Robert Cogger Email & Phone Number

Small technical, business development and project services company, based in Australia but operating world wide.We have completed international assignments for international and bilateral agencies as a primary or sub-contractor. This has included providing the Project Director, Team Leader, Project Manager, and technical specialists or experts.Localities include Australia, PNG, Samoa, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Fiji, Oman, Zambia, Timor Leste, UAE.Sectors have includedrenewable resources (including agriculture, forestry and fishery); agricultural education and training; basic education; and institutional human capacity building, as well as supporting the processes for national, state and local elections in Australia and PNG.We have completed research and documented studies for government and private sector clients leading to project designs and technical proposals. Assisted and mentored emerging or expanding business in technical and project management service delivery.

Eden Monaro, Gilmore, Bega Electorates And Eurobodalla Local Government Area

Election Official and Polling officer for the period leading up and on the day of the election, as well as vote counting. I was deputy manager of a large polling place for the recent Federal Election.I have been responsible for processing voting by people making absentee and declaration votes and pre poll voting as well as voting on polling day.I have worked on three National elections, three local level government elections and two state government elections

Available for rapid deployment to unstable, and post conflict and post disaster localities to assist in stabilization activities.

Papua New Guinea

Assisting the PNG EC in preparing for and delivering the national election, as a member an Australian Civilian Corps. Completed four month assignment assisting in Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission to manage the operation of the National Election. I was Assistant Manager for the Highlands Region covering the election period in each of the Highlands Provinces.

Papua New Guinea And Middle East

Country Manager Papua New Guinea for 12 months. For almost two years was Senior Manager (Projects) based in Dubai, UAE.I undertook business and technical research, proposal preparation, client relationship management and project management and implementation. Projects were in Sudan, Kuwait, UAE, and Afghanistan and Pakistan. This was preceded by a four month as interim Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Farmers' Services Centre.

Provided technical advice on managing production waters from gas extraction from coal seams in Southern Queensland, Australia

Porgera Joint Venture Papua New Guinea

Responsible to the Mine GM for environment compliance and closure planning; community and government relations; as well as social and economic development programs with stakeholder communities.Rotated in the role of Mine General Manager when incumbant was on leave break or absent.With three managers as direct reports I guided a total team of over 150 multi-discipline and multi-national men and women in the immediate mine area and for more than 200 km radius. We were in effect in sustaining our environment and social licences and maintaining our main transport and electricity supply routes.The mine was, and remains one of the largest and most complex gold production operations in the world.

Astralia And Asia Pacific Region

Resposnibl for building realtionship with the Government agency responsble for delivering Australia's official Development Assistance. Assisted in identifying, building and tracking pipeline of projects and for tendering and managing contracts won.

Asia Pacific Region

Frequent short and long term assignments in Australia and overseas. including team leader of a coffee industry support project in PNG and of an education sector planning and development program in Solomon Islands, which included a post conflict recovery program in 2000-2001.Also a technical specialist on numerous proposal preparation and overseas assignments.

Global

Numerous short and long term contracted assignments related to project management and implementation, This included extension and cooperatives development in Northern Samar Philippines; extension specialist on ADB design mission in Mindanao, Philippines; Team leader of agricultural education project in Philippines and also Director of a basic education project in Philippines. other assignments included organisational development specialist in Samoa fishing sector, and team leader of rural development project design mission in Timor Leste in 2000. Also undertook numerous in-country research leading to project proposal preparation.

Various roles on projects and in corporate office - including member of project implementation teams in rural development in Mindanao Philippines and forest sectors Solomon islands, and proposal preparation and project management.

Solomon Islands

Foundation Principal of an Institute at Fote on Malaita Province I designed to train farmers and agricultural upport personnel, including extension workers. Underook detailed training and institutional needs analysis before sitting with architect to design the campus and buidling and then oversaw the building. After gaining a detailed understanding of farming practices and system. I worked with national staff to assess the land use capability of the 100 ha block and then set about establishing small holder sized training and teaching modules designed to display a wide range of farm management and production systems suited to varoius agro-ecological domains, and provided with a supermarket of ideas. Farms were run on a day to day basis by local village people recuited and trained by our staff. These men and women assisted and advised farmer visitors.Worked as trainer and mentor of the academic staff I recruited from through Solomon Islands. These people designed and delivered and assessed courses in sustainable farming systems and practices, agricultural extension and communication, and agricultural economic, business and marketing.The Institute operated with a fully indingenous staff after I completed my contract.I returned to Solomon Islands to advise on the development and operation of seven Rural Decelopment Centres in all provinces, as well as four older Farmer Training Centees. I ran courses for managers and staff, as well as provided one on one advice.

Philippines

Managed a component designed to estbale community based farmer associations across the province of Northern Samar in central Philippines. These were predominantly composed lowland rice farmers who were tenants and small farmers. inputs involved provision of enehqnce agriculture and prodctio advice with support in establishing and mananaging producer assoications.We also supported the establishment of the Farmers' Marketing Service in a number of localities in the Province, each providing support to, including input supply and product marketing, for members of farmers' associations.This involved a great deal of stakeholder engagement, including with naational and provincial government officials, extension workers, land owners and farmers, as well as input suppliers and product buyers.Thsi was undertaken in an area experiencing conflict between the forces of the national government and forces of the New Peoples'Army which impcted on project operations

Philippines

Mentored, trained and assisted staff of the Betinan Research Station in Zamboanga del Sur - on Mindanao -to identify, design, conduct, analyse and report agronomic and farming systems research for upland producers. Crops included upland rice, maize, legumes and other grains and forages, none of which were irrigated.I had specific responsibility for research and investigations in those practices which required fewer purchased inputs and which involved application of improved or adapted cropping practices, patterns and systems. Much of this was undertaken with and by farmers on their land and using their resources. Treatments were superimposed on large plotes plots, within the normal production area of each farmer's crop for that season. These were used to collect input and production data, as well as farmer feedback, and were used for field days and training on many fields in each season.I also coordinated training for staff involved on other parts of the agriculture sub-project, including tree crops, livestock, agricultural extension, economics and monitoring, as well as management.This was undertaken in an area experiencing government conflict witth successionist fighters and with other rebel forces.

Kerevat, East New Britain, Papua New Guinea

Under took program development and delivery for courses leading the award of Diploma in Tropical Agriculture for students from all over PNG, and Melanesian and Polynesian nations of the Pacific.Managed the production and teaching farms, as well as delivered practical and theoretical courses in food crop production, tree crops and agricultural business management. Appointed as Deputy Principal by the first Papua New Guinean Principal. I maintain contact with many of those with whom I worked and trained.

B.Sc.Agric. (Hons), Agronomy

I was enrolled in the Faculty of Agriculture for four years, during which time I Studied General Agriculture and specialised in Agronomy.

Grad. Dip. Educ, Education For Development

I undertook a Graduate Diploma in Education, with additional specialisations to be able to work in developing nations. I focused.