Govaerts is an expert in the fields of bioscience engineering and soil sciences. He is renowned for pioneering, implementing, and inspiring transformational changes for farmers and consumers in meeting the sustainable development challenges. He brings together multi-disciplinary science and development teams to integrate sustainable, multi-stakeholder and sector strategies that generate innovation and change in the agri-food systems. His initiatives, excellence in science for impact and the partnerships he inspired have resulted in improved nutrition, nature conservation, and national and international resilience and food security.
One of Govaerts’ notable projects MasAgro has been developed in collaboration with farmers, scientists, trainers, extension agents, and communication and technology specialists positively impacting the lives of 2.5 million people in Mexico. Inspired by Norman Borlaug's ethos "Take it to the farmer," MasAgro blends the right seed, conservation agriculture practices and an integrated market framework, while valuing and integrating farmer knowledge. This transformative project is being scaled out in multiple African countries, further extending its reach and impact.
Govaerts has co-authored over 90 peer-reviewed publications. He is a member of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, an A.D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University and recipient of the 2014 Norman Borlaug Field Award of the World Food Prize Foundation. In 2020, Govaerts became a Fellow of The American Society of Agronomy (ASA) for his outstanding contributions to the field of agronomy.