Among the special qualities of Yigal Harpaz are his ability to identify, study and resolve environmental impact problems associated with agricultural research and development. He also has a wide experience in rural-, urban- and industrial development, as well as in business management and marketing. His further capabilities include institutional strengthening and technical cooperation projects.
Furthermore Yigal has proven experience in national and international project preparation, management and supervision as an individual expert, team leader and/or team member.
1992 - 2003: – Independent Business Consultant, CEO of a private firm, Consultant to the Min. of Sci. & Tech., Nature Reserves Authority (GIS-supported land use planning), private companies and international organizations (Vanuatu development project pre-feasibility assessment, UNDP-El Salvador, pre - investment review, IMMI- Sri Lanka, irrigation survey). Lecturer in Project Formulation and Analysis, in universities in Guatemala, Colombia and India. MBA Program Leader, Module Leader and Senior Lecturer in Business Strategy, University of Derby UK’s, branch in Israel, Marketing Manager, Ofek Management Institute.
1977 – 1992: Inter American Development Bank (IDB). Three years in Guatemala as a Regional
Technical Cooperation Specialist (Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua). Twelve years in
Washington DC, design, formulation and supervision of environmentally sustainable social
and economic technical cooperation projects in Latin America.
1975 – 1977: IDB/UNDP/Gov. of Israel, Project Coordinator: "Agricultural Research and
Environmental Programs in Semi-arid Zones", in Chile, Peru, Argentina and Bolivia.
Selected project implementation and management, experience, IDB Headquarters
Natural Resources Management
Regional: “World Resources 1987” publication in Spanish (1988); Genetic engineering: use and security (1988); Control and management of the Africanized Bee (OIRSA 1986); Food Security strategies and policies in Latin America and the Caribbean (1986); Support of the International Agricultural Research Centers (CIAT, CIMMYT and CIP) in Latin America (1983-86).
Paraguay: Improving navigability of Paraguay River between Asuncion and the Apa River mouth (1985).
Guatemala: Agricultural Sector Study (1984).
Ecuador: Agricultural Sector Study (1983).
Honduras: Exploratory fishing and evaluation of main marine fishing resources of the
northern coast (1983).
Institutional Strengthening
Honduras: Institutional strengthening of the Planning Secretariat (SECPLAN 1989);
Strengthening of the Natural Resources Secretariat (SRN) and the Agricultural Sector Planning System (1989); Community training and construction of basic infrastructure works in low-income communities (1988).
El Salvador: Strengthening of the pre-investment process and investment project
management (1988); Institutional strengthening of the Ministry of Agriculture (1988).
Regional: Strengthening of the Controller’s office of the BCIE (1988).
Guatemala: Institutional strengthening of the Cooperatives organization (CONFECOOP
1986); Institutional strengthening of the Planning Secretariat (SEGEPLAN 1985).
Trinidad & Tobago: Strengthening of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural
Development Bank (1982).
Ecuador: Strengthening of the Integrated Rural Development Secretariat (SEDRI 1982).
Social and Economic Development
Honduras : Community training and construction of basic infrastructure works in low
income communities (1988).
El Salvador: Macro-economic model development (1987).
El Salvador: Emergency program in the wake of the earthquake (1986).
El Salvador: Management, training and administration support for The Agrarian
Reform Cooperatives (FESACORA 1986).
Regional: Impact evaluation seminar of credits for the rural youth (1985).
Dominican Republic: Project identification in the agricultural sector (1985).
Costa Rica: Agricultural Marketing (1982).
Colombia: Development for low-income farmers in the Cauca province (1981).