BOLIVIA RURAL COMPETITIVENESS ACTIVITY
Chemonics International Inc. Policy
Advisor
OVIDIO
ROCA AVILA
Economist with 24 years of experience in public
policy and legislative drafting, sustainable and integrated development,
agriculture, and environment in Bolivia. For USAID/Bolivia, drafted law on
agricultural technology system. Was vice-minister for environment and natural
resources and promoted leading public policy reforms on sustainable forestry.
Headed government agency charged with implementing novel forestry management
model, regulating the forestry sector, granting forest concessions, and
collecting an area-based forestry tax. As advisor to the Ministry of the
Presidency drafted norms to define decentralized functions within prefectures.
Has led regional and sectoral advocacy groups to promote development. Native
Spanish speaker.
EDUCATION
PROFESSIONAL
HISTORY
|
B.A., economics, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Santa Cruz
de la Sierra, Bolivia, 1967.
|
2003-present
|
Executive director, Business
Council for Sustainable Development
(CEDES), Bolivia. Organized and rolled-out
local branch of World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Representative
consultancies:
•
Consultant, Market Access and Poverty Alleviation Program,
USAID/Bolivia and Chemonics, La Paz. Drafted law for Bolivian Agricultural
Technology System (SIBTA) to be presented to Ministry of Agriculture,
including terms to increase law’s efficiency and sustainability. (2004)
•
Consultant, Sustainable Forestry Development Project,
USAID/Bolivia and
Chemonics, Santa Cruz. Developed integrated development program for Amazon
region and presented program to government officials, economic and social
actors, and potential financing sources. (2003)
|
2002-2003
|
Vice minister, Environment and
Natural Resources, Ministry of
Sustainable Development and
Planning, La Paz, Bolivia. Responsible for directing and articulating public
policies on environment. Promoted public policy on natural resource
management and use, sustainable forestry management, biodiversity, protected
areas management, watershed management, environmental impact mitigation, and
establishing mechanisms to guarantee transparency for environmental
management and allow citizens to know and act upon their environmental
rights.
|
1997-2002
|
Superintendent, Forestry
Superintendency, Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
Implemented and managed new
forestry model for country. Coordinated superintendency’s activities with
central and departmental governmental
|
agencies, beneficiaries, business leaders,
farmers, and indigenous population to apply the forestry law. Managed technical
assistance provided through international donors to strengthen the
superintendency.
1996-1997 Advisor, Governance project,
Ministry of the President, La Paz, Bolivia.
Designed model for prefectural administration
and local decision-making. Drafted norms to define decentralized
functions within prefecture.
1992-1996 Consultant,
Institute for Planning G.M.B.H, Santa Cruz Prefecture and KFW/Germany. Drafted
department soil management plan. Coordinated activities with national,
regional, and local governments, agricultural and livestock interests, and
indigenous population. Advocated and explained advantages of technical norms to
regulate sustainable soil use and improvements to historical land uses.
Designed administrative structure to apply plan.
1987-1992 Operations officer, Andean
Development Corporation, Caracas,
Venezuela. For regional entity providing
capital resources and wide range of financial services to public and private
sectors of shareholder countries, advised, promoted, and evaluated credit
operations in Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru. Identified potential projects
following policy guidelines. Structured credit operations. Presented project
evaluations to board of directors.
1985-1987 Advisor and general manager,
Western Agricultural Chamber, Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Led regional advocacy group
to promote agricultural sector. Advised on regional and national agricultural
policies and on increasing agricultural production and productivity as an
engine to promote national growth.
1984-1985 Consultant, rural development,
Velasco Province Rural Development Program, IP/GTZ, Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
Designed and implemented program benefiting farmer and indigenous communities.
Developed model productive farm using self-produced and market products,
created market opportunities for organic coffee in Germany, and began
small-scale industrialization process. Additional activities include:
• General manager, Santa Cruz
Development Corporation, Bolivia. Responsible for managing portfolio, planning,
and technical and administrative management for regional development. (1984)
1983 Manager,
Development Finance Project, Santa Cruz Development
Corporation, Bolivia. Designed, implemented,
and supervised a regional financial entity.
PERSONAL Bolivian citizen.