Keep in touch with meI'm using Intch to connect with new people. Use this link to open chat with me via Intch app
Network Power1000+ people
Roles
🧑💼40%
C-level Executive
🐦40%
Design
🧨40%
Consulting
Geos
🇧🇯20%
Benin
🇬🇧20%
United Kingdom
🇮🇳20%
India
Work Background
Institute for Integrated Rural Development (IIRD)Secretary
Nov. 2020Aurangabad, Maharashtra, IndiaInstitute for Integrated Rural Development is a premier rural development organization since 1987. IIRD is involved in various poverty alleviation programs primarily by enabling of pro-poor agro-supply chains. This enabling activity is through organization of pro-poor supply chains, capacity building of the actors in the supply chains and by facilitating market access.
Ekologie Forte LtdDirector
Jun. 2020Nairobi, KenyaResponsible for the development of organic and pro-poor supply chains from Africa. Primarily focusing on cultivated and wild collected crops for export from various countries in Africa to Europe, USA and to India. Responsible for importing and distribution in Africa - sugar, rice, stationery and organic goat milk cosmetics.
Pro-Poor Development - Farmer Producer Organization (FPO)Chairman Board of Directors
Jun. 2015IndiaWe represent a farmer partnership program spread across central India - in the states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. We partner with 15,000 farmers practicing ecological farming practices and most of these farmers are small and marginalised. The membership of the Pro-Poor Development Forum consists of the Farmer Representatives from different farmer clusters and value chain partners who are involved in the processing and marketing of the produce of these farmers. All profits accrued due to the value addition of the produce from these farmers are re-invested in the upliftment of the livelihoods of the farming communities associated with the Pro-Poor Development Forum.
Ekologie Forte Pvt. LtdManaging Director
Oct. 2012Aurangabad, MaharshtraWe are a network of supply chains specialising in supply of organic food ingredients, organic feed ingredients and organic cosmetic ingredients.
Eko Guarantee, Div of ENCONManaging Partner
Jan. 2012Aurangabad, Maharashtra, IndiaWe are a service provider for the Government of India for organising and enabling organic farming clusters to be effective organic value chain partners.
ENCON Initiatives LLPManaging Partner
Apr. 1994Aurangabad Area, IndiaKey Achievements
Provided environmental consultancy and implementation support for sustainable development projects and development of inclusive business models, in India and Asia region
Principal consultant for OXFAM for developing agricultural value chain in the textile sector Implemented DFID PACS programme in Maharashtra, India to strengthen self-governance, women’s empowerment, policy advocacy, social cohesion and self help
Lobbied and advocated for land reforms for landless poor in Maharashtra state of India through the network of land rights movement (Zameen Adhikar Andolan)
Developed the certification body of Uttaranchal State Government which is presently known as Uttaranchal Organic and Seed Certification Agency
Conducted annual international training programmes on sustainable agriculture, bio-diversity conservation, water management and market development
Development of training manuals and other communication material related to rural livelihoods, health, sanitation & hygiene, organic agriculture and environment
Undertook socio-economic surveys, feasibility studies, project evaluations, life cycle analysis studies and impact assessments
Organized international exposure programmes for the Seed industry
Undertook and implemented organic cotton project involving 3000 farmers in district of Surendranager in Gujarat.
Institute for Integrated Rural DevelopmentDevelopment Manager
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1994Strategic planning and organizational development
Integrated project/proposal development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
Community mobilization and stake holder relationship building
Fund raising and liaison with international and national development partners like DESWOS - Germany, EED-Germany, GTZ-Germany, MISEREOR-Germany, HIVOS-Netherlands, Helpage International-London, CIDA, Foundation for International Training (FIT)-Canada, Functional Vocational Training and Research Society (FVTRS), NABARD, India
Programme Management
Community mobilization and capacity building of rural communities especially rural women Small and Medium Enterprise development for sustainable livelihoods Domestic market development (organic bazaars) for small and marginal organic farmers
Development of small farmer certification systems Social forestry, environment education and Agenda 21 action plan implementation Industrial training and vocational skill development Development of biogas and small scale solar energy systems
Development of model farms, seed banks and model villages
Water management and water conservation
Facilitation of cooperatives and farmers federations
Rural housing and training of women masons
Partnership development with financial and technical support institutions for small farmers
International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA)Vice President
Mar. 2014 - Jun. 2017BangaloreICCOA is a knowledge and learning center for all aspects of organic agriculture and agribusiness. With a mission to build competence of organizations and individuals in organic agriculture and agribusiness. And thereby contribute to ecologically, economically and socially sustainable agriculture and livelihood systems. Set up as a non-governmental interface organization, ICCOA has a wide mandate to serve all stakeholders of organic agriculture.
1) Advocating for and popularizing organic agriculture
2) Collecting, documenting and disseminating knowledge and information
3) Training and capacity building of individuals and institutions
4) Networking of stakeholders
5) Consultancy services
Safe Harvest Pvt. LtdPrincipal Consultant
Sep. 2013 - Mar. 2015BangaloreProvision of advisory services to Safe Harvest Private Limited (SFPL) team in order to achieve the following: 1. To study the existing systems of quality control – standards, inspection system and conformity assessment mechanisms
2. To adapt the existing standards as a consumer driven standards.
3. To develop NPM certification package – application, inspection reports and certification decisions.
4. To develop a sanction catalogue for NPM standards.
5. To develop criteria of admission of third party inspection bodies.
6. Training of third party inspection bodies to inspect NPM standards.
7. To develop inspection assignment by SFPL to third party inspection bodies.
8. To establish the testing protocols for different operations in the value chain and for different cropping systems and situations.
9. To train the certification team to evaluate the conformity assessment through the inspection and test reports.
10. To develop traceablity systems through the process of issuing transaction certificates for every lot and batch transacted at each point on the value chain.
11. To prepare the quality and operating manual to document all the processes involved in the quality assurance of NPM agriculture value chains.
12. To make an application for ISO 65 Accreditation of NPM certification to Quality Control of India (QCI).
ECOCERT - IndiaDirector
Jun. 2002 - Mar. 2014Key Achievements
Established representative offices in different regions of Asia – Nepal and Bangladesh as well as nationally in different states of India
Developed, monitored & evaluated Organic, Fair Trade and Safe Food projects in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Developed inspection and certification services in accordance to international and national eco-labelling standards and regulations , was member of the drafting committee for Shop for Change FairTrade standards
Contributed to the development of ‘Guidance Document for Co-existence between Organic and GMO Cotton in India’.
Organized specialized training programs for organic cotton projects on geo-traceability and prevention of GM contamination from farm to lint.
Organized training programs for spinning and weaving units on GOTS and textile exchange standards
Developed inclusive business models for farmers like supply chain linkages, facilitation of collectives, agro-processing link-ups, and independent farmers markets
Developed agriculture value chains for the textile and cosmetic sector as well as the dairy sector in addition to rice, and fruit produce for domestic and international markets Developed, mentored and trained a highly competent technical and operations team
Lobbied for policy changes favouring small farmer development and sustainable agriculture with the State Government Ministry of Agriculture in Maharashtra, Bihar, Sikkim, Punjab, Uttaranchal and Arunachal Pradesh
Networked and developed strategic partnerships with national and state governments, agribusiness corporations, non-government organizations, cooperatives, farmers groups and producer companies providing the company with a strong national base having a leading market share.
Developed innovative tools for learning and knowledge management processes