Laxman Neupane

Nationality Nepali
Gender Male

Present Affiliation: Research Fellow – Climate Change, Renewal Energy and Livelihood Initiatives
Centre for Policy Studies and Rural Development
Address: Across Bishnumati River Kalimati, Kathmandu, Nepal. Tel:+977 (0)1-4282604, email: cfps@ntc.net.np
Email: neupane.laxman1203@gmail.com
T:+ 977-9841977495 (Mo)
+977-1-5591237 (H)
Email: neupane.laxman1203@gmail.com

EDUCATION
 Degree of Master in Business Administration- Lincoln University (2003): Research: Microfinance in South Asia: an anti poverty banking system for rural sustainable livelihoods
 Certificate in Professional Travel Industry- Berkeley City College, California, USA (2002)
 Postgraduate Diploma in GeoInformation for Rural Application- ITC, The Netherlands (1997): Research: GIS database model for rural irrigation planning and management.
 Postgraduate in Economics- Tribhuwan University, Kritipur, Nepal (1996)
 Bachelor in Business Administration – Shankerdev Campus, Tribhuwam University, Kathmandu, Nepal (1990)

LANGUAGE English

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Research Fellow: Climate change, renewal energy and livelihood Initiatives: engage in sponsored research projects, coordinating with development agencies, multilateral and bilateral development partners for collaboration initiatives, providing advisory services to the different government ministries and department as well as municipal authorities. Policy analysis and development of project proposals, and deliver guest lectures and presentations, supervising students. Design and implement decentralized renewal energy enterprise, capacity building of private institutions etc, working with several private renewal energy institutions (micro hydro, biogas, water mills, solar and improve cooking stove).

Market Economist, Sept, 2010-: Market Access Small Holders Farmers: development enterprises and value chain for dairy sector, market analysis on governance, household decision making process, need assessment of small holders farmers building capacity building, examine institutional development, analysis of farm gate price, retail and wholesale prices, market infrastructure development, overview of value chain governance and value chain actors constellation etc funding from UKAID/DFID and Practical Action.

June 2009 to date: Advisor- Climate Change and Forest Enterprise Initiative: – Federation of community Forest Users’ Nepal (FECOFUN), Taplejung: Assisting in developing forest resources base micro enterprise initiatives, value chain development of forest base enterprise and biotrade initiatives, building capacity of users committees (133 committee, over 3300 are individual household in members in committee), campaign building capacity of users on adaption, capacity building and awareness rising on adaptation strategy of climate change, organized series of community programs on sensitization g for forest users community of Kanchanjung Conservation Area, initiating filter study, and promoting microfinance, delivering regional and district level trainings, and workshops. Mainstreaming gender approach into forest users group and campaign on gender and women development in natural resources sector focusing forest and livelihood.

July 2008 to till now: Development Management Specialist- Consultant
Designing capacity building programs on biogas private sector, providing technical assistance in implementation of microfinance, value chain analysis, design strategy to address gender and social inclusion, implementing bio slurry for organic agriculture, develop and facilitate trainings, workshops; build financial linkage, networking and business plans; promoting microfinance banking, assessment of microfinance institution and industry, conducting training on value chain, marketing, provide technical and managerial expertise in capacity building of central, members, regional and sub regional offices. Lead in external project fund raise activities. NBPA Nepal Biogas Promotion Association (an umbrella organization of biogas construction companies and appliance manufacturing workshops across the country) funded by SNV. Project coordinator (Jan 2010- to date) Biogas for income generating and organic farming for impoverished community of Dang, Nepal funded by NBPA/ USAID SARI/Energy.
Promoting biogas energy into deprived lower castes households, building their capacity on income generating areas, group formations, initiating microfinance and building cooperatives. Building capacity on WASH (Water, sanitation and hygiene), organic cultivation and market linkages. Conducting and facilitating trainings, workshop and excursions. Campaign on gender and social inclusion in the renewal energy and agriculture sectors.

May 2008 – Jan 2010: Program Coordinator in Nepal
Coordinated and engaged to develop a research project proposal on Protecting Genetic Resources and associated Traditional Knowledge in Nepal: The elements for the creation of a system on Access and Benefit Sharing. A joint research project proposal: University of Basel and Berne, for funding Swiss Science Foundation. C/o Professor Susette Biber Klemn and Professor Paul Berger of University of Basel. Dec 2009-Jan 2010: Engaged (special invitee) in reviewing and developing to MTAs- material transfer agreement of genetic resources; SCNAT- Switzerland c/o Professor Susette Biber Klemn and Ana Jetvic Research Fellow of World Trade Institute. This project successfully received grant.

May – Dec 2009: Value Chain Expert/Dy Team Leader: Large Cardamom and Orthodox Tea
Responsible for designing impact study instrument focusing production, income and employment, outcome, assessment of gender and social inclusion; analyze and assessment of domestic, regional and international markets; analysis economic, governance and local service providers. Recruited, and trained sectoral experts and research associates, supervised and mobilized field staffs, engaged in field data collection at grower’s level, traders, key informants, processors, and factories/estates. Assessment of financial service availability and institutional capacity, analyzed national, regional and international trade data and overall administration of finance and human resource. Coordinated with line agencies and conducted meetings with them, organized/facilitated PMCA (participatory market chain analysis) workshops, focused group discussions. Provided SPSS training to research associates for data coding, tabulation. Compiled, analyzed data, report writing and dissemination of study findings.

Nov 08 to Dec 2009: Visiting Adjunct Faculty
Teaching course in Voluntary Organization, Rural Development, livelihood, microfinance, rural development: teaching and supervising bachelor level student. Kadambari Memorial College of Science and Management. Thapathali, Kathmandu

Nov- Dec, 2008: Research, Development and Training Consultant
Engaged in conducting research seminars for the students and faculties, supervised student research projects, field project, and thesis, designed microfinance and livelihood research and training programs. Center for Development Studies, National College, Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Nepal

March -Aug, 2008: Faculty/ Research Program Coordinator
Taught and supervised master level students in their research projects and thesis, developed project proposals, carried out sponsored projects. Carried out impact study and review of PAF’s (Poverty Alleviation Fund), World Bank supported poverty reduction program of Far Western Development Region, Nepal- the World Bank largest poverty alleviation program in Nepal. Assessed social inclusion, social mobilization, micro infrastructure and income generating program. College of Development Studies (CDS), Kathmandu, Nepal.

March 2005- Sept 2006: Founder and Director
A research and development consulting firm for small business, poverty reduction and enterprises development for low-income families: coordinated, networking, designed, developed small business model, developed business development services required, conducted trainings related to microfinance, business and enterprises development. Microfinance Innovation and Technology, Inc, Berkeley, CA, USA

Dec 2003- Dec 2004: Operation Manager (Administration, operation, finance)
Responsible for operating and managing 40 units property: Duties and responsibilities included day to day revenue monitoring, managing financial matter under guideline of GAAP, analysis of bills receivables, payables, fixed assets analysis and profiling; verify credit cards sales batches, and revenue of hotel, restaurant and lounge through Merchant Solution System (credit card sales processing system). Prepared monthly P&L, and balance sheet; accounting of state, guest transit, and federal taxes, performed bank reconciliation. Other duties recruiting, trainings and supervision technical, administrative and security personnel; monitored day-to-day operation and security activities; monitored and analyzed employee benefits statement conducted in house training to the personnel; looked after human resources management. Managed and procurement of inventory. Landmark Inn, Kansas, USA

Jan 2001 to Dec 2003: Graduate Student and student Travel Industry Professional program at Lincoln University and Berkeley City College, California USA

Sept 1998 – Aug 1999: GIS/Water Basin Consultant
Designed, developed GIS database system of major river basin system of Nepal, analysis of demand and supply of water for agricultural, industrial, urban and rural usage through GIS system. Prepared technical reports for GON/the Word Bank. The World Bank/WECS, HMG Nepal/ WRSFSP Consortium, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Aug 1996 to July 1997: Post graduate student
International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Science (Research on Crop forecasting system of Islamic Republic of Iran, and Ministry of Agriculture, France) under the Netherlands under NFP/EU scholarship.

May 1991 to Dec 2000: Founding Member/ Program Coordinator
Overall responsible for designing, developing, and implementation of agricultural, environment, micro credit, poverty reduction and rural development programs and projects, networking with line functionaries, private sectors, NGOs and CBOs; and built working relationship with several international development agencies. Responsible for fund raising with multilateral and bilateral development agencies. Successfully raised the projects funds from the World Bank /DOI (Irrigation Development project for mid western Nepal), Asian Development Bank (Micro Credit Project for Women), AusAID (Environment), IUCN, UASID (Rural Environment Conservation and Development), ANSAB/the Ford Foundation/IDRC (NTFPs/MAPS, enterprise development), CCO/CIDA (Income Generating Program and cooperative initiative program for Women), Ministry of Local Development (Agro enterprise development high value and under utilized crops for Poverty reduction in Hill of Dang targeting indigenous community), GEF/UNDP (Rural biodiversity conservation, utilization and resources management), etc. Responsible for human resources, capacity development and financial management of the organization. Facilitated several national level workshops and seminars. HWEPC Human Welfare and Environment Protection Centre, Dang, Nepal, a member of IUCN.

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
 Creation and development of micro-enterprises, micro-finance institutions and their capacity development
 Value chain analysis, private sector development
 Micro level development planning (DDC/VDC Level)
 Preparation and delivery of seminars, trainings, workshops and conferences
 Excellent fund raising, organization, and management
 Designing programs, projects and implementation
 Climate Change
 Value chain development
 Renewal Energy

RESEARCH WORKS
 Study on Baseline of supply and demand of renewal energy for rural Nepal, especially context of Dalit community of Ghorahi Municipality, Nepal- USAID SARI/Energy and NBPA
 Study on Women Participation increase in Biogas Company, SNV/NBPA
 Value chains of Large Cardamom and Orthodox Tea in Eastern Himalaya, Nepal, Funded by SNV, 2009.
 Microfinance in South Asia: An Antipoverty Banking System For Sustainable Rural Livelihoods- Lincoln University, USA 2004
 Microfinance in South Asia: Issues and Opportunities, Graduate Research seminar paper – Lincoln University, Spring 2003
 GIS Database Model for Rural Irrigation Planning and Management, ITC, the Netherlands, 1996
 GIS Database Model in Irrigation Planning and Management: Department of Irrigation, HMG Nepal (Published Irrigation News Letters 1999).
 Study on economic aspect and conducting field based enterprises training of NTFPs/ MAP in Community Forest Management- ANSAB//HWEPC 1996
 Study on opportunities and challenges in beekeeping farming in Dang, HWEPC, Dang Nepal
 Rural environment conservation and development (RECOD), IUCN/USAID/HWEPC, 1994

TRAININGS
 Public Relation (PR): German Development Service (ded), Neer Bhawan, Sanepa, Lalitpur, 2010.
 Training on Carbon Financing for small scale project, Netherlands Development Organization, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2009
 International training program on Value Chain Analysis, ANSAB, Kathmandu, Nepal 2008
 Climate Change and its Impact on Development, University of California, Berkey Extension, Sept 2007.
 Microfinance Practitioners for Microenterprises Development Professionals, Community Economic Development Program, Microenterprises Development Institute, Southern New Hampshire University, USA, June 2004
 GIS Database Development Training for Natural Resources Management, College of Extension Education, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, USA. June 2001
 Economic and Financial Planning for Rural Development, International Institute of the Histradut, Israel. July 1999
 GIS for Natural Resources Management, Department of Geography, Tribhuwan University, Kathmandu, Nepal/ICIMOD/UNEP, June 1996
 Creation of Micro-enterprise Development for Agro Industries, HWEPC/SILT- 1999
 Irrigation Database Design and Management-IWRM/RTB-Kathmandu, Nepal 1995
 Beekeeping Training- Govern of Austria/ICIMOD, 1994

MEMBERSHIP
 Nepal GIS Society, Life Member, Nepal
 ITC Alumni, the Netherlands
 Solma Club, Israel
 HWEPC, Nepal