Ioanna de Barros

Consultant Rural Development - Safeguarding ESG - Evaluation , International Organization, IFAD, FAO

Bayonne, France

Consultant with 10+ years of expertise in food security, value chains, gender equality, and safeguarding (environmental, social, climate).
Experienced in evaluation, with a background at IFAD and FAO.
Extensive fieldwork with community-led initiatives across the Caribbean, Africa (West, Central, Eastern), and the Pacific, supporting inclusive and sustainable development outcomes.

Contact Ioanna de Barros
Area of Expertise:
  • Agriculture, Livelihoods, Microfinance, Rural
Professional Experience:

IFAD, Independent Office of Evaluation, Remote - 05/2020-10/2023
Led the case study in Tunisia involving 4 projects to assess gender-related aspects, conducting interviews with project coordinators, ministry representatives, and leaders of community organizations and NGOs.
Evaluated the changes in project design reports ($ 20-100 million) to identify transformative attributes in alignment with national and IFAD policies (+20 projects).
Analyzed and synthesized relevant findings on the relationship between gender equality and climate change adaptation from previous evaluations.
Reviewed case study documentation including assessing the SECAP in annexes, assessed monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems, and prepared synthesis reports.
Organized and conducted interviews with all project stakeholders and documented minutes for selected projects in Moldova, Niger, Chad, Madagascar, Burundi, Cape Verde, and Mali.
Collaborated with national consultants and managed logistics and field visit arrangements.

IFAD, Home-Based - 06/2017-11/2018
Climate Change Specialist
Assisted in supervising a $50 million Natural Resource Management and Climate Change Adaptation project in Chad (GEF/ASAP – PARSAT), contributing to developing an Environmental and Social Management Framework in collaboration with a national consultant.
Conducted analysis of the Social and Environmental Evaluation (SECAP) for IFAD’s country strategy in Mauritania, including recommendations for an Environmental and Social Framework.

Meds and Foods for Kids (MFK), Haiti - 08/2013- 02/2014
Agricultural Project Manager
Defined and implemented the agricultural strategy in collaboration with teams and universities in the USA.
Led grant writing, established a monitoring and evaluation system, and defined indicators and outcomes.
Coordinated the peanut supply chain, forming partnerships with farmers' organizations and women's group

FAO, Rome, Haiti, and Samoa - 08/2010-08/2016
Value Chain Development Consultant
Designed and supervised the value chain development component for a food security project in Haiti (EU-funded program).
Provided technical support during field missions in regions of Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific for food security projects.
Collaborated closely, established partnerships with organizations, conducted detailed value chain analyses, and offered practical recommendations.
Drafted proposals and agreements, including budgets, work plans, and success indicators.
Coordinated with regional and national offices throughout all stages of project development. Organized training sessions, high-level workshops, public presentations, and documented minutes and outcomes. Systematized lessons learned and published reports highlighting best practices.


Education:

University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour (UPPA), France — 2019–2020
PhD Candidate (1 year) – Agroecology, Biodiversity, and Territorial Approaches
- Reviewed state-of-the-art agroecology, landscape-level biodiversity conservation, social inclusivity, and policy instruments
- Conducted teaching duties in rural geography

University of Rennes 1, France — 2015–2016
DIU (Master Level) – Sustainable Natural Resources and Land Management
- Graduated with highest distinction
- Specializing in GIS, ecosystems and wetlands functions, biodiversity, landscape ecology, ecological corridors, and environmental legal frameworks

College of International Agro-Development (ISTOM), France — 2005–2010
M.Sc. (Ingénieur) – International Development
- Interdisciplinary training at the nexus of agronomics, environmental, and social sciences
- Mastered project design, value chain development, proposal writing, and budgeting for rural development initiatives

Professional Training
Gender Specialist Foundation Course, Cynara — 2024
- Core frameworks and tools for applying a gender lens across program design, action planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation

Rapid Gender Analysis from Secondary Data, Gender in Emergencies Group (GIE) — 2023
- Practical application of quantitative and qualitative research methods for gender analysis

Advanced Training in GIS, UAVs, and Remote Sensing, AgroParisTech — 2019
- Acquired advanced technical skills in geospatial analysis, drone operation, and remote sensing applications

Available for:

  • Consulting assignments

Years of Experience:

10-15 years

Highest Qualification:

Masters

Languages:

English, French, Spanish, Creole

Nationality:

France

Home Page: