Mr.
Robert de Kruyff has very extensive and successful international
professional track record of 40 years in agriculture and rural
development, focusing on irrigation and rural infrastructure
development, management and reform, including: design, construction and
operation, organizational assessment and development, social water
management, institutional strengthening, capacity building and policy
formulation for the public irrigation sector. He has excellent
experience in developing, organizing, and strengthening local government
organizations and water user organizations to adopt and successfully
implement participatory irrigation and water resources development and
management to encourage and enhance efficiency, quality, information
development and sharing, and private sector/enterprise partnership
development in the irrigation sector. Robert has worked in the
irrigation and agricultural sectors in the South and South East Asia for
the past 17 years.
Robert de Kruyff
has maintained a long-time working association with most prominent
international development agencies (USAID, IBRD, DGIS, EDF, CIDA, ADB,
AfDB, JICA and JBIC) and the private sector, with extensive work
experience in South East Asia/South Asia, East, West and North Africa,
and the Caribbean). He has worked at senior level in government and the
private sector, and has been actively involved with institutional
development and capacity building for the public sector.
He has
developed, taken part in, and managed many large budget,
multi-disciplinary agriculture and rural development projects. Since
2009 he manages a $150 million ADB-funded rural infrastructure and
agricultural intensification program in the Philippines. He played a
prominent role in the reorganization/reform and decentralization of the
agriculture/irrigation sector in Indonesia, the Philippines, Egypt and
India (1992-2007). In this context, he directed a large irrigation
sector reform and participatory development program (US$46 million) for
the ADB in the State of Chhattisgarh in India; he managed the farmer
organization, participatory irrigated grains sector decentralization and
government reform program in the Philippines (2002-03), the formulation
of an irrigation development investment program (US$89 million) for two
provinces in eastern Indonesia also for the ADB (1997-99), and the
award-winning, CIDA-funded, irrigation sector decentralization/farmer
participation program for the province of Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia
(1992-1997). He was instrumental to restructuring of the
agriculture/rural development/ irrigation sector of Jamaica and in
establishing and managing, with World Bank and USAID funding, a
decentralized rural planning and policy development organization
(1982-89). These initiatives were closely linked to private sector
participation, growth/development and investment in productive
agriculture and rural/irrigation infrastructure, while ensuring full
inclusion of local governments/ communities in the development process
(through important aspects such as mainstreaming of gender and
indigenous and minority groupings, environmental save- guarding,
government decentralization) and reduce poverty through better
utilized/enhanced local capacity, community participation, self
governance, and creation of employment. Close working cooperation with
local NGOs and educational institutions formed important cornerstones to
built capacity through training (formal and on-the-job.)
Robert de Kruyff,
under a World Bank program,was a special economic advisor on
agriculture and rural development sector restructuring to Jamaica’s
Prime Minister (1983-89). In Egypt, with EC-funding, Robert has advised
local government on introducing participatory management among
Irrigation Water Federations to enhance water use efficiency (2003); and
with CIDA-funding, advised the Ministry of Environment on incorporating
community development aspects and gender mainstreaming into
environmentally-based activities of NGOs/SMEs to reduce poverty (2006).
Both assignments included large training components.
Robert de Kruyff
has demonstrated excellence in inter-personal/cultural communication
skills, societal and political adeptness, and a very adaptable
participatory team approach that creates a high level of internal and
external team credibility and trustworthiness. These capabilities will
be of particular importance in successfully organizing and facilitating
institutions in developing policies and practical roadmaps for rural
development, and mechanisms for implementation.
Robert de
Kruyffhas lived and worked overseas for considerable time,
including in S.E. Asia since 1992. He has a comprehensive understanding
of S.E. Asia’s socio-economic and cultural qualities, development issues
and potential. Over the years he has actively participated in, or
directed the formulation of development approaches based on advancing
informed consensus among strategic decision/policy makers and private
sector players to attain sustainability. His extensive work and
significant relevant experience in other countries will help to
introduce lessons-learned and new ideas to advance successful approaches
to agriculture and rural development.
Selected Major Assignments
Project Manager /
Team Leader for
Infrastructure for Rural Productivity Enhancement Sector Project (InfRES),
Philippines (Asian Development Bank), 2009-present
Team Leader/Agricultural & Rural Development Specialist for
Alternative (Bio-) Fuel Investment Project, Philippines (JBIC),
2007-2009
Team Leader / PIM Institutional Development Specialist for
Chattissgarh Irrigation Development Project, India (Asian
Development Bank), 2006-2007
Project Manager / PIM Institutional Specialist for Participatory
Irrigation and Governance Reform & Capacity Building Project,
Philippines (Asian Development Bank), 2002-2003
Project Manager / Irrigated Agriculture Development Specialist for
Irrigation / Water Resources / River Basin Planning & Rural
Development Investment Program Design, Indonesia (Asian Development
Bank), 1997-1999
Mr.
Bob Vidoni obtained his B.Sc. in Limnology & Oceanography from the
University of British Columbia (1982), his B.Ap.Sc. in Civil (Water
Resources) Engineering from the University of British Columbia (1983),
followed by two years of graduate-level courses in Frame and Finite
Element Analysis, computer and numerical modeling at the University of
British Columbia (1985). Subsequently, he has also taken other
professional training in: Mathematical modeling (MIKE11, MIKE-SHE) from
Danish Hydraulic Institute (DHI), Horsholm, Denmark; Course on
Environmental Impact Assessment of Water Related Projects, arranged by
IHE, Delft, Netherlands; Course on Integrated Watershed Management for
Sustainable Development, arranged by IHE, Delft, Netherlands; various
accredited hydraulic, storm water management, drainage, irrigation and
structural numerical modeling programs and technical computer language
courses, economic and financial evaluations of water resources and
irrigation projects; and the course on economic evaluation and
feasibility analyses for water resources projects, Asian Institute of
Management, Manila, Philippines.
Mr
Vidoni has provided water resources management, irrigation and rural
development consulting internationally in a wide range of geographic,
climatic and cultural settings. He has spent more than half his
professional career on irrigation, water resources management and rural
development projects, mainly in Southeast Asia. He has developed
extensive language skills as well as a sound understanding of local
climatic, agricultural, cultural, social and environmental issues that
are an inherent and integral part of successful participatory
development and for meeting the needs and aspirations of project end
users. He has more than 23 years of experience as irrigation specialist
and consultant in watershed management, water resource planning and
management, water resource policy analysis, flood management and
protection, drainage, project and program evaluation, project planning
and design, project management, capacity building and institutional
strengthening in Asia. His experience includes providing field-level
training to government officials and engineers, district and
sub-district officials and villagers in rural development project
planning, design and construction, and on operation and maintenance of
infrastructure.
Specifically, Mr. Vidoni has provided irrigation engineering, hydraulic
and structural design, and construction management for hydroelectric
power, irrigation, water supply, drainage, rural development and other
water resources infrastructure projects. He has been involved in a wide
variety of project types including design and construction supervision
of concrete, RCC and earth fill dams, weirs, dykes and embankments,
village and town water supply schemes, reinforced concrete bridges,
buildings, powerhouses, and seismic rehabilitation of large dams. His
analytical work has included static and dynamic frame and finite element
analyses, the investigation of stability of dam bridges during seismic
and other load conditions, design of reinforced concrete bridges, design
of irrigation systems, water supply systems and all manner of hydraulic
structures.
Currently, Mr. Vidoni is Vice President Project Management of Southern
Arc, Inc. of Canada. His responsibilities include the management of
rural infrastructure development and water resources management projects
for river basin management, river and stream management, irrigation
development and improvement, rural community water supply and
sanitation, drainage and flood control, social aspects and development,
health, environmental management, agricultural sustainability and
improvement where requested by villagers, other rural infrastructure
such as roads, bridges, health centres and schools.
Technical Expertise
Water Resource Planning
Water Resource Management
Water Resource Policies
Watershed Management
Planning and Design of Irrigation Systems
Operation & Maintenance of Irrigation Systems
Planning and Design of Drainage Systems
Planning and Design of Water Supply Systems
Flood protection and management
Design Engineering
Construction & Contracts Management
Capacity Building
Institutional Strengthening
Highlights of Employment
Consultant in water resource planning and management, irrigation
design, and rural development; responsible for carrying out
watershed management, impact assessments, water resource policy
analyses, project and program evaluation, project planning and
design, capacity building, and institutional strengthening in India,
Indonesia, and the Philippines (2005-present)
Klohn Crippen Berger Consultants, Canada: Water
resources management specialist responsible for watershed
management, rural development, irrigation specialist, drainage
design, water supply system design, impact assessments, water
resource policy analyses, project and program evaluation, project
planning and design, capacity building, and institutional
strengthening in Bangladesh, Canada, Indonesia, Laos, Mexico, the
Philippines, Thailand, the USA, Vietnam
(1989-2005)
Royal Thai Government, Water resources planning and management
specialist responsible for rural development, irrigation specialist,
drainage design, water supply system design, impact assessments,
water resource policy analyses, project and program evaluation,
project planning and design, capacity building, and institutional
strengthening in Thailand (1986-1989)
Mr. Ahmad Hamid brings with him more than 15
years of experience as a soil scientist, land use systems and land
evaluation expert. His key expertise is in land use and evaluation and
soil surveys, and as such he was assigned to a range of projects in
transmigration areas. As a land systems specialist he is experienced in
assessing land characteristics that are associated with types of
agricultural crops as well as classifying types of lands based on
physiographic characteristics and geomorphic processes. Furthermore, as
a land systems, land use and land evaluation specialist, he worked on
various regional planning projects, an example of which is the ADB
funded Mangrove Rehabilitation and Management Project in Aceh province.
Technical Expertise
Agriculture
Land use systems
Land evaluation
Land resources planning
Soil science
Soil surveys
Some Recent
Assignments
Land Use Systems Specialist for ADB Earthquake and Tsunami Emergency
Support Project (ETESP), Package 38, Information Support for
Management of Aceh's Forest Resources (2008-2009)
Land Evaluation Specialist for ADB Earthquake and Tsunami Emergency
Support Project (ETESP), Package 24, Spatial Planning and
Environmental Management NAD – Nias (2006-2007)
Team Leader / Soil Scientist / Land Evaluation Specialist for the
Transmigration Design Plan for Settlement Units Project (2003-2005)
Trade / Marketing Manager for PT. Satria Dana Sakti (2001-2003). Mr
Hamid was responsible for market review, recruitment and training,
liaison with private sector investors
Team Coordinator of Junior Consultant DCT
Jeneponto for the Development Program of Farming Communities under
SPL-JBIC INP-22. Duties included: Guidance, supervision, extension,
monitoring and evaluation for crops production (1999-2001)
Soil Scientist / Land Evaluation Specialist for the Design of
Settlement Units and Roads Project (1997-1999)
Co-assistant Spatial Land Use Planner for the
ADB funded Mangrove Rehabilitation and Management Project (MRMP) in
Sulawesi (1996-1997)
Soil Scientist / Soil Surveyor for
Survey and Soil Mapping on Muna Island, Wangi-Wangi and Kaledupa,
South-East Sulawesi for the ADB 2nd Land Resource and
Evaluation Planning (LREP II) Project
Dr. Merle R. Menegay
has had substantial experience in conducting marketing system
assessments, identifying/diagnosing problems, and determining practical
solutions. Those solutions often include formation of agricultural
information systems and agribusiness strategies while conducting applied
research, development, and implementation/training activities. His
professional career began while living in a rural village of India as a
Peace Corps volunteer and was followed by graduate school. Then, he
established the Agricultural Economics Department within Asian Vegetable
Research and Development Center, Taiwan. After his next graduate degree,
he held a series of positions as Marketing Specialist, Marketing
Advisor, Research Associate Professor, Consultant, and Team Leader. The
analytical skills developed, expertise in training/motivating local
staff, and lessons learned from numerous field experiences equipped him
to become an Agribusiness Team Leader in Mindanao, Philippines. Later,
he migrated to Australia where he undertakes consulting assignments,
especially Value Chain Assessments, and conducts trials on logistic
systems for the small scale refrigeration unit called QPod. His main
goal is to contribute to the training and motivation of the next
generation of Agricultural Marketing Specialists within the Asian
Region.
Technical Expertise
Agribusiness Research and Development
(R&D)/Marketing
Rapid Marketing Appraisal Techniques
Agricultural Marketing Systems
Assessments [Value Chain Assessments]
Agricultural Marketing Information
Systems
Applied Marketing Research
Methodologies
Marketplace Evaluation and
Rehabilitation Strategies
Selected Major
Assignments
World Bank; Timor
Leste (2009)
Interviewed Value Chain participants
within the coffee and livestock sub-sectors of Timor Leste as part of
the agriculture team for the Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS)
of the World Bank. Also, as the Agricultural Trade Specialist, was
responsible for examining the product safety and quality standards for
agricultural exports for this Second Mission of the Bank. In addition,
provided case materials regarding the future export potential for
selected horticulture commodities of Timor Leste.
Institute for International
Development (IID), Australia (2005 to present)
Prepared background materials, recruited
trial partners, monitored unit performance, and implemented strategies
for static and moving trials of mini-refrigeration units, called QPods,
in South Australia. Other activities included exploratory inquiries
regarding potential interest by companies in the logistics and disaster
relief sectors, identification of compatibility charts for fresh
vegetables and fruits, assessment of Outback transport-related problems,
and reconditioning the older generation units. For future nation-wide
trials, as sponsored by Horticulture Australia Ltd., there have been
consultation sessions and updating of planning schedules. The main
outcome should be the introduction of the QPod's technology into
Australia in the near term and into various Asian countries in the
longer term, based on collaboration between IID of South Australia and
QPod Systems Ltd of New Zealand.
Development
Alternatives, Inc. (DAI), Timor Leste (2007)
Conductedan evaluation of the
vegetable seed trials within the 5 main production areas, as part of the
Horticulture Initiative of the Dezenvolve Setor Privadu Project
of USAID. Completed an assessment of export quarantine procedures,
capabilities, and requirements for snow peas and bamboo, if shipped from
Timor Leste to Darwin, Australia. Other activities included the
negotiation of an improved sales agreement for Timor Leste grown
vegetables to be supplying a major supermarket and a proposed strategy
and action plan for a series of Production Technology Trials within the
emerging Specialized Horticulture Areas [SHAs], Timor Leste.
ACDI/VOCA, India
(2007)
Assessed the marketing strategy and
approach of the horticulture value chain initiative of the GMED,
Small Business Growth Program of USAID in India. Designed a strategy
for expanding the retail outlets to purchase the increased volume of
high quality vegetables grown by the participating small farmers.
Designed strategies to strengthen the marketing performance of a major
vegetable cooperative participating in the GMED program, India.
Development
Alternatives, Inc. (DAI), Timor Leste (2007)
Prepared the strategy, designed
initiatives, monitored progress, and analyzed the results of an on-going
series of activities within the Horticulture Initiative of the
Dezenvolve Setor Privadu Project of USAID. Activities included
commodity sales agreements with supermarkets, crop search surveys in
highlands areas, assessment of local cultivation practices and problems,
and seed trails for introduced, high yielding varieties. Planned
activities included a "market watch", improved cold chains, and forms of
mechanization for highland field preparations, Timor Leste. Assessed the
procurement/marketing patterns and practices for restaurants, caterers,
supermarkets and importers in Dili before writing a strategy with
implementation approaches for a Fresh Products Initiative as undertaken
by the Dezenvolve Setor Privadu project of USAID, Timor Leste.
Development
Alternatives, Inc. (DAI), Indonesia (2007)
Conducted a Value Chain Assessment for
High Value Vegetables in Java, Bali, South Sulawesi, and North Sumatra
in collaboration with local professionals as part of the AMARTA
Project of USAID with emphasis on upgrading agribusiness value
chains and developing new supply chain models, Indonesia.
Development
Alternatives, Inc. (DAI), Timor Leste (2005/2006)
Participated in an assessment team's
reconnaissance of five agricultural sub-sectors as the first phase of an
Agricultural Options Study for USAID. In the second phase,
provided the horticulture and marketing expertise to propose
interventions, such as transformation of retail marketplaces, formation
of periodic market network, field testing of a cold chain, and
establishment of an Agriculture Technology Services Information Center,
Timor Leste.
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