Associate Professor Ravinder Kumar
Livelihoods and Institutions Department
Natural Resources Institute, Faculty of Engineering & Science+44 (0)1634 88 3054
Ravi is an Associate Professor of Monitoring and Impact at Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, UK. He has experiences in international development and research relating to poverty, livelihoods, agriculture, natural resource management, governance /democracy, responsible business investments, social enterprises and sustainability certification in agricultural commodities. Over two decades, he has provided monitoring and evaluation support to organisations and programmes in many sectors. He has conducted programme and performance evaluations, including evaluations of multi-partner, multi-country alliances and networks. Similarly, he has facilitated design and implementation of monitoring, evaluation and learning systems. He has led on sustainability research in many agricultural commodities such as palm oil, cotton, soybean, cocoa, cashew, sugarcane. Overall Ravi has experiences in diverse monitoring and evaluation works using both qualitative and quantitative methods, statistical analysis, outcome mapping, contribution tracing /analysis, theory of change-based impact evaluations, experimental (randomised control trials) and quasi-experimental research etc.
R Kumar also has more than a decade of experiences in leading, advising (or being part of) projects working towards developing and upgrading agricultural and tree crop value chains. He has implemented value chain development, livelihoods, social protection and local economic development projects in India.
R Kumar has long term experience in India and professional experiences in many other countries in Africa, Asia – Sierra Leone, Zambia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia.
- Pragmatic theories of change and monitoring and evaluation frameworks, tools and approaches in different sectors of international development (agriculture, livelihoods, value chains, climate change and adaptation, private sector development, etc.)
- How evaluations can become more impactful, including the making of a new-age evaluator
- Practical methodologies and challenges in measuring impact of agriculture research, advocacy, policy influence, climate resilience, social business ventures, innovations and nutritional outcomes
- Inclusive business models and private sector development approaches that aim to target and achieve poverty reduction and local economic development
- Pro-poor /inclusive value chain development
- Large scale transformative models for poverty alleviation and sustainable natural resource management (land, water, forest)
Ravi’s current research projects are:
- 2018. Sierra Leone: Social Expert in Cashew value chain sustainability research and analysis in Sierra Leone, through Agrinatura, for European Commission Development Co-operation.
- 2017-22. Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, Soloman Islands, Zambia and Tanzania: Team Leader in designing and implementing a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) system in FISH CGIAR Research Program, being implemented by World Fish.
- 2017-2020. India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana: Deputy Team Leader in Performance Evaluation of global component of FCDO’s ‘Innovative Ventures & Technologies for Development’ (INVENT) programme, focused on affordable and inclusive innovations /social enterprises in agri-food, health and ICT sectors.
- 2015-19. India: Team Leader for assessing social, economic and environmental impact of Sustainability Standards in Cotton through a randomised control trial in a Better Cotton Initiative project in India
Some of Ravi’s previous research project were:
- 2017. Sierra Leone: Social Expert in Oil Palm value chain sustainability research and analysis in Sierra Leone, through Agrinatura, for European Commission Development Co-operation.
- 2016-17. Ghana: Team leader in Evaluation of the impacts of rainforest alliance certification on smallholder cocoa producers in Ghana.
- 2016-17. Global: Team Leader in Contributing to the development of methodology and tool for establishing the SDG Land Tenure Indicator 1.4.2.
- 2015. Global: Team Leader in Development of sourcebook (for statisticians and Govt. statistical and administrative agencies) for operationalisation of Global Land Indicators.
- 2013-14. South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa: Team Leader, Global Development Network: Final External Evaluation of a global research project on agriculture policies.
- 2011-12. India: Team Leader: Oxfam, Evaluation of Ensuring Livelihoods of Small Farmers through Sustainable Agriculture, Climate Change Adaptation and rights-based advocacy.
- 2011. India: Team Leader in Evaluation of Arghyam-supported project on Integrated Rural Domestic Water Management (IDWM) being implemented by three partners in India
- 2010-12. India: Project Director in EU funded Integrated Water Resource Management Project
- 2010-11: India: Team Leader in large nation-wide research on social protection systems in India
- 2009-11. India: Team Leader - Impact Evaluation of the IFC supported Sugarcane Productivity Enhancement Project – International Finance Corporation, using a quasi-experimental design.
- 2009-10. India: Team Leader in Review of Sustainable Community Based Approaches for Livelihoods Enhancement (SCALE), funded by Aga Khan Foundation and European Union.
- 2008-10. Cambodia: Project Advisor in design and implementation support to Govt. of Cambodia for Formative Evaluation and Outcome Monitoring of Deconcentration and Decentralisation program.
- 2008. India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia: International M&E consultant in Final review of Downward Accountability of Oxfam Humanitarian Response to Indian Ocean Tsunami
- 2003-07. India: Team Leader in design, development and implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) system in Poorest Areas Civil Society Programme of FCDO India.
- J Quan, R Kumar (2017). Sourcebook for operationalization of global land indicators, working paper series from Global Land Tool Network/ Global Land Indicator Initiative, UN Habitat. https://www.gltn.net/index.php/publications/publications/download/2-gltn-documents/2357-sourcebook-for-operationalisation-of-global-land-indicators-glii-working-paper-no-4
- R Kumar, A Martin (2017). Conceptualising, Achieving and Measuring Impact, Paper presented in Resilient Small-scale Fisheries Symposium in Penang, Malaysia, captured in the proceedings of the workshop. http://pubs.iclarm.net/resource_centre/Resilient-Small-scale-Fisheries-Symposium-ACIAR-147.pdf
- Kumar, V. Nelson, A. Martin, D.Badal, A.Latheef, B. Suresh Reddy, L. Narayanan, S.Young and M. Hartog (2016) ‘Evaluation of the early impacts of the better cotton initiative on smallholder cotton producers in kurnool district, india: baseline report’. Report by the Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Centre for Social and Economic Studies, Gujarat Institute of Development Research, Pragmatix for ISEAL Alliance and Better Cotton Initiative. http://www.isealalliance.org/online-community/blogs/iseal%E2%80%99s-three-poverty-impact-studies-complete-baseline
- Martin, Adrienne, Hillocks, R, Kumar, R., Robinson, J, Thangata P. (2016). CRP Commissioned External Evaluation of the CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Cereals. http://iea.cgiar.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Evaluation-report-CCEE-Dryland-Cereals.pdf
- S Mankad, N. Raghunathan, R Kumar, (2014). Chapter 11 - Impact Evaluations: Ways to Get It Right—Tips for Achieving Impactful Impact Evaluations https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/making-evaluation-matter/book244304?id=99669#contents ; Book chapter published by Sage Publication in a book titled, ‘Making Evaluation Matter – writings from South Asia’ edited by Kathrine Eve Hay and Shubh Kumar-Range, supported by IDRC, Canada.
- Shiv Kumar, R. Kumar, J.Loy (2012). Livelihood Strategies for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIVs) and their families – a national strategy document
- Kumar, Swasti and Vrutti team (2011). Research report of nation-wide (8 states) study for UNDP - Social Protection that works People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIVs). http://www.undp.org/content/dam/india/docs/social_protection_that_works_for_plhiv_a_compendium_of_case_studies_from_8_states.pdf
- R.Kumar, N.Raghunathan, J.Shah (2011) Achievement and Learning Study of MSME Finance and Development Project, along with a state of the sector report on MSME sector in India
- R Kumar, J Panda, P Gupta and C Misra (2010). Developing a policy framework for promoting better management practices in four cotton states. Vrutti Livelihoods Resource Centre, A study, published by World Wide Fund for Nature – India, http://www.vrutti.org/images/documents/pub_CottonReportWWFVrutti.pdf
- Kumar (2010). Making the Most of Evaluations in Government, a paper presented in Prague, Czech Republic organized by European Evaluation Society
- N.Raghunathan, R.Kumar (2010), Programme Review report of Sustainable Community Based Approaches for Livelihoods Enhancement (SCALE), funded by Aga Khan Foundation and European Union
- Raghunathan, R Kumar, S Mankad, and Annie George (2009). The role of information exchange and management in humanitarian actions, documenting experiences of recovery and rehabilitation post Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004
- R Kumar (2009). An Evaluation of Downward Accountability to Communities in Oxfam International’s Response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. https://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/file_attachments/tsunami_down_acc_summary_web_3.pdf
- R.Kumar, N.Raghunathan (2009), Research report on expertise and advisory capacity in organizational development to support the IDRC, Canada’s Think Tank Initiative in South Asia.
- Kumar, N.Raghunathan (2008). Evaluation of UNDP-Ministry of Rural Development Social Mobilisation Project around Natural Resource Management for Poverty Alleviation.
- S Mankad, R.Kumar, N.Raghunathan, N.Shiv Kumar, (2007) Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning System (MEAL): A Manual for Civil Society Organisations implementing Poorest Areas Civil Society Programme of FCDO, published by Development Alternatives and PwC
- R.Kumar, N.Shiv Kumar, S. Mankad, N.Raghunathan (2005) Monitoring and Evaluation Manual for HIV prevention Programme in Karnataka, India. A book on M&E, specifically for HIV /AIDS sector
Ravi’s work is dedicated to improve process and performance management in international development to benefit low-income families in developing countries. His role and responsibility at NRI and within the University includes; contributing to growing the enterprise portfolio and capacities in monitoring and evaluation, expanding NRI’s footprint and partnerships in South Asia, and leading on experimental (randomised control trials) and longitudinal research in many sectors. Ravi’s work is also focussed on innovations in M&E and impact research.