Devendra GAUCHAN, PhD is an Agricultural Economist, and former Senior Scientist and Head of Socioeconomics & Agricultural Research Policy Division at Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Kathmandu. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Agricultural Economics at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences (IAAS), Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal and serving as an Honorary Research Fellow at the Alliance of Bioversity International and International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)-CGIAR, Rome, Italy. He was a National Project Manager of UNEP GEF Project at Bioversity International from 2015-2020 and Senior Scientist and head of Socioeconomics & Agricultural Research Policy Division of NARC from 2005-2015. He has a PhD degree from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom with specialization in Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics. Dr. Gauchan was also worked as a Post-Doctoral Fellow (Agricultural Economist) from 2008-2011 at International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines focusing on impact assessment of rice technologies and farmers’ livelihood in South Asia. He has over 25 years of post-graduate experience in agriculture, food security, agricultural R&D policies, agrobiodiversity and market and value chains assessments with experiences of working as a consultant, co-investigator, and expert for national and international organizations in agricultural and natural resource management and formulation of national agricultural strategies, policies and plans.
Dr. Gauchan was one of the key team members in drafting of National Seed Vision of Nepal (2013- 2025), Agrobiodiversity Policy (2007) and National Strategic Framework of Nature Conservation for Sustainable Development (2015-2030). Recently (2021-2022) he has served as a Food System Expert in the National Planning Commission of Nepal and contributed to the preparation of “UN Food System Background Report” and supported in drafting of “Strategic Plan of Food System Transformation in Nepal (2023-2030)”. Dr. Gauchan has also been actively engaged in supervising graduate students in PhD research in Agricultural Economics and rural developmental in Nepal and overseas. He is currently serving as General Secretary of Nepal Agricultural Economics Society and members of various professional organizations. He has published over 100 research papers in professional national and international Journals, Proceedings, book chapters and serving as a reviewer and editor of some the national and International Professional Journals.