Ballantyne was head of Communications and Knowledge Management at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). He has worked in agricultural information and knowledge for 30 years, championing open access, participatory communications, local content, social media and the use of information and communications technologies in development. He is an experienced facilitator and is involved in several ILRI and CRP projects, contributing especially to engagement and collaboration activities in the Livestock and Fish CRP. Before ILRI, he led communications and knowledge management activities in several research, NGO and policy institutes in the Netherlands.