Staff Members

Over 30 years of experience in participatory conservation and rural development programs, research, policy analysis, university teaching, and networking. Thematic areas of research and development works include community-based enterprise-oriented natural resource management, value chain analysis and development, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, climate change – REDD+, community forestry, participatory biodiversity monitoring, access and benefit sharing, land tenure and property rights, non-timber forest products, agro-forestry, sustainable forest management, certification, subsector analysis, business development services, marketing information system, evidence based policy analysis, constituency building and multi-stakeholders facilitation. Designed over 80 development and research projects and led the implementation of over 60 projects. Worked with over 500 organizations and individuals active in community forestry, NTFPs, REDD+ issues through founding/coordinating role in the Nepal NTFP Network and Nepali NTFPs Promotion Alliance. Honoured with the “Champion of the Asia-Pacific Forests” by UN FAO in 2011.

Leadership in designing, planning and execution of various natural resource management programs and projects in Nepal. About 20 years’ experience in forest and farm-based SME development, value chain facilitation, certification and marketing of natural products including Non-Timber Forest Products; managing multi-stakeholders from grassroots to policy; and demonstrate responsible business models in forestry sector of Nepal involving multi-stakeholders incl. public, private and civil society, and contribute to develop pro-poor economic growth. Supports provided to the government and development agencies in Nepal, Bhutan, the Philippines, Vietnam and Fiji among others for promotion of natural resource-based enterprises. Academic qualification in both natural and social sciences with emphasis on forest and agriculture-based SME development with market-based approach.

Over 18 years experiences in various INGOs, with different working models with various project partners and donors, served in various level of capacities and has provided satisfactory results on donor’s requirement and overall policy compliance. The major part of experience is to work on the areas of Accounting & Financial Reporting, Financial Monitoring & Support, Internal Control, Payables & Receivable Management, Cash & Bank Management, Reconciliation, Payrolls, CIT & Provident Fund, Budgeting, Auditing, Capacity building of staffs and Partner NGOs.

Well round professional with 15 years of experience in natural resource management and development sectors as a researcher, project manager, monitoring and evaluation specialist, and knowledge management specialist in a wide range of organizations including national level consulting firm, international civil society organizations, and international program. Significant experience in designing, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of projects/programs; Experience in implementing environmental and social management system, including as the environmental and social safeguards focal point for the World Bank’s Asia Pacific FCPF Capacity Building Project on REDD+; Considerable experience in impact tracking, evaluation (baseline, mid-term, final and retrospective), project portfolio management and institutional knowledge management with strong data management and analysis skills; Significant organizational management experience including strategic planning, program design, fundraising/resource mobilization, operations, procurement and stakeholder management.

Ms. Aakriti has a 10+ years experience in the field of natural resource management, sustainable forest management; eco- system based commercial agriculture; biodiversity conservation; climate change mitigation and adaptation; knowledge management, communication and documentation; logistics management; procurement, purchasing and quality assurance.

Dr. Joshi has about a decade of experience of research, planning, implementation, monitoring and supervision of participatory natural resources management related projects particularly on REDD+, Ecosystem services assessment and certification, Biodiversity conservation and sustainable trade, biodiversity monitoring and conservation in Nepal, India, Bhutan and Philippines. Dr. Joshi has contributed on formulating the Biomass energy strategy of Nepal, National Forest Stewardship Standards of Nepal (NFSS), Lead Forest carbon assessment for REDD+ readiness initiatives at watershed and landscape levels in Nepal as well as conducting policy dialogue with the Government of Nepal and relevant stakeholders and development partners. Dr. Joshi had developed training manuals and toolkits related to non-timber forest products management and sustainable harvesting. Dr. Joshi has published more than a dozen peer reviewed research articles and book chapters. Dr. Joshi have received a Ph.D degree in Forestry from Kumaun University, India. Dr Joshi is dedicated to improve quality standards balancing ecological and economic and social safeguarding mechanisms and possesses ability of knowledge communication to general public.

Mr. Sushil Gyawali has experience in the field of natural products and biomass-based renewable energy for around 25 years. He has served in natural product associations in various leadership positions. He has completed over a dozen assignments in Bhutan, Laos, Papua New Guinea and Cambodia for research, studies and training. He has unique experience of promoting a social enterprise, Himalayan Naturals, from the period of 2010 to 2022. This experience had provided him with deeper experience of enterprise management that involves battling with various opportunities and challenges. Currently, he is involved as a Sustainable Livelihood Specialist at ANSAB in USAID Biodiversity, an investment of USAID in Nepal. He holds a master’s degree in Rural Development and also studied executive MBA.

Dr. Dipesh Pyakurel is an experienced medicinal plants and value chain expert, and brings more than two decades long in-depth experience of (i) value chain and sub sector analysis; (ii) trade studies of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and medicinal plants; (iii) resource assessments; (iv) project assessments and feasibility studies; and (v) impact assessments and climate change— which he gained working with different government / non- government organisations and private sectors throughout Nepal. He has conducted more than six dozen assignments during his professional career. He published more than two dozen peer reviewed journal articles and books. Dipesh received a PhD degree from University of Copenhagen in the production network of Nepalese medicinal plants in 2020. Till date, Dipesh has received a half dozen global competitive grants.

Assistant – Finance & Administration