Daniel Alpízar Rojas
Rome
Summary
Agricultural economist specialized in rural development
Development professional with proven history of driving growth and fostering innovation within development projects. Known for strong team collaboration, delivering impactful results, and adapting to evolving project needs. Skilled in project management and stakeholder engagement, ensuring seamless execution and successful outcomes.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Sustainable Development Specialist
FAO
01.2024 - Current
- Led and coordinated the implementation of the FAO HASTEN FVC Project, ensuring alignment with workplans and budgets.
- Oversaw project execution, monitoring, and reporting, ensuring timely adjustments and compliance with FAO guidelines.
- Managed collaboration with HQ, regional offices, national counterparts, and implementing partners.
- Identified, recruited, and supervised national, regional, and global experts.
- Provided technical and operational support to project staff and consultants.
- Led the development and execution of project communication, knowledge management, and advocacy strategies.
- Supported the SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme and contributed to future phase development.
- Contributed to research and reporting on SMEs, innovation, and agrifood systems transformation.
- Conducted field missions and provided technical inputs to key initiatives.
Researcher
Pisa Agricultural Economic Group (PAGE)/ University of Pisa
01.2020 - 01.2024
- Collaborating in identifying current food trends, market needs, practices, and resources available to enhance capacity in food innovation as well as new approaches in agribusiness in Ghana and Kenya, as part of work package 6 in the Healthy Food Africa Project funded by the European Commission
- Gathered and organized information for research purposes.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to conduct comprehensive studies and generate valuable insights.
- Conducted thorough literature reviews to identify gaps in knowledge and inform future research directions.
- Synthesized large volumes of information, identifying key trends and patterns relevant to research objectives.
Costa Rica Community Impact Manager
Rustic Pathways
01.2018 - 11.2019
- Managed the community impact department in the formulation and implementation of community service project as well as monitor and evaluate the tourism programs in Costa Rica
- Also, managed, designed, fundraised, and implemented community-based projects for the Rustic Pathways Foundation as local coordinator
- Managed diverse teams for effective cross-functional collaboration, resulting in improved processes and increased efficiency.
- Coordinated community outreach events to raise awareness about the organization''s work, garnering support from key partners and donors.
- Conducted regular evaluations of programs and initiatives to measure their effectiveness and make necessary adjustments.
Consultant Methodologies ForSustainableDevelopment
USAID Regional Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program
06.2013 - 09.2015
- Supported in the coordination, implementation, and evaluation of projects in the component of promotion and adaptation of best practices and technologies for sustainable agriculture in the cocoa and coffee value chains in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua
Academic Assistant in Agricultural Marketing
School of Agricultural Economics, University of Costa Rica
02.2013 - 12.2013
- Collaborated in the evaluation and support of research, exams, and planning of the lectures at the university courses of Agricultural Marketing
Intern researcher
International Centre of Economic Policy for Sustainable Development, National University of Costa Rica
06.2012 - 12.2012
- Elaborated a research on the current status of small, medium, and large companies as defined in Costa Rica, thus supporting the Inter Regionalization Program CONARE aimed to support small farmers and informal labor
Project Management and Business Development Trainer
School of Sociology, University of Costa Rica
04.2010 - 03.2011
- Collaborated in the formulation and implantation of a business management plan and technical participatory training in beekeeping production to the indigenous women association of La Cangreja
Research Assistant
Research Centre for Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Development, University of Costa Rica
02.2009 - 05.2010
- Collaborated in a university project through the identification of Agro-chains in Puriscal, Acosta Mora, and the characterization of actors linked to agro-industries in these three cantons
Education
Ph.D. program - Agricultural, Food, and Agro-environmental Sciences
University of Pisa
03.2025
International Master of Science - Rural Development
Erasmus Mundus Join degree, University of Ghent, University of Pisa, and Humboldt University of Berlin
09.2017
Bachelor of Science - Agronomic Engineering with an emphasis on Agricultural Economics
University of Costa Rica
02.2013
Skills
- Team Coordination
- Strategic Planning
- Project Assessment
- Analytical Research Skills
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Adaptive learning
Languages
Spanish
English
Italian
Publications
- Training kit for innovative food product and process development, Alpizar-Rojas, D., Di Gianni, A., Prosperi, P., Brunori, G., Medyna., Atter, A., Koranteng-Agyakwah, S., Koivula, H., Ahlberg., S., 2022, HealthyFoodAfrica Project, European Union's Horizon 2020, Ref. Ares(2022)3320115
- Report on opportunities in food products and processes: an analysis of innovative alternatives in Ghana and Kenya using a Food System Framework, Alpizar-Rojas, D., Prosperi, P., Brunori, G., Atter, A., Koranteng-Agyakwah., Ahlberg, S., 2020, HealthyFoodAfrica Project, European Union's Horizon 2020
- Narrativas de territorialización en las políticas públicas en Costa Rica y sus efectos en una comunidad indígena, Arias, L. M. B., Chacón-Araya, K., & Alpízar-Rojas, D., 2020, Eutopía. Revista de Desarrollo Económico Territorial, 18, 49-69
- New H2020 project HealthyFoodAfrica to improve nutrition in 10 African cities, Alpizar-Rojas, D., 2020, Pisa Agricultural Economics (PAGE), 10/24/22, https://page.agr.unipi.it/2020/10/16/website-launch-new-h2020-project-healthyfoodafrica-to-improve-nutrition-in-10-african-cities/
- Blog series: Daniel Alpízar: The real cost of the battle against covid-19: The case of Costa Rica and implications for food security, Alpizar-Rojas, D., 2020, Pisa Agricultural Economics (PAGE), 10/24/22, https://page.agr.unipi.it/2020/06/19/blog-series-daniel-alpizar-the-real-cost-of-the-battle-against-covid-19-the-case-of-costa-rica-and-implications-for-food-security/
- Increasing resilience of small indigenous cocoa farmers to adapt to climate change through good practices and technologies in the Atlantic Region of Costa Rica, Alpizar-Rojas, D., 2017, Master's thesis, University of Ghent, Belgium
- Comparación de Guías Metodológicas para la Implementación de Comunidades de Práctica, Alpizar-Rojas, D., 2013, Ed. USAID/RUTA/UNOPS, San Jose, Costa Rica
Timeline
Sustainable Development Specialist
FAO
01.2024 - Current
Researcher
Pisa Agricultural Economic Group (PAGE)/ University of Pisa
01.2020 - 01.2024
Costa Rica Community Impact Manager
Rustic Pathways
01.2018 - 11.2019
Consultant Methodologies ForSustainableDevelopment
USAID Regional Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program
06.2013 - 09.2015
Academic Assistant in Agricultural Marketing
School of Agricultural Economics, University of Costa Rica
02.2013 - 12.2013
Intern researcher
International Centre of Economic Policy for Sustainable Development, National University of Costa Rica
06.2012 - 12.2012
Project Management and Business Development Trainer
School of Sociology, University of Costa Rica
04.2010 - 03.2011
Research Assistant
Research Centre for Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Development, University of Costa Rica
02.2009 - 05.2010
International Master of Science - Rural Development
Erasmus Mundus Join degree, University of Ghent, University of Pisa, and Humboldt University of Berlin
Bachelor of Science - Agronomic Engineering with an emphasis on Agricultural Economics
University of Costa Rica
Ph.D. program - Agricultural, Food, and Agro-environmental Sciences
University of Pisa
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