PARALLEL SESSION: Session 3B
THEME: "Strengthening Partnership in Research, Extension and Advisory Services"
DATE: 25 August 2015
TIME: 1300 - 1500 hours
CONFERENCE ROOM: B
BIODATA OF PANELLISTS
Ms. Natalie Ernst, Deputy Executive Secretary, Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) | |
Natalie Ernst works at the Swiss-based secretariat of the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services. O the past 10 years, Natalie has been involved as researcher, long-term external advisor, and consultant in rural advisory and development projects in India, Ethiopia, and Honduras. Between 2007 and 2014 she presided a NGO engaged in the North-Eastern Part of Thailand, focusing on education and training for the rural youth. Prior to joining GFRAS, Natalie worked for several years at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs as programme manager, where her main focus was on advocacy within the UN system for a stronger acknowledgement of the link between human security and sustainable rural development. In this position, she was also significantly involved in the international discussions on the post-2015 sustainable development agenda. Natalie holds a Master in Geography with a specialization on sustainable rural development, and a Bachelor in Social Work and Social Politics. | |
Dr. Mike Furlong, ICM – Pacific | |
Dr Mike Furlong is an Associate Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Queensland, Australia. He is an applied entomologist and his research interests include insect pathology, insect-plant interactions, pest-natural enemy interactions, insecticide resistance and integrated pest management. He has previously led ACIAR projects on integrated pest management in North Korea, Indonesia, Fiji and Samoa and currently leads the ACIAR program “Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production” which is focused on Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga. He also leads the allied ACIAR project “Integrated crop management strategies for root and tuber crops: strengthening national and regional capacities in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga”. |
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Dr. Viliami Fakava, Plant Production and Protection, FAO-SAP | |
Dr Viliami Fakava is the Plant Production and Protection Officer for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Sub regional Office for the Pacific Islands. His major focus areas of work include development and coordination FAO technical assistances on sustainable crop production intensification; plant pests and pesticides management; conservations of plant genetic resources and seeds; climate smart agriculture, and International Plant Protection Convention. Prior to this role he has worked previously with MAFFF Tonga for 18 years, and with MAF Biosecurity NZ, and SPC Biosecurity Trade Adviser. Viliami holds a BSc in Horticulture, Master in Agr Science from Massey University, and a PhD in Farm Management and Rural Development from Lincoln University, New Zealand. |
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Mr. Lafaele Enoka, Manager, SACEP, WB Project, Samoa | |
Lafaele is the Coordinator of the World Bank funded ‘Samoa Agriculture Competitiveness Enhancement Project’ (SACEP). Before joining the project, he worked as the Regional Market Advisor in the Caribbean for the FAO - Food Security Progamme where he was involved in the development of agri-food value chain projects in 7 countries. Prior to working in the Caribbean, Lafaele worked as an agricultural economist consultant in the Pacific with country experience in the Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Niue, Nauru, Tuvalu and Samoa. Lafaele holds a Master in Applied Science in International Rural Development and a Bachelor of Agriculture Science. |
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Dr. Peter Horne, General Manager, Country Programs, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) | |
Dr. Peter Horne works for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) as General Manager, Country Programs. He previously held the role of Research Program Manager for Livestock Production Systems (LPS). Peter has spent most of his career based in Asia involved in agricultural research-for-development, with a particular focus on forages and livestock systems. Prior to joining ACIAR he was Manager of Support for Market-driven Adaptive Research - a research program in Eastern Indonesia aimed at improving the efficiency and productivity of smallholder agricultural value chains. Peter has also worked as a researcher for CIAT, CSIRO, North Carolina State University and University of New England. He has a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Sciences from Griffith University and a PhD in Tropical Forage Agronomy from University of New England, Australia. |
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Dr Richard Markham, Research Program Manager, Horticulture, ACIAR | |
Dr Richard Markham is Research Program Manager for Horticulture. The program focuses on improving the productivity, profitability and sustainability of fruit, vegetable and ornamental crop production in developing countries and Australia. Dr Markham, a British national, has worked in international research for development since his graduate student days 30 years ago. Prior to ACIAR Dr Markham worked as a Program Director for the CGIAR centre, Bioversity International. In this position he led a large international scientific team across several continents focusing on commodity crops – especially bananas and plantains, cocoa and coconut - as a source of livelihoods for rural communities. Dr Markham’s main research training and experience is in crop protection, however his research management responsibilities have covered germplasm conservation, crop protection, production, postharvest and marketing issues. His earlier career involved research and research management at IITA and he led the CGIAR System-wide Integrated Pest Management program for six years from 1995-2001, with involvement in both field and horticultural crops. For an 18 month period, Richard worked in science writing on research, agricultural, environmental and development issues. |
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Dr. Aurora Del Rosario, Researcher, Palau Community College | |
Dr. Aurora Del Rosario is Researcher / Extension Specialist at the Palau Community College. She is responsible for the conservation and maintenance if the Root Crops Germplasm Collection in Palau as well as conducting research and extension programs to improve crop productivity in Palau for the past 15 years. She has actively worked on projects in collaboration with SPC and PAPGREN on germplasm conservation and exchange . Prior to working at Palau Community College , she rose from the ranks to Associate Professor of Horticulture at the University of the Philippines Los Banos, where she had twenty five years of experience teaching courses on crop production, crop physiology, plant growth and development, plant morphogenesis and tissue culture; and develop teaching materials and training manuals; served as thesis adviser to undergraduate and graduate students; conducted research on physiology and tissue culture of economically important crops; conducted training on identification, cultural management and post harvest handling of selected medicinal plants; served as consultant in setting up tissue culture facilities in five agricultural schools, 3 government agencies and three private companies in the Philippines (including training and monitoring of laboratory staff) ; published 33 scientific and popular articles. She has a BS Agriculture, Master of Science and Ph.D. in Horticulture from the University of the Philippines Los Banos. |
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