Last 19 March 2014, the OML Center was visited by Dr. Ravi Prabhu, Deputy Director General (Research) of the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), who suggested initiatives and strategies to help shape the future direction of the Center. As ICRAF’s Deputy Director General for Research, Dr. Prabhu is mainly responsible for overseeing all of its research programmes. He is an accomplished scientist who has been engaged in multi-disciplinary research and action in forested landscapes for almost 20 years on all six continents.

Dr. Prabhu received the Queen’s Award for Forestry at Buckingham Palace in 2005 and served as Senior Programme Officer (Forests and Climate Change) for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Delhi and his master’s and doctorate degrees in forestry from the University of Goettingen.

During the meeting, OML Center Program Manager, Ms. Perlyn Pulhin gave a presentation on the vision, mission, goals and the activities of the Center. In response to the presentation, Dr. Prabhu shared and discussed strategies and initiatives on: (1) collaborations and partnerships; and (2) research/knowledge. As for the Center’s future direction, he explained the important role of international organizations in linking with developing countries. He also emphasized on the demand for evidence-based research and knowledge management to guide policy and decision-makers in directing the investments to most beneficial purposes for the economy.

The meeting was also attended by other members of the Center’s Secretariat: Dr. Rodel Lasco (Scientific Director), Rafaela Jane Delfino (Climate Researcher), Luigi Toda (GIS Specialist), Karis Dawn Salinas (Finance and Admin Assistant), Michael Adrian Padilla (Researcher) and Justine Ravi Orduña (Research Assistant).