KEY QUALIFICATIONS
Dr. Shawkat Begum is an international development professional with more than 19 years of experience managing and providing technical and programming assistance in such areas as strategic leadership for country portfolio management, food and livelihood security strategies, agricultural technology promotion, climate change vulnerability and livelihoods adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and communities’ adaptation to flood vulnerability, as well as strategic leadership for country portfolio management, design, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). She has worked extensively in Bangladesh leading country portfolio and project components for CIP, USAID, CARE, PLAN International, and Association for Social Advancement (ASA) on food and livelihood security, agricultural technology promotion, livelihood adaptation to climate change variability, disaster risk reduction, community resiliency building and democracy and governnace programs for more than 19 years. She served as the Country Resepresentative and Chief of Party, Assistant Project Coordinator (program) and Technical Coordinator with USAID Feed the Future Program implemented by CIP, USAID Title II Food and Livelihood Security Program, implemented by CARE Bangladesh, and has designed and managed different strategies for flood adaptation and capacity strengthening for reducing economic erosion and community empowerment. Dr. Begum has collaborated extensively with a wide range of implementing partners, both governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), managing the program and financial components of partner NGOs. She has designed and institutionalized M&E systems for ensuring program quality and measuring the impacts of these program strategies, using both quantitative and qualititative methods. She, also, has designed M&E systems incorporating different Humanitarian Standards and Accountability Framework (HAP, ALNAP, OECD–DAC ) and ensured implemention those systems.
While studying at University of Arizona, she worked with an interdisciplinary Climate Vulnerability and Adapatation Project funded by NOAA for 4 years (2005 – 2009), the component of the project she worked with assessed farmers and ranchers vulnerability to climate variability and designed adaptation strategies in Southwest USA. She managed several disaster response and rehabilitation programs and worked on disaster response evaluations.
She, also, worked as Research Associates at the University of Arizona with a large Environmental Project – Clean Air, in Southwest Border Region that includes both US and Mexico in 2004 - mid 2005, project funded by NSF; and at the Asian Institute of Management with Alternative Livelihoods Assessment for the Fisher Communities whose fishing rights were restricted by the declaration of Marine Sanctuary at Mabini Bay, the Philippines in 2000.
Dr. Begum, is fluent in English, who has also held numerous technical consultancies on food security and disaster management project evaluation.
EDUCATION
PhD, Anthropology (Socio-cultural, Applied; minor in Global Climate Change), University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, August 2011. Dissertation: Modernization, Vulnerability and Climate Change in the Southwest Bangladesh. My dissertation focused on small-holder farmers adaptation to Climate Variability.
MA, Anthropology (Socio-cultural, Applied), University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, May 2005. Thesis: Impacts of Debt on Poor Rural Households in Northwest Bangladesh.
MA, Development Management, The Asian Institute of Management, Manila, Philippines, May 2001. Thesis: Strengthening Food Security among the Jumma Communities (Indigenous people) in the Chittagong Hill Tract, Bangladesh.
MA, English (English Language & Literature), University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, August 1992
BA (Hons.), English (English Language & Literature), University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, August 1990
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Full-Time Employment
October 2015 – present, Country Reprsentative CIP and Chief of Party (CoP) of a USAID Feed the Future Project being managed by CIP. Provide strategic leadership for managing country portfolio annual budget approx.. US$ 4 million. Ensure design and implementation of programs aligning with CIP’s Long Range Strategic & Corporate Plan and in coherence with regional programs
- Oversight and quality assurance of program design and project implementation to the satisfaction of key stakeholders, and following CIP’s and donor’s financial standards and monitoring protocols;
- In collaboration with Government of Ethiopia ensure the implementation of quality seed system that promotes economic and nutritional value chain among farmers cooperatives and marginal households
- Ensure the quality breeding program for expanding climate smart agricultural technologies
- Leadership and management responsibility for country teams: creating and nurturing an environment that supports high levels of performance, learning, and teamwork;
- Represent CIP to external platforms
- Ensure the implementation of behavior change communication strategy for adoption of new crops, diversifying diets and eliminating malnutrition
- Ensure agricultural technologies are gender responsive
- New business development to grow the country portfolio by supporting delivery of impact at scale, and ensuring financial sustainability of CIP in Bangladesh
- Ensure timely delivery of results/reports to donors
February 2012 – September 2015, Country Representative of CIP and Chief of Party (CoP), USAID Horticulture Project – CIP/AVRDC Bangladesh. Successfully established the country office and ensured the implementation the US$ 13 million project for increasing nutrition and income of communities in southern Bangladesh.
- Provide strategic leadership for managing the overall country portfolio worth of annual budget approx. $ 2.5 million. Rightly align the country program
- Start up the country office and overall system
- Develop and design program strategy and implementation plan
- Plan, develop, and manage different components of the project in consultation with the Sector Leaders for strengthening quality seed system and ensuring climate start and gender responsive agricultural technologies
- Engage in advocacy with government for fast-track varietal release, adoption of approach and integration of important crops into GOB safetynets
- Staff management and development
- Project fund management
- Sub-grant management through Government and partner NGOs
- Ensure project reporting and directly responsible for ensuring USAID compliance
- Ensure projects active engagement in other international NGOs, CGIAR members and Donors.
- Explore International Potato Center’s (CIP) further expansion in Bangladesh
June 2002–July 2003, Democracy Program Specialist, Office of Democracy, Governance, and Education, USAID Bangladesh.
- Supervised local government strengthening project being implemented through partner NGOs (project value: $560,000)
- Designed M&E guidelines for partner NGOs and trained them on M&E, performance monitoring, and indicator performance tracking and reporting
- Developed and standardized fund management system
- Contributed to semi-annual report writing
- Participated in election and parliamentary session observations and reporting
August 2001–May 2002, Technical Coordinator, Technical Unit, Integrated Food Security Program (IFSP), CARE Bangladesh (program value: $130 million).
- Designed strategies for upscaling synergies among four IFSP projects—BUILD, DMP, FPP, and SHAHAR—and facilitated program integration
- Institutionalized participatory approaches in all the four project components
- Developed strategies and extended home-gardening in urban areas (in SHAHAR component)
- Designed and implemented an integrated M&E framework for the overall IFSP program
- Incorporated food security and disaster management indicators in the system
- Provided strategic guidance to four project cooordinators for ensuring program quality based on M&E findings and field visit reports
- Developed and established a well-detailed service procurement system which was incorporated as CARE Bangladesh Mission’s service procurement policy
- Supervised five technical unit staff members (four managers, one administrative/finance officer) and managed technical unit budget, including service procurement
- Wrote quarterly and annual reports for USAID
February 1998–July 2001, Assistant Project Coordinator (Program), Flood Proofing Project, IFSP, CARE Bangladesh (project value $28 million).
- Worked as one of the core team members for design and implementation of Food and Livelihood Security Project, known as Flood Proofing
- Conducted flood vulnerability and adaptation capacity assessment
- Designed program strategies, intervention types, targeting, coverage, etc. based on the assessment findings
- Designed planning and implementation guide for small-scale agriculture for adaptation to climate variability
- Lead DRR strategy of the project
- Worked as lead team member for managing a national level emergency response program in 1998
- Designed the “Community Empowerment and Institution Building for Adaptation”
- Designed and ensured implementation of M&E guidelines, including participatory methodologies
- Organized coordination meetings with field managers and implementing partners for planning, progress review, and program quality improvement
- Wrote periodic assessment and quarterly/annual reports for CARE management and USAID
- Ensured lessons learned documentation and fostered sharing within and outside of the project, including with donor agency
- Directly supervised four program development officers, who led specific strategies, and four field managers (as secondary supervisor)
- Managed financial resources (appox. $2 million/year) that were utilized by the partner NGOs
- Responsible for program implementation of seven partner NGOs
- Coordinated different assessments (baseline survey, impact assessment, and midterm, final evaluations, and retrospective assessment)
February 1997–February 1998, Technical Officer, Flood Proofing Pilot (FPP) project, Integrated Food for Development, CARE Bangladesh (project value: $3 million).
- Worked as one of the core management team members for piloting a food security program
- Developed the method and approach of flood vulnerability and adaptation capacity assessment
- Identified and piloted interventions to find the most effective interventions for reducing flood vulnerability and strengthening food security (such as securing families from regular flooding, introducing year-round vegetable gardening, erosion protective plantation, integrating women and children in hygiene and nutrition education, etc.)
- Documented lessons learned and fostered knowledge sharing
- Identified M&E system and tested for development
- Introduced and strengthened participatory approaches for community planning and implementation
- Carried out periodic assessments and wrote quarterly and annual reports for USAID
March 1995–February 1997, Donor Services Coordinator, Urban Program, PLAN International, Bangladesh.
- Facilitated participatory rural assessment (PRA) methodology for deveIoping family and community profile of the target population
- Conducted annual review of family and community profile and wrote impact reports, known as benefit monitoring
- Visited school feeding program and prepared reports
- Ensured timely communication flow between Foster Parents and Children
- Supervised three donor services officers
- Coordinated with program officers and informed them of the findings from benefit monitoring
- Prepared reports for donors
August 1992–February 1995, Research and Evaluation Officer, ASA, Bangladesh.
- Designed and implemented baseline and impact assessment studies
- Wrote and edited research reports, annual reports, and ASA news journals
- Contributed to strategic planning
- Represented ASA in different forums
Independent Consultancies
During graduate studies, worked as a short-term consultant (2004–2009) on the following assignments:
- November–December 2009, for TANGO International USA, conducted final evaluation on USAID Title II Food Security Program (SHOUHARDO) implemented by CARE Bangladesh.
- July–August 2009, for FINTRAC Inc. USA conducted BEST Study (Bellmon Estimation Studies for Title II—a study that assessed the impact of USAID Food Aid on Market and Community) for USAID.
- April 2009, led final evaluation of “Reducing Risk of Vulnerable Communities to Cyclone, Flood and Earthquake” project (DIPECHO IV) for ActionAid Bangladesh.
- March–May 2009, for FANTA–AED USA designed a Multi Year Food Security Strategy (MYAP) of USAID Bangladesh food security programs.
- February 2009, helped develop a winning proposal for IRD USA responding to USAID APS–Post-Sidr Livelihoods Reconstruction and Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Variability to be implemented in the southwest region of Bangladesh.
- October 2008, worked as a national consultant for conducting World Food Program (WFP)’s Global Strategic Evaluation on the Effectiveness of WFP’s Emergency Food Assistance for Livelihood Recovery.
- August–September 2008, as a national consultant with TANGO International USA evaluated SAVE the Children—USA’s Live and Livelihoods Program “Jibon O Jibika” Emergency Component—community-based disaster preparedness and conducted final evaluation of the Cyclone Sidr Response Program.
- November 2007–June 2008, as M&E Coordinator with CARE Bangladesh’s $17 million Sidr Cyclone Response and Rehabilitation Program had multiple responsibilities:
- Designed and led loss and damage assessment
- Assessed community needs and formulated program strategy
- 3. Developed implementation strategy, targeting criteria, and outlines for food item and non-food item distribution, livelihoods, and water and sanitation programs
- Designed and ensured implementation of an overall M&E plan and system
- 5. Incorporated and systematized the Humanitarian Accountability Framework and minimum SPHERE standards in overall program
- 6. Prepared the program for after action review and final evaluation based on OECD–DAC and HAP benchmark
- Worked to build staff capacity.
- June–July 2004, for CARE Sierra Leone designed and strengthened participatory process for rights-based food security projects.
MAJOR TRAININGS/WORKSHOPS ATTENDED:
- Strategic Planning Workshops and Board Meetings of International Potato Center (CIP), Lima, 2013, 2014 & 2015
- Planning, achieving and learning (2 weeks), USAID Near East and Asia Region Office, Dhaka, 2002
- Participatory Monitoring & Evaluation and Social Empowerment Processes (1 week), PRIP TRUST, & INTRACT UK, Dhaka, 2001
- International Workshop on Social Benefit Monitoring (1 week), INTRACT UK, Dhaka, 2000
- Project and Program Development and Management (4 weeks), Asian Institute of Management Manila, Philippines, 1999
- Community Based Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation (1 week), Asia Pacific Disaster Management Center, Philippines, 1999
- CARE Bangladesh Long Range Strategic Planning workshop (4 days), CARE USA and CARE Bangladesh, Bangladesh, 1999
- Training on Food and Livelihoods Security and Program Design (1 week), CARE USA, Bangladesh, 1998
- Asia Regional Workshop on Partnership Assessment Process using Appreciative Inquiry (1 week), CARE USA and facilitated by GEMS Group USA, Thailand, 1998
- Training on Monitoring and Evaluation (3 days), CARE Bangladesh, Bangladesh, 1998
- Training on Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation (3 days), CARE Bangladesh, Bangladesh, 1998
- Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation, Lessons and Experience (1 week), International Institute of Rural Reconstruction, Philippines, 1997
- Participatory Rural Appraisal (1 week), PROMPT, Dhaka, 1997
- Gender and Development (1 week), Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK, Bangladesh, 1996
- Modern Research Techniques (6 weeks), Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka & the School of Business, Pennsylvania University, USA, Dhaka, 1994
- Participatory Rural Appraisal and The Grass Roots as Stakeholders (2 weeks): A direct Implementation to Bottom Line People, BRAC, Bangladesh, 1994
- Gender and Development (2 weeks), Bangladesh Planning Academy & Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK, Bangladesh, 1993
LANGUAGES
Bengali (native), English (fluent)
REFERENCES
Dr. Julian Parr
Director: Asia
International Potato Center (CIP)
South, West & Central Asia (SWCA)
NASC Complex, DPS Marg, Pusa Campus
New Delhi-110012, India
Email: J.Parr@cgiar.org
Dr. Timothy J. Finan
Professor
The School of Anthropology
The University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721 USA
Email: finan@u.arizona.edu
Mr. Sajedul Hasan
Director
Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre
Bangkok 10400 Thailand
Email: shasan@adpc.net
