Dr. Jo Puri Email Address

Associate Vice President at IFAD United Nations

GCF is a financial mechanism under the UNFCCC which helps fund climate finance investment in low-emission, climate-resilient development through mitigation and adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries.

I am currently the Associate Vice President of the Strategy and Knowledge department of IFAD. The department leads on all technical design, implementation topics and impacts measurement at ifad. Specifically we lead on evidence based operational science and technically lead areas that are the core mandate of IFAd including climate, agriculture (value chain investments, markets and institutions) migration and remittances, environment, private sector financing and key themes such as nutrition, gender, youth and social inclusion. We play a critical role in evidence informed resource mobilisation. The department has more than 180 staff and the overall team size of 260. I am also currently Adjunct Associate Professor, at SIPA, Columbia University, New York. I have more than 24 years of experience in development research, evidence based policy and data driven decision making. I am member of the Academic advisory council at the Indian School of Public Policy, Board member of IPA (Innovations in Poverty Action)and C4ED (all unpaid). I am also proud to be co-chair of the membership Organization ILC (International Land Coalition) I am deeply passionate about climate change, reducing poverty, innovations for development and scaling up, impact investing, measurement and behavioral science. Previously, I was Head and Director of the Independent Evaluation office of the Green Climate Fund (GCF); and Deputy Executive Director of the International Initiative of Impact Evaluation (3ie). I have worked on developing and conceptualising incentive based systems (at the World Bank and at Columbia University ), doing policy related research (at the World Bank & 3ie), using evidence to provide strategic guidance (at UNEP and GCF), and managing & leading evaluations (UNDP/GEF). My academic qualifications include a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Agriculture and Resource Economics and a Masters in Development Economics. In my various roles I have successfully fund raised, built offices and managed large teams. I have extensive experience in training policy makers, field staff and graduate level students in evidence based strategies, impact evaluation and data techniques. As Green Economy policy adviser (UNEP) I provided strategic advice on program development and engaging governments for equitable, green, growth transitions. I have authored several books and published widely on policy guidance, measuring impact and evaluation Amongst my honors was the privilege to be recognized as one of 16 women around the world leading the effort to restore the earth, by the Global Landscape Forum.