Dr. Gana Pati Ojha

Independent Evaluator · Development Policy & Learning Specialist

Development

Social and Gender Development Expert, Tajikista, SOFRECO/Asian Development Bank

July 2010 - August 2010 and June 2009 - August 2009

Preparing social and gender strategies and facilitating the strategies for implementation in the Rural Development Project executed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Tajikistan government. identification of women’s and men’s social, technical and business needs and opportunities; training project staff and government staff on (i) inclusive development (ii) participatory planning, implementation, and monitoring, (iii) identifying and addressing issues related to gender, ethnic minority, involuntary resettlement, and poverty reduction; assisting prepare information campaign about women’s rights to land and other resources as well as their right to participation and benefit sharing; supported M&E staff in ensuring that appropriate indicators and monitoring mechanisms are included in the M&E system to properly cover the resettlement framework, ethnic minorities, gender action plan, participation plan & the Project’s poverty & social impact. Also reviewed the project governance structure as it relates to social and gender issues. ADB-fund.

Consultant, National Planning Commission, Nepal

April 2007 - August 2007

Development of the Three Year Interim Plan (2007-2010) for agriculture and forestry sectors. Activities included review of past Plans; identification of problems, challenges, and opportunities; development of vision, target, objectives, strategies, policies, governance and processes from the rights perspective; projection of yearwise growth rate; development of major activities, results, and outcomes; preparation of logframe; estimate of yearwise budget; development of implementation, monitoring and evaluation policies. Procedure adopted to develop the Plan included stakeholder consultations at district, project and ministerial levels with public, private and civil society organisations; identify areas of inclusion of poor, marginalised and socially excluded; develop model for inclusion of poor and socially excluded; write the agricultural and forestry chapters of the Plan and present to the Steering Committee of the National Planning Commission. Process included facilitation, consultation, field visit, desk review, electronic sharing and analysis and synthesis of expert opinions. Funding support for this work was done by ESP/DFID.

Team Leader and Program Director, NARMA Consultancy Pvt. Ltd., Kathmandu, Nepal

February 2007 - March 2007

Preparation of project implementation plan (PIP) of “Nepal: Peace Building from Below” for Canadian Agency for International Development (CIDA) to be implemented by Rural Reconstruction Nepal. Activities included team formation and orientation, team mobilization, monitoring of team performance, review of documents, defining methodology, stakeholder consultation at district and national levels, district selection, conflict impact assessment based on quantitative and qualitative data, drafting and finalizing report and presentation. Process included desk study, workshop, facilitation, consultation, and individual and group meetings with key stakeholders.

Project Manager, Trace Foundation, New York: TAR China

November 2005 - April 2006

Overall responsibility for managing two projects (1) Traditional Tibetan Medicines (TTM) and (2) Education Improvement in Nagchu Prefecture of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Activities included partnering with Chinese government in developing proposals, preparing memorandum of agreements and contracts; overall resource generation for Tibet programmes; financial management and accountability; programme planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation including performance evaluation; programme staff management and appraisal; providing teaching methodology and school management training for teachers and principals and basic and advanced TTM training for TTM doctors; providing scholarships to TTM students; and direct grant funding to schools and colleges. Activities also included coordination with Tibetan Medical College (TMC), students studying in TMC, Foreign Affairs Office (FAO), Prefecture and County Level governments and Education Bureaus, township governments and participating schools. Other activities were liaison for cultural projects for assessing projects, supplying funds to recipients, establish and promote relations with concerned government agencies, NGOs, schools, training centers, represent Trace Foundation in various fora in TAR, prepare progress, quarterly, annual and intermediary reports.

Senior Community Development Specialist, Nepal Australia Community Resource Management and Livelihoods Project (NACRMLP), Kathmandu, Nepal

July 2005 - October 2005

Developed criteria for community participation in sustaining the success stories of the project; developed criteria for sustaining the project successes at micro, meso and macro levels; trained staff of NACRMLP and civic society organizations in strategic planning, appreciative inquiry, gender, poverty and social equity (GPSE), and livelihoods analysis and option development, facilitated workshop on integration of business, sustainable forest management and livelihoods; participated in training and promoted safe and effective development in conflict (SEDC), basic operating guidelines (BOG), and Do No Harm. Developed sustainable monitoring and evaluation framework including review of project documents, logframe matrix, objective hierarchy, indicators and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms; development of a plan for program-related capacity building on M&E; and staff supervision in conflict sensitive areas.

Livelihood Security Technical Advisor, Concern Worldwide (CWW) Pakistan Programme

April 2004 - March 2005

Provided technical and strategic support to livelihood programmes in Balochistan (conflict sensitive area) and Punjab provinces in Pakistan. Major responsibilities included capacity building of national staff for strategic partnership, coordination and networking with government authorities, local partners, civil society organizations (CSO), private organizations and UN systems; technical support to the programmes on livelihoods including food security, water supply and income generation using rights-based approach; capacity building of implementation partners (CSOs) and national staff in project cycle management, logframe preparation, indicator development and livelihood enhancement; technical inputs in research, monitoring and evaluation of Concern programmes; preparation of detail plan of work and conduct of training and workshops regarding livelihoods analysis and option development, project cycle management and logframe approach for staff of Concern, partner organizations and other INGOs; technical inputs for alternative livelihoods specially in the drought and conflict affected areas of Balochistan; technical inputs for planning and implementation of relief and rehabilitation programmes; strengthening linkages with related research and development organizations in Balochistan and Punjab provinces; representation of livelihoods programmes to external agencies; preparation of draft livelihoods strategies (2006-08); preparation of draft livelihoods training manual. Sustainable livelihoods, result-based, right-based and appreciative inquiry approaches and Do No Harm strategy were used. The project was funded by EC including MAPS (Multi Agencies Project Support).

Chairman / Principal, Capital College and Research Center (CCRC) Nepal

March 2001 - March 2004

Organizational development including establishment and management CCRC by providing strategic and technical leadership. Activities included developing vision, mission, goal, and objectives; developing organogram and governing procedure including human resource development and management plan; identifying and recruiting management and teaching staff; developing quality control system including performance monitoring and evaluation; developing public relations and marketing strategies; developing and operationalizing research system; designing and operationalizing workshops, seminars, and appreciative summits; establishing and promoting linkages with schools, colleges and universities within and outside country; allocating resources to various activities; preparing procedures for contracting out and contracting in of facilities; representing the college in public forums; assessing needs and developing training curricula; preparing teaching and training materials; developing proposals and fund raising; preparing semi-annual, annual and activity completion reports.

Consultant, Cross Ecosystem-4, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines

November 1999 - May 2000

Developed a model for IRRI-NGO partnership in rice research and extension.

General Secretary cum Institution Building Specialist, Center for Environment and Agricultural Policy Research, Extension and Development (CEAPRED) (Nepal) (Part Tim

May 1991 - May 1996

Provided leadership in strengthening CEAPRED capability in proposal development and human resource management and enhancing managerial capacity of CBOs in Lalitpur, Dhankuta and Tehrathum districts by providing cooperative strengthening and business management training and conducting reinforcement visits. Studies included

Agriculture Development Officer, Gorkha, Syanja (Nepal), Ministry of Agriculture

September 1985 - December 1990 and January 1980 - July 1983

Provided strategic and technical leadership in the overall governance of integrated agricultural development programmes in Gorkha and Syanja districts including the planning, organizing, directing and monitoring of human, physical and financial resources of the following projects:

  • Resource Conservation and Utilization (USAID: 1980-85)
  • Fertilizer and Related Inputs (FAO: 1981-83)
  • Fresh Vegetable and Vegetable Seed Production (FAO: 1987-90)
  • Joint Nutrition Support Programme (Italy: 1985-87)
  • Hill Food Production Project (World Bank: 1981-88). Major responsibilities:
    • Supervision of programme, staff, finance and administration;
    • Preparation of yearly and detail work plan;
    • Coordination with central and district governments and corporate bodies, civil societies and private sectors as well as funding agencies;
    • Financial control including procurement, tendering, contracting, payment authorization, and arrangement for auditing and accountability to audit objections;
    • Preparation of reports

Supervised construction of infrastructure such as buildings (54), service centers (9), irrigation schemes (6), rural road and trails (70 km), drinking water supply (9), and market centers (2). Provided emergency and relief materials and technical supports for flood affected areas.

Volunteer, Peace Foundation, Washington D.C., USA

January 1984 - July 1985

Developed agricultural development programme of Peace Wheel Project for drought affected Ethiopia.