WHO we are
Get To Know Our Team
The ASDEV team is comprised of individuals from several parts of the globe, who share a deep interest in tackling developmental issues and preserving the environment through deep scientific research. The members of the team range from working class career men and women to those of a younger age group who share a love for science and innovation. These members generally are undergoing further professional studies to better their proficiency in their fields of interest. This never ending quest for knowledge and improvement, is one of the shared core values which keeps the team united and focused on achieving their individual and collective goals. The diversity in age and experience found in the ASDEV team serves as a driving force for mentorship of the younger members as they learn directly from experts with several years of nous in the field
Neville N. Suh
Food System, Nutrition & Health Expert
Neville is a Development Economist with expertise in Food Systems, Nutrition, and Climate for the Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASDEV) NGO, Cameroon. His research portfolio builds on applying econometric principles to explore agriculture and fisheries food systems, food security, nutrition and health, digital innovations, climate, women and youth empowerment, and policy issues. Moreover, Neville has hands-on experience and training in monitoring and evaluations. He has over 7 years of practical field and research experience. He has worked with a cross-disciplinary team of researchers and local partners on projects and policy issues in Ghana, Nigeria, The Gambia, Liberia, Cameroon, Canada, Ethiopia, and Turkey. Neville has supervised field data collection, analysis, and interpretations for over 20 research projects. He has published several scientific manuscripts, blogs, and policy briefs on development issues in Africa and beyond.
Neville has participated in several policy working groups on policy asks and policy dialogues with a diverse team of practitioners and negotiators from FAO, CIAT, ILRS, FOLU, SNV, WWF, UNFCCC, YOUNGO, and EIT Food at local, regional, and global levels. Previously, Neville has engaged in several professional activities as a Field Research Assistant [Empowerment NGO] and a Research Intern [International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)].
Neville is a Research Fellow at the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) mentorship program. He holds a BSc and MSc in Agricultural Economics from the University of Buea, Cameroon. He is currently a PhD Research Fellow at the Department of Agricultural Economics, Ege University, Turkey, through the YTB Scholarship. Neville is committed to using science-evidence-based research to inform policy and practices to serve and improve the livelihood of people and communities in vulnerable socio-ecological systems.
Dr. Richard A. Nyiawung, PhD
Interdisciplinary Marine/Fisheries Policy Expert
Dr. Nyiawung is an Interdisciplinary Social Scientist and Policy Expert for the Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASDEV) NGO. He holds a Ph.D. in Geography from University of Guelph, Canada, an MA in Environmental Policy from Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, and a BSc in Agriculture from the University of Buea, Cameroon. He is fluent in English and French, with experience in agricultural sciences and natural resources management and governance. He has more than eight years of research and work experience on the governance and sociopolitical dimensions of natural resources management and resource-dependent livelihood challenges in Africa and beyond. He has several scientific publications and science communication on aspects of power dynamics and the inclusiveness of marginalized populations in decision-making and policy formulation processes. He has received several awards and scholarships to support his research in Cameroon, The Gambia, Liberia, India, Namibia, Ghana, Senegal, and Canada. He was a 2020 recipient of the International Development Research Center (IDRC) Doctoral Research Awards. In 2016, he received the prestigious African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholarship sponsored by Global Affairs Canada and the Mastercard Foundation to commemorate the late Nelson Mandela.
Dr. Nyiawung has provided consultancy services to the Canadian federal government’s Department of Fisheries and Ocean (DFO) and the Department of Innovation Science and Economic Development (ISED). He was a Field Research Assistant at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and a Research Intern for the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). He loves organising and coaching recreational soccer, volleyball, and basketball.
Christantus N. Begealawuh
Peace and Security Expert/Policy Analyst
Chris is a Peace and Security Expert for the Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASDEV) NGO. He is a PhD Candidate and Researcher at the School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa, Canada. His research experience is grounded in the prevalent under-representation of civil society, women, and other politically marginalised groups in peacebuilding processes. His research draws from a multi-disciplinary background and training in Human Rights, Peace and Security, and Development Studies.
His academic career has taken him to the Universities of Buea-Cameroon (Faculty of Law and Political Science), Addis Ababa-Ethiopia (Institute for Peace & Security Studies), Leipzig-Germany (Global & European Studies Institute) and University of Ottawa, Canada (School of In’l Development and Global Studies).
He has also served as a consultant for several esteemed International Organizations and Charities, including Oxfam. In 2018, Chris led Oxfam’s first consultation with the African Union on Maritime Security in Africa and was a 2020 Ocean Fellow at TBA21 Academy and Ocean Space Venice.
Experienced Full-stack Web Developer, DevOps Engineer, Database Administrator, Telecommunications Engineer, and Tech Entrepreneur with a 4years+ demonstrated history of working in the Computer Software industry. Skilled in solving problems with PHP, Laravel, JavaScript(Reactjs), Python, SQL(MySQL,MongoDB,OracleDB), HTML5, Core Java, WordPress, and Cloud Computing(Amazon web services, Google Cloud).
Focused on being a valuable part of any team, I am on and believe in the team rising together. If one portion of the team needs help with a task, I have no issue jumping in to assist on anything required.
Apart from working with other developers at the company I founded Zotech, I have worked on a couple of projects with businesses, brands, and companies, leading the team of developers during these projects. Even with the simplest of tasks, I always find new and innovative ways of making us go beyond attaining the client’s objectives.
I’m a very fluent English communicator and I generate high-quality content on my websites. I’m sales-driven in every task, whether working as a consultant, trainer, or contracted professional, I can lead any team of skilled individuals to execute any and every task requiring the use of any online technology.
Strong business development professional pursuing a Masters of Engineering degree focused in Telecommunications and Networks Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Buea.
Ayodele Oloko
Postdoctoral Fellow GENDER AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT EXPERT
Ayodele is a Yoruba-speaking Nigerian woman who has lived and studied in Africa and abroad. She is currently a Gender and Women Empowerment Expert for ASDEV. Her academic training so far has focused on the application of both natural and social science methodologies to address complex livelihoods and sustainability issues for diverse social-ecological systems. She has decades of research experience on traditional ecological knowledge, gender, climate change adaptations, and fisheries sustainability. She has been involved in international research collaborations, including the Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries Section (GAFS) of the Asian Fisheries Society, the Food Climate Biodiversity Project, and the Illuminating Hidden Harvests project – a collaboration between the FAO, World Fish, and Duke University. I take responsibility for and have a passion for speaking for vulnerable fisherfolk and indigenous people in fisheries through my scholarship and publications.
Presently, she is a PhD Candidate and Research Assistant at the Fisheries Economics Research Unit, Institute for Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada. Her doctoral research revolves around the impacts of climate change and Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing on women fisherfolk and fishermen.
Sarah is a Social Scientist and Development Economist, supporting ASDEV’s gender research and projects. Her research interests include resource management research, fisheries and aquaculture, economic and trade policy analysis, value chains, gender, border security and other socioeconomic development issues. She also has expertise in project management, monitoring and evaluation of projects, stakeholder engagement (policy and community level) and over seven years’ experience in field survey assessments in Africa.
As development practitioner and researcher, Sarah has worked with both local and international development organizations including serving as a Research Officer with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Consultant for the International Women in Seafood Industry, Research Assistant for the Lancaster Environment Center, University of Lancaster, UK, and PhD Collaborator with Duke University, Sustainable Energy for All, Gender mainstreaming in Energy Access in ECOWAS Project, Research Officer for Delinks Services – Centre for Parliamentary Research and Development Ghana, and Field Survey Officer for the Institute for Statistics, Social and Economic Research, Ghana.
Sarah is a conservation and women development advocate and volunteers as the Ghana Gender Advisor for the FAO Illuminating Hidden Harvest Gender Team. Again, she volunteers as the Ghana Team Lead for Mundus Maris – Science and Arts in sustainability engaging stakeholders in ocean governance, and organizing ocean literacy workshops among fisherfolks, youth and students in Ghana.
Through her career and education pursuits, Sarah has presented and participated in several conferences, workshops and academic exchanges including, presentations at the 3rd and 4th world Small-scale Fisheries congress, in Thailand and South Africa respectively, African Small-scale fisheries Write shop- Zambia, 2nd International School of Social Science conference- Ghana, and participation in Policy Write shop on Food System Transformation, Uganda, Summer School on Agricultural Value Chains Transformation, Kiel Institute and University of Lome, Togo, and Erasmus Mundus Academic Exchange with KoC University, Turkey and the Environment for Development 17th Annual meeting, Ghana.
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Alliance for Sustainable
Development (ASDEV)
Buea, South West Region, Cameroon