Experience

• 

  FAO

  • FAO Headquarters, Rome Italy

  • Technical Officer (Soil Conservation)

    • Feb 1999 - Mar 2004
    • FAO Headquarters, Rome Italy

    Assisted the Director, Land and Water Development Division (AGL) in programme and budget planning and staff supervision, co-ordinating with the Assistant Director General, Agriculture Department (AGD). In parallel, counselled governments and defined recommendations for technical implementation and development approaches in soil conservation and rehabilitation of land, moisture conservation, low-input technology, agro-meteorology, farming systems, conservation project design with, and by the beneficiaries. Engaged in participatory rural appraisal with emphasis on policy, economic and social circumstances. AGL representative to the IDWG for Participation. Active in the Participatory Rural Appraisal Group, with extensive contacts throughout FAO, World Food Programme (WFP) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) as a consequence.Actively participated in a small team “re-thinking” soil and water conservation planning, to get away from existing top-down implementation with engineering-based treatments. These approaches had to be more farmer-oriented and bottom-up, concerned with real benefits and cost-effectiveness. Frameworks for action were separately devised for Africa, Asia and Latin America/Caribbean regions. Country self-implementation followed.Actively participated in a small team “re-thinking” soil and water conservation planning, to get away from existing top-down implementation with engineering-based treatments. These approaches had to be more farmer-oriented and bottom-up, concerned with real benefits and cost-effectiveness. Frameworks for action were separately devised for Africa, Asia and Latin America/Caribbean regions. Actively participated in a small team “re-thinking” soil and water conservation planning, to get away from existing top-down implementation with engineering-based treatments. These approaches had to be more farmer-oriented and bottom-up, concerned with real benefits and cost-effectiveness.

• 

  FAO

  • Technical Officer (Soil and Water Conservation)

    • 1986 - 1999

    Designed and acted as key Headquarters technical support to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) “Asia Soil Conservation Network for Humid Tropics” (ASOCON) that subsequently became independent in 1993. Collaborated with the FAO Legal Office to produce Memoranda of Understanding with China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. With ASOCON, devised the regional strategy framework (see above) “Conservation of Lands in Asia and Pacific”. India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were observers to the implementation. Contributed content to the periodical journal “Contour” of ASOCON.Engaged as committee member, then management board member representing FAO in the Swiss/University of Berne initiative “World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies” (WOCAT) from 1993. An initial workshop in Riederalp, Switzerland, conceived the outline of the WOCAT methodology. Facilitated the concept development for an artificial intelligence decision-support system in soil and water conservation from 1991 with consultancy funding, later incorporated in the WOCAT methodology in simplified form (1997) as a “smart” retrieval system.Reinforced FAO/United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) formulation of National Soils Policies.Collaborated from 1987 in UNEP’s PAP/RAC “Mediterranean erosion mapping and measuring project”.Represented AGL on Inter-Departmental Working Group (IDWG) on Desertification (CCD) and also on the IDWG on Sustainable Mountain Development within FAO from 1995.

  • Technical consultant to AGL, soil and water conservation

    • Mar 1985 - Jan 1986

    Acting as Senior Officer, Conservation Group supervision: programme planning, technical support to projects and generating inputs to the design of “International Scheme for Conservation and Rehabilitation of African Lands” booklet.Served in formulation of a regional soil conservation project for Asia and the Pacific, subsequently implemented as Asia Soil Conservation Network for the Humid Tropics (ASOCON) – see above.Assisted in criteria definition and case studies collection with the author for “Study of the reasons for success or failure of soil conservation projects”, AGL Soils Bulletin 64, with wide inter-departmental contacts.Contributed to conservation strategies training preparation for Commonwealth Secretariat workshop in Malawi.Provided technical support to multiple World Food Programme (WFP) project evaluations, including Ethiopia 2488 project, drought relief.

  • Watershed Management Advisor

    • Oct 1984 - Oct 1985

    Engaged in planning and implementing comprehensive rural development approaches in a watershed management context. Carried out field surveys of indigenous species and “naturalised” crop, fruit and forest introductions with altitude listings in the locally-developed agro-ecological zoning of the Ethiopian highlands, as options for diversification and reducing monocultures. Studied local farming systems and the effects of development and incentives, in consultation with International Livestock Center (now ILRI).Investigated traditional water storage techniques and jointly proposed a series of adaptations and low-cost measures for wider application in catchment management plans.Furnished contributions to the set of Ethiopian watershed manuals on policies and practices.Advised on technical support leading to the WFP 2488 project expansion and follow-up in implementation. Contributed policy and strategy proposals.

  • Watershed Management Agronomist

    • Jan 1980 - Nov 1984

    Initiated and monitored a comprehensive series of pastoral vegetation adaptation and performance trials in the Rif and High Atlas, in order to introduce conservation tillage with crop rotation under both animal traction and tractor-drawn equipment. Organized demonstrations to introduce livestock into the cropping systems, range and forest areas. Arranged seed collection and re-introduction of Mediterranean species cultivated in Australia for the Rif and High Atlas.Collaborated with practical training of extension workers in improved land management, in collaboration with other UN System projects, World Bank, IAV Hassan II, USAID and GTZ. Assisted with setting up the GTZ Agronomic Institute trials and seed imports.Engaged in mapping land use and vegetative cover from LANDSAT images in Azilal Province High Atlas.Evaluated erosion control engineering and vegetative erosion protection measures throughout Northern Morocco with World Food Programme (WFP). Also evaluated small barrage construction project Northern and Central Morocco for WFP.

• 

  FAO

  • Dryland Farming Specialist

    • 1977 - 1979

    Installed extensive pasture vegetation trials to introduce livestock into the cropping monoculture at the Northeastern Cereal Research Station, Kamishly. Coordinated with the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), a CGIAR Center based in Aleppo, on pasture and food grain trials installation, farming system studies, grains and pasture species monitoring and evaluation, as well as curriculum development and practical demonstrations in pasture management for ICARDA trainees.Cooperated with the UN Regional Range Management project on various aspects of fodder and transhumance.Collaborated with Arab Center for Studies of Arid Drylands (ACSAD) on salinity and gypsiferous soils issues.

  • Conservation Agronomist

    • Jan 1975 - Nov 1976

    Organized species adaptation trials for crops and fodders at various altitudes on 3 main soil types in collaboration with the Agronomic Research Institute of Rwanda (ISAR) for incorporation into intensified rural development demonstrations centred around a local model of stall-feeding.Devised a training programme for conservationists including demonstrations of “best practices” in soil and water conservation.Defined links with forestry and fuel wood production, cash crop perennials and low-cost alternatives to traditional slope-terracing.

• 

  FAO

  • Agadez, Niger

  • Soil Conservation consultant to FAO/WFP mission

    • Feb 1974 - Apr 1974
    • Agadez, Niger

    Agadez, Niger. FAO/WFP consultancy mission, Plant Production and Protection Division (AGP). 1974 (Feb~April).Soil and water conservation measures designed and costed, as well as infrastructure maintenance, in technical support to WFP emergency relief programme. The major part of the proposition was immediately implemented over thousands of hectares.

• 

  FAO

  • Agronomist and Range Management Specialist

    • 1971 - 1972

    Managed and evaluated pasture and fodder trials and conducted demonstrations of integrated intensified farming on the Atlas station near Medea, plus surrounding farms.Supervised pasture seeds harvest and vegetative propagation of perennials such as Opuntia.As interim head of the sub-Saharan station (Djelfa), conducted range management demonstrations involving the transfer of fodder and livestock to and from the Atlas station.Initiated vegetation and degradation surveys, erosion control measures and water harvesting with water-spreading demonstrations.Directed ongoing implementation of soil and water conservation measures on Atlas and sub-Saharan stations.Collaborated with WFP (Constantine) and other FAO projects (Hodna) on soil conservation, pasture and range issues.

  • Conservation Instructor and Farm Manager

    • Nov 1969 - Dec 1970

    North African Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Medjez-el-Bab.Implemented practical training and conducted soil and water conservation demonstrations including small dam construction and other soil and water conservation engineering measures, pasture improvement and pasture-seed harvesting.Performed general farm management including livestock integration through fodder conservation, stall feeding and watershed planning.Collaborated with other FAO projects and CIMMYT on agricultural and forestry measures linked to conservation in northern and central Tunisia.

• 

  Soil Conservation Authority, Premier's Department, Victoria

  • Coleraine and Heathcote, Victoria, Australia

  • Conservation Officer

    • Mar 1962 - Nov 1969
    • Coleraine and Heathcote, Victoria, Australia

    Initiated watershed planning surveys and remedial works costing in close consultation with land users and supervision of implementation, with detailed monitoring and evaluation to follow, on a total area exceeding 20,000 hectares. Similar works were put into action during 2 years around Coleraine, western Victoria, within the above period.Actual experiences involved topographical survey, mapping of erosion, farm management planning and mini-budgets, general agronomy trials, extension, revegetation and pasture improvement, engineering works layout and work supervision, follow-up maintenance. Planning was coordinated with local, state and federal authorities for conservation, agricultural development, forestry and environment protection. Formal watershed management plans were prepared in consultation with the stakeholders. Evaluation of implemented results took place before the responsibilities were handed back to the land users for ongoing maintenance.There was no degree training course in soil conservation or environmental sciences at the time in Australia. In-job training was supervised by academics and senior technicians, to put candidates through a three-year “apprenticeship” to qualify as professional public servants. Theoretical and practical subjects for the internal examinations were derived from conservation science and conservation principles as designed by high-level multi-disciplinary committees. Thus, there were no readily-available rules and guidelines for the interventions; these had to be formulated as each situation arose. There were only slim possibilities of falling back on the wisdom from forebears.