Protection, 88(1).
  • Fivian E, Harris-Fry H, Offner C, Zaman M, Shankar B, Allen E & Kadiyala S (2024) . Advances in Nutrition, 15(6).
  • Cooper GS & Shankar B (2024) . Environmental Research Letters, 19(5).
  • Cooper GS, Davies-Kershaw H, Dominguez-Salas P, Fahmida U, Faye B, Ferguson E, Grace D, H盲sler BN, Kadiyala S, Konapur A , Kulkarni B et al (2024) . BMJ Paediatrics Open, 8(Suppl 1).
  • Choudhury DK, Cooper GS, Rich KM, Shankar B, Sadek S, Ratna NN, Kadiyala S & Alam MJ (2024) . PLOS ONE, 19(1).
  • Wineman A, Zanello G, Degefaw DM, Samuel F, Yates J & Shankar B (2024) . Nature Food, 5(2-3).
  • Scudiero L, Tak M, Alarc贸n P & Shankar B (2023) . Food Security, 15(5), 1231-1254.
  • Cooper G & Shankar B (2022) . UN-Nutrition Journal, 1, 151-157.
  • Tak M, Law C, Green R, Shankar B & Cornelsen L (2022) . BMJ Open, 12(10).
  • Queenan K, Cuevas S, Mabhaudhi T, Chimonyo M, Shankar B, Slotow R & H盲sler B (2022) . PLoS ONE, 17(6).
  • Cooper GS, Rich KM, Shankar B & Rana V (2022) . Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, 12(2), 223-246.
  • Cooper GS, Shankar B, Rich KM, Ratna NN, Alam MJ, Singh N & Kadiyala S (2021) . World Development, 148.
  • Alao R, Nur H, Fivian E, Shankar B, Kadiyala S & Harris-Fry H (2021) . BMJ Global Health, 6(12).
  • Rushton J, McMahon BJ, Wilson ME, Mazet JAK & Shankar B (2021) . NAM Perspectives, 11.
  • Cuevas Garcia-Dorado S, Queenan K, Shankar B, H盲sler B, Mabhaudhi T, Cooper G & Slotow R (2021) . Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 5.
  • Choudhury S, Shankar B, Aleksandrowicz L, Tak M & Dangour A (2021) . Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 42(3), 451-459.
  • Fattore G, Federici C, Drummond M, Mazzocchi M, Detzel P, Hutton ZV & Shankar B (2021) . Health Policy, 125(9), 1238-1246.
  • Law C, Brown KA, Green R, Venkateshmurthy NS, Mohan S, Scheelbeek PFD, Shankar B, Dangour AD & Cornelsen L (2021) . SSM - Population Health, 14.
  • Cooper GS, Rich KM, Shankar B, Rana V, Ratna NN, Kadiyala S, Alam MJ & Nadagouda SB (2021) . Agricultural Systems, 190.
  • S酶rensen TB, Vansteelandt S, Wilson R, Gregson J, Shankar B, Kinra S & Dangour AD (2021) . Epidemiologic Methods, 10(1).
  • Brown KA, Srinivasapura Venkateshmurthy N, Law C, Harris F, Kadiyala S, Shankar B, Mohan S, Prabhakaran D & Knai C (2021) . Global Food Security, 28.
  • Harris F, Dalin C, Cuevas S, N R L, Adhya T, Joy EJM, Scheelbeek PFD, Kayatz B, Nicholas O, Shankar B , Dangour AD et al (2020) . Environmental Research Letters, 15(12).
  • Sorensen TB, Wilson R, Gregson J, Shankar B, Dangour AD & Kinra S (2020) . BMJ Open, 10(11).
  • Shankar B (2020) . Nature Food, 594-594.
  • Queenan K, Sobratee N, Davids R, Mabhaudhi T, Chimonyo M, Slotow R, Shankar B & H盲sler B (2020) . Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 9(4), 275-298.
  • S酶rensen TB, Matsuzaki M, Gregson J, Kinra S, Kadiyala S, Shankar B & Dangour AD (2020) . PLOS ONE, 15(3).
  • Harris-Fry H, Nur H, Shankar B, Zanello G, Srinivasan C & Kadiyala S (2020) . BMJ Global Health, 5(3).
  • Choudhury S, Shankar B, Aleksandrowicz L, Tak M, Green R, Harris F, Scheelbeek P & Dangour A (2020) . Global Food Security, 24.
  • Cuevas S, Downs SM, Ghosh-Jerath S, Aafrin & Shankar B (2019) . Public Health Nutrition, 22(18), 3435-3446.
  • Law C, Green R, Kadiyala S, Shankar B, Knai C, Brown KA, Dangour AD & Cornelsen L (2019) . Global Food Security, 23, 191-204.
  • Jensen HT, Keogh-Brown MR, Shankar B, Aekplakorn W, Basu S, Cuevas S, Dangour AD, Gheewala SH, Green R, Joy E , Rojroongwasinkul N et al (2019) . SSM - Population Health, 9.
  • Keogh-Brown MR, Jensen HT, Basu S, Aekplakorn W, Cuevas S, Dangour AD, Gheewala SH, Green R, Joy EJM, Rojroongwasinkul N , Thaiprasert N et al (2019) . Population Health Metrics, 17(1).
  • Zanello G, Shankar B & Poole N (2019) . Food Policy, 87.
  • Tak M, Shankar B & Kadiyala S (2019) . Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 40(2), 254-270.
  • Jensen HT, Keogh-Brown MR, Shankar B, Aekplakorn W, Basu S, Cuevas S, Dangour AD, Gheewala SH, Green R, Joy EJM , Rojroongwasinkul N et al (2019) . Food Policy, 83, 92-103.
  • Shankar B, Poole N & Bird FA (2019) . Food Policy, 82, 28-38.
  • Waage J, Cornelsen L, Dangour AD, Green R, H盲sler B, Hull E, Johnston D, Kadiyala S, Lock K, Shankar B , Smith RD et al (2019) . Global Challenges, 3(4).
  • Capacci S, Mazzocchi M & Shankar B (2017) . Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 37(1), 88-111.
  • Shankar B, Agrawal S, Beaudreault AR, Avula L, Martorell R, Osendarp S, Prabhakaran D & Mclean MS (2017) . Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1395(1), 49-59.
  • Shankar B, Thaiprasert N, Gheewala S & Smith R (2017) . Public Health Nutrition, 20(6), 1126-1134.
  • Dangour AD, Mace G & Shankar B (2017) . The Lancet Planetary Health, 1(1), e8-e9.
  • Zanello G, Srinivasan CS & Shankar B (2016) . PLoS ONE, 11(9).
  • Flores-Martinez A, Zanello G, Shankar B & Poole N (2016) . PLOS ONE, 11(6).
  • Green R, Sutherland J, Dangour AD, Shankar B & Webb P (2016) . BMJ Open, 6(1).
  • Cavatorta E, Shankar B & Flores-Martinez A (2015) . World Development, 76, 216-237.
  • Cornelsen L, Green R, Turner R, Dangour AD, Shankar B, Mazzocchi M & Smith RD (2015) . Health Economics, 24(12), 1548-1559.
  • Mazzocchi M, Cagnone S, Bech-Larsen T, Nied藕wiedzka B, Saba A, Shankar B, Verbeke W & Traill WB (2015) . Health Economics, Policy and Law, 10(3), 267-292.
  • Traill WB, Mazzocchi M, Shankar B & Hallam D (2014) . Nutrition Reviews, 72(9), 591-604.
  • Zanello G, Srinivasan CS & Shankar B (2014) . The Journal of Development Studies, 50(9), 1226-1239.
  • Maredia MK, Shankar B, Kelley TG & Stevenson JR (2014) . Food Policy, 44, 214-217.
  • Nkegbe PK & Shankar B (2014) . Bio Based and Applied Economics, 3(2), 159-174.
  • Bruce Traill W, Mazzocchi M & Shankar B (2013) . EuroChoices, 12(3), 17-23.
  • Turner R, Hawkes C, Waage J, Ferguson E, Haseen F, Homans H, Hussein J, Johnston D, Marais D, McNeill G & Shankar B (2013) . Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 34(4), 369-377.
  • Shankar B & Hawkes C (2013) . BMJ, 347(oct28 2), f6065-f6065.
  • Traill WB, Mazzocchi M, Nied藕wiedzka B, Shankar B & Wills J (2013) . Nutrition Bulletin, 38(3), 352-357.
  • Dangour AD, Hawkesworth S, Shankar B, Watson L, Srinivasan CS, Morgan EH, Haddad L & Waage J (2013) . BMJ Open, 3(6).
  • Green R, Cornelsen L, Dangour AD, Turner R, Shankar B, Mazzocchi M & Smith RD (2013) . BMJ, 346(jun17 1), f3703-f3703.
  • Srinivasan CS, Zanello G & Shankar B (2013) . BMC Public Health, 13.
  • Sutherland J, Edwards P, Shankar B & Dangour AD (2013) . British Journal of Nutrition, 110(3), 552-558.
  • Shankar B, Brambila鈥怣acias J, Traill B, Mazzocchi M & Capacci S (2013) . Health Economics, 22(2), 243-250.
  • Dangour AD, Green R, H盲sler B, Rushton J, Shankar B & Waage J (2012) . Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 71(2), 222-228.
  • Capacci S, Mazzocchi M, Shankar B, Brambila Macias J, Verbeke W, P茅rez-Cueto FJA, Kozio艂-Kozakowska A, Pi贸recka B, Niedzwiedzka B, D'Addesa D , Saba A et al (2012) . Nutrition Reviews, 70(3), 188-200.
  • Shankar B, Morzaria S, Fiorucci A & Hak M (2012) . International Development Planning Review, 34(1), 39-63.
  • P茅rez-Cueto FJA, Aschemann-Witzel J, Shankar B, Brambila-Macias J, Bech-Larsen T, Mazzocchi M, Capacci S, Saba A, Turrini A, Niedzwiedzka B , Piorecka B et al (2012) . Public Health Nutrition, 15(8), 1489-1496.
  • Bruce Traill W, Mazzocchi M & Shankar B (2011) . EuroChoices, 10(2), 64-64.
  • Brambila-Macias J, Shankar B, Capacci S, Mazzocchi M, Perez-Cueto FJA, Verbeke W & Traill WB (2011) . Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 32(4), 365-375.
  • Shankar B (2010) . Obesity, 18(8), 1660-1666.
  • Shankar B, Posri W & Srivong T (2010) . Canadian Journal of Development Studies / Revue canadienne d'茅tudes du d茅veloppement, 31(1-2), 137-153.
  • Traill WB, Shankar B, Brambila鈥怣acias J, Bech鈥怢arsen T, Aschemann鈥怶itzel J, Strand M, Mazzocchi M, Capacci S, Verbeke W, Perez鈥怌ueto FJA , D'Addesa D et al (2010) . Obesity Reviews, 11(12), 895-898.
  • Traill WB, P茅rez-Cueto FJA, Shankar B, Brambila-Macias J, Bech-Larsen T, Aschemann- Witzel J, Strand M, Mazzocchi M, Capacci S, D'Addesa D , Saba A et al (2010) . Nutricion Hospitalaria, 25(5), 867-868.
  • Shankar B (2010) . Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 23(5), 471-479.
  • Neeliah H & Shankar B (2010) . Applied Economics, 42(19), 2449-2458.
  • Boukouvalas G, Shankar B & Bruce Traill W (2009) . Public Health Nutrition, 12(11), 2183-2191.
  • Rahman S & Shankar B (2009) . Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, 14(1), 73-89.
  • Shankar B, Bennett R & Morse S (2008) . Applied Economics, 40(19), 2489-2500.
  • Neeliah H & Shankar B (2008) Is nutritional improvement a cause or a consequence of economic growth? Evidence from Mauritius. Economics Bulletin, 17(8).
  • Shankar B, Srinivasan CS & Irz X (2008) . Review of Agricultural Economics, 30(1), 151-175.
  • Crost B & Shankar B (2008) . International Journal of Biotechnology, 10(2/3), 122-122.
  • Liu Y & Shankar B (2007) Will rising household incomes solve China's micronutrient deficiency problems?. Economics Bulletin, 15(10).
  • Crost B, Shankar B, Bennett R & Morse S (2007) . Journal of Agricultural Economics, 58(1), 24-36.
  • Shankar B, Bennett R & Morse S (2007) . Economics of Innovation and New Technology, 16(4), 277-291.
  • Posri W, Shankar B & Chadbunchachai S (2006) . Journal of International Food & Agribusiness Marketing, 19(1), 81-101.
  • Srinivasan CS, Irz X & Shankar B (2006) . Food Policy, 31(1), 53-77.
  • Shankar B & Neeliah H (2005) . Journal of Agricultural Economics, 56(1), 145-151.
  • Shankar B & Thirtle C (2005) . Journal of Agricultural Economics, 56(1), 97-116.
  • Dhamvithee P, Shankar B, Jangchud A & Wuttijumnong P (2005) New product development in Thai agro-industry: Explaining the rates of innovation and success in innovation. International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, 8(3), 1-20.
  • Shankar B, Halls A & Barr J (2005) . International Journal of Water, 3(1), 61-61.
  • BENNETT R, ISMAEL Y, MORSE S & SHANKAR B (2004) . The Journal of Agricultural Science, 142(6), 665-674.
  • Shankar B, Halls A & Barr J (2004) . Natural Resources Forum, 28(2), 91-101.
  • Shankar B (2003) . Agricultural Economics, 29(2), 181-193.
  • Piesse J, Hadeey D, Shankar B & Thirtee C (2002) The efficiency of input use during the early transition in hungary. Economic Change and Restructuring, 35(2), 183-204.
  • Holloway G, Shankar B & Rahman S (2002) . Agricultural Economics, 27(3), 383-402.
  • Piesse J, Hadley D, Shankar B & Thirtle C (2002) . Economics of Planning, 35(2), 183-204.
  • Leiva A & Shankar B (2001) . Journal of Risk Research, 4(3), 275-290.
  • Thirtle C, Shankar B, Chitkara P, Chatterjee S & Mohanty MS (2000) . Review of Development Economics, 4(3), 340-352.
  • Shankar B, DeVuyst EA, White DC, Braden JB & Hornbaker RH (2000) Nitrate abatement practices, farm profits, and lake water quality: A Central Illinois case study. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 55(3), 296-303.

Book chapters

  • Shankar B, Mazzocchi M & Traill WB (2014) , Encyclopedia of Health Economics (pp. 160-164). Elsevier

Conference proceedings

  • Kadiyala S, Cooper G, Fahmida U, Frongillo EA, Konapur A, Pramesthi IL, Rowland D, Selvaraj K, Shankar B & Zahara NL (2023) Advances in methods and metrics in measuring food environments and implications for healthy food choices. ANNALS OF NUTRITION AND METABOLISM, Vol. 79 (pp 191-191)
  • Holloway G, Shankar B & Rahmanb S (2002) . Agricultural Economics, Vol. 27(3) (pp 383-402)