"I wish for a productive and fun 2012 for ICRAF Vietnam and its partners. I look forward to working actively with both national and international partners in the spirit of true partnerships and meaningful collaboration. No doubt, 2012 will be another good year for ICRAF-Vietnam"
Delia Catacutan
Tet holiday (known as New Year in the Vietnamese lunar calendar) is the most expected vacation of the year throughout the country, when people wish for the best of lucks for the coming year on both their businesses and own families. Traditionally, Vietnamese people believe that the luck comes from the first one who visits their families in the first day of the New Year. Today, Delia Catacutan, as a new Vietnam Country Representative, is officially becoming the first one joining ICRAF Vietnam's family in the year of Dragon - 2012.
Obtaining a PhD degree on Natural & Rural Systems Management from the University of Queensland, Australia, followed by a Post-Doc on Sustainability Science at Harvard University, Delia Catacutan specializes in policy and institutional research on integrated natural resources management. With over 10-year experience in working with multi-disciplinary teams in various research and development projects in the Southeast Asia and East Africa, she coordinated the activities of Landcare International and held key positions at international partnerships such as Eco-agriculture Partners, Community Knowledge Service, Landscape Measures Initiative, and CGIAR System-wide program on Collective Action and Property Rights.
'I am a field person with the passion for achieving agroforestry impacts on the ground.' There seems to be a key for the success of Delia's outstanding career.
Despite her busy schedule, she reveals a deep love for interior designing, cooking and housekeeping.ﾠ'I also want to become a coffee entrepreneur and help smallholder coffee farmers engage in the internationally fair trade.' She said.
She believes that by helping the Vietnam Country Program to enhance in line with the Centre Global Program's mission and vision, she will add more value to the ICRAF Vietnam program.
