He served as the first Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) and was adjudged a co-winner of the 2004 World Food Prize.

The award was based on his discovery of the genetic process to create the New Rice for Africa (NERICA), which gives higher yields, shorter growth cycles and more protein content than its Asian and African parents.

He then disseminated NERICA through participatory approaches by working at multiple levels of associates from scientists to extension workers and farmersorganizations to governments and NGOs.

At the time he left WARDA to join FARA in July 2002, Jones had held three offices, first as its Principal Rice Breeder, Rain-fed Program Leader and Deputy Director of Research.

In January 2014 Jones was nominated president of EMRC, a not-for-profit Belgium-based association founded to encourage and facilitate private sector investment in Africa.