Dr. Krishna Pahari

President

Dr. Krishna Pahari is one of the founding members of NDRI, was its first Executive Director during 2004-2005, and recently, the lead on livelihoods and food security programme since 2021. He possesses more than 35 years of experience in research and academia, the United Nations and other organizations in the development sector.

During 2005-2021, he had served with the United Nations World Food Programme in Nepal, Pakistan, South Sudan and other countries in East Africa. The most was as the Head of Research, Assessment and Monitoring at the WFP’s Regional Bureau for East Africa covering 10 countries (2018-21). Dr. Pahari led many works on emergency or rapid assessments as well as studies and programmes on longer term hunger solutions. Some of these include WFP’s support on national zero hunger programme announced by the Government of Pakistan in 2012, rapid assessment after the floods of 2012 and 2014, humanitarian needs assessment of the populations displaced from conflict in Northwest Pakistan, and in the context of conflict in South Sudan and Ethiopia (Tigray), and rapid needs assessment after the Earthquake in Nepal (2015). He also led the team from WFP that led to the declaration of famine in South Sudan (2017) and Tigray/Ethiopia (2021). As a senior staff member, he also contributed to WFP’s recognition as recipient of Nobel Peace Prize in 2020.

Prior to WFP and NDRI, Dr. Pahari had worked as Associate Professor (2000-03) and postdoctoral fellow (1998-2000) at the University of Tokyo, adjunct faculty at the Asian Institute of Technology (1997) and in various capacities including Senior Technical Advisor at CARE International in Nepal (1984-92). He has taught at various degree programmes at Tribhuban University, Kathmandu University and Poorbanchal University in Nepal.

Dr. Pahari has a Ph.D. on remote sensing, and Masters in natural resources management (Gold medalist) from the Asian Institute of Technology, and Bachelor in Civil Engineering from Panjab University, Chandigarh. He was also a Ph.D. Fellow at the United Nations University in Tokyo during 1995-96. He has authored or led more than 100 publications including scientific journals, conference proceedings, contribution to books, working papers and official
publications of WFP.

In addition to his long experience in Nepal, Dr. Pahari has extensive international experience.
He has been to 55 countries in six continents for work and travel.
Dr. Pahari may be contacted at krishna.pahari@ndri.org.np