Degree in Agricultural Engineering in 1986 from UTAD, and specialization on Agricultural and Food Economics, developed since 1987 at the Gulbenkian Science Institute, Agricultural Economics Research Centre, and completed with an MSc and PhD degrees from the University of Reading, UK, in 1991 and 2000, respectively (MSc Food Chain Systems, PhD Agricultural and Food Economics).

Research in Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy Analysis, in transnational projects under the EU 5th and 7th Framework Programme for Research (Projects Bondscheme, Conversion, Integral, Alterfor), and in FCT funded projects Bioecosys, and Modfire (ongoing), with publications in international refereed journals (Food Policy, International Journal of the Sociology of Agriculture and Food, European Journal of Political Research, British Food Journal, Food Research International);

Director for undergraduate studies (2005‑2008), lecturer (since 1999) and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business Studies, Catholic University  of Portugal, on Microeconomics and Environmental Economics to undergraduates, and Decision Support Models, Analysis and Evaluation of Public Policies and Decision Support Models to post graduates;

Consultant for the agri‑food industry organizations (Agros, Fenalac, Confagri, Viticultural Commission of Dão), and for the Ministry of Agriculture (member of the expert group created to support CAP reform, for Portuguese governments since 2010 to 2021).