Richard KG Allen

I am a fit and healthy 64 year old Brit, a soil scientist and soil engineer by background with 43 years’ experience on rural development projects in Africa and Asia In brief:

a) I have much experience of rural development and agricultural/ horticultural projects, team leading, natural resource management, with a BSc in Soil Science, and a Masters in Soil Conservation - both from British institutions;

b) I have been based in Nepal and Bhutan for the last 23 years – since 2005, we are in Kathmandu where my wife runs a restaurant, and my 15 year old son attends school;

c) I have extensive experience on long and short term projects in north, south, east and west Africa, as well as south and southeast Asia;

d) I completed my last long term project in Nepal at the end of Dec 2014, a 6½ year assignment as International Programme Officer with Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation on the Sustainable Soil Management Programme - please contact Dr Juerg Merz for further details (juerg.merz@helvetas.org.np);

e) I lived through the earthquakes here in Nepal, and in the past 7 months I have been involved in voluntary work for a number of INGOs (Helvetas, Eco-Himal, Practical Action, and the Glacier Trust, of which I am a trustee), have undertaken several field trips concerning evaluation of damage to infrastructure, and been involved with fund raising in the UK, project proposal preparation, and disbursement of funds and materials to affected communities for construction of temporary housing and survival over the monsoon season;

f) I have long experience in a wide range of NRM programmes including those concerned with integrated rural development, watershed management, land use planning, and climate change issues, on which I have authored several papers, reviews and booklets;

g) I have much experience in the horticultural and agricultural sectors and in food security issues, and have been involved in value chain surveys and activities to improve rural market chains;

h) I am widely experienced in documentation of management plans, budgets, formulation and assessments, research and planning, monitoring and evaluation, as well as capacity building;

​I can be contacted on the provided em address and mobile number as well as skype: richardkga. I have very much enjoyed my period of volunteerism in 2015, but the school bills for my son, ​and UK university bills for my daughter keep landing in the in-box, and I need to get back to paid employment! - Richard