Dr Warwick John Easdown
Regional Director, South Asia office
AVRDC – The World Vegetable Centre
Curriculum Vitae
Surname: Easdown
First names: Warwick John
Address: AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center
Regional Center for South Asia
ICRISAT campus, Patancheru 502 324
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, INDIA
Tel: +91 40 3071 3071 ext 2756
Fax: +91 40 30713074/75
E-mail:
Marital status: Married with three children
Nationality: Australian
Languages: English – excellent written and spoken
French – moderate level written and spoken
Academic Qualifications:
1994 PhD – University of Illinois, Champaign –Urbana,
1992 Masters of Extension Education, University of Illinois, Champaign –Urbana
1989 Diploma of Datametrics, University of South Africa
1979 Bachelor of Rural Science (1st class hon’s) – University of New England, Australia
Educational experience:
2004 Certificat, Institut de Français, Villefranche-sur-mer, France
One month intensive French language course, focusing on conversational French and qualifying at the advanced level
1992-1994 PhD, University of Illinois, Champaign –Urbana
Completed 12 courses primarily in communications and education, and a dissertation on “Outfitting and incorporating – the social effects of computer technology in the restructuring of the Illinois Cooperative Extension Service”
1990-1992 Masters of Extension Education, University of Illinois
Completed 12 courses focusing on the use of computer technology in farm management and decision making. Thesis: “A new approach for using computers to assist complex agricultural decision making”
1986-1989 Diploma of Datametrics, University of South Africa
Completed 10 courses on information systems, database design, programming and computer science by correspondence.
1975-1979 Bachelor of Rural Science, University of New England, Australia
Broad training in agronomy and livestock production involving 37 courses. Graduated with first class honors.
Work Experience:
2011-2013 Regional Director, South Asia, AVRDC – The World Vegetable Centre, Hyderabad, India
Responsible for management of regional research and development programs, supervision of regional staff, maintaining relationships with donors and partners, and the development and successful completion of regional projects.
2008-2010 Donor Support & IT Manager, AVRDC – The World Vegetable Centre, Shanhua, Taiwan
Responsible for assisting planning of Director General’s visits to donors and follow up, conceptualizing major project proposals and providing information to donors to support core funding requests. Also responsible as Web Master for web design and maintenance, and for leading the development of IT services for AVRDC and supervising two information technology staff members.
2006-2008 Head, Communications, AVRDC – The World Vegetable Centre, Shanhua, Taiwan
Responsible for global communications services including publications and editing, library, public awareness, IT services, web services and training. This involved the development of strategic plans for what were formerly three separate units, redevelopment of IT services and initiating strategic IT cooperation with IRRI, marketing the library and improving internal communication (hard copy and web).
2003-2006 Head of Communications Unit, World Agroforestry Centre, Nairobi, Kenya.
Responsible for the management of global communications, including the library, public awareness, web services and publication production and distribution. This included the complete revitalization of the unit, the development of a new strategic plan and annual global planning meetings and the development of a restructured library, new global research publication series and new websites. The Unit employed seven fulltime staff and seven semi-permanent consultants and worked closely with over 50 ICRAF regional project communications staff.
1998- 2002 Principal Extension Officer, Electronic communications and education,
Rural Extension Centre, University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia.
This was a joint centre run by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and the University of Queensland. I was responsible for running the graduate course on ‘Empowering Communication technologies”, the online graduate course on “Research methodology in management and extension” and providing assistance in running other courses on evaluation and information management. I led research and development projects to promote the use of the internet for rural community development, including the supervision of two PhD students and initiating a USD950,000 project using the internet for rural community development.
1996-1997 Post doctoral research fellow, University of Queensland
I developed the University’s program on rural uses of the internet, completing a review of the area and helped run the first statewide conference for over 300 agricultural extension professionals.
1994-1996 Senior Development Extension Officer, Agricultural Production Systems Research Unit, Queensland Department of Primary Industries/CSIRO.
I was responsible for working with crop scientists and farmers to promote the appropriate use of computer simulation models for improving the management of summer crops – principally sorghum, sunflower, as well as wheat and barley. This involved developing extension materials and simplifying models to provide answers to real world problems.
1990-1994 Full time study towards Masters and PhD at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA.
1983-1989 Principal Extension Officer, Queensland Department of Primary Industries Biloela, central Queensland, Australia.
I was responsible for agricultural extension work with over 600 farmers, focusing on legume crops, pasture and irrigated fodder production. I also worked closely with researchers to develop computer models for use in the wheat and sorghum industries.
1979-1982 Agricultural Extension Officer, Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Gatton and Warwick, southern Queensland, Australia.
At Gatton I was responsible for I was responsible for agricultural extension work to over 500 irrigated horticultural farmers and at Warwick for extension work to over 800 farmers focusing on dryland grain industries and pasture production.
Thesis supervisory experience: University of Queensland, Gatton
PhD: Rachael Symonds (2005)
Facilitating regional small business internet use: the case of New Zealand wineries
PhD: Ann Maree Taylor Starasts (2004)
Battling the knowledge factor: a study of farmers’ use of the internet to support information seeking, learning and knowledge processes in Queensland
Masters of Agricultural Science: Atsushi Suzuki (1999)
Study of computer use in the Queensland dairy industry; farmers’ perceptions
Masters of Rural Systems Management: Malcolm Martin (1999)
The Significance of Computer Technology in the Queensland Dairy Industry: A Survey Approach
Masters of Rural Systems Management: Felicity Hill (2002)
Management of Breeding Cattle and Adoption of Practices in North Queensland- What are the Issues?
Masters of Rural Systems Management: John Day
Membership of professional societies and forums
· APEN: Australasia-Pacific Extension Network
· IAALD: International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists
Selected publications and consultancy reports 1990- 2013:
· Nair, R & Easdown W (2013) A perspective on soybean genetic resources in relation to vegetable soybean. Legume Perspectives (1):10
· Nair RM, Schalfleitner R, Kenyon L, Srinivasan R, Easdown W, Ebert A (2012) Genetic improvement of mungbean, SABRAO Journal of Breeding and Genetics, 44 (2) 177-190
· Keatinge JDH, Chadha ML, Hughes , Jd'A, Easdown WJ, R. J. Holmer RJ, Tenkouano A, Yang RY , Mavlyanova R, Neave S, Afari-Sefa V, Luther G , Ravishankar M, Ojiewo C, Belarmino M, Ebert A, Wang JF, Lin LJ (2012) Vegetable gardens and their impact on the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals Biological Agriculture & Horticulture, 2012, 1–15
· J.D.H. Keatinge, W.J. Easdown and J. d’A Hughes (2012). Small and medium‐scale public‐private partnerships in horticulture for development. Horticulture for Development, Eds R. Kahane, L. M. Martin and A. Martin. Acta Horticulturae 921, 25‐33.
· Nair RM, Ravishankar M, Pan RS, Bhushan KB, Kaur DP, Ranchod GR, Yan M-R, Easdown WJ (2012) Vegetable soybean: a crop with immense potential for human nutrition. Fifth International Symposium on Human Health Effects of Fruits and Vegetables (FAVHealth 2012), Dharwad, India, 7-11 January, 16-18
· Hanson P, Wang JF, Easdown WJ (2012)Tomato Breeding at AVRDC-the World Vegetable Center to Meet the Challenges of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Disease and Bacterial Wilt. AgTech Global Summit - 2012. Bijo-Sheetal Science Foundation, Aurangabad, India, 9-13 December, 47
· J.D.H. Keatinge, W.J. Easdown, J. d’A. Hughes, R‐Y. Yang and R. Symonds (2011). Ensuring future food and nutritional security in the context of both a warming world and one with more limited natural resources. In Science and Horticulture for People, Eds. J. Janick, G.R. Dixon and L. Rallo. Acta Horticulturae 916, 47‐58.
· J.D.H. Keatinge, R‐Y. Yang, J. d’A. Hughes, W.J. Easdown and R. Holmer (2011). The importance of ensuring both food and nutritional security in the likely future attainment of the millennium development goals. Food Security 3, 491‐501.
· J.D.H. Keatinge, W.J. Easdown, R.Y. Yang, M.L. Chadha and S. Shanmugasundaram (2011). Overcoming chronic malnutrition in a future warming world: The key importance of mungbean and vegetable soyabean. Euphytica 180, 129‐141.
· W.J. Easdown, J.D.H. Keatinge and M.L. Chadha (2011). Sustaining the Mungbean transformation and its contribution to global food and nutritional security. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture. (in press)
· J.D.H. Keatinge, W.J. Easdown, A. Sarker and C.L.L. Gowda (2011). Opportunities to increase grain legume production and trade to overcome malnutrition. Grain Legumes 58 (in press).
· Keatinge, J.D.H., Easdown, W.J., Sarker, A., Gowda, C.L.L. (2011). Strengthening our diverse options: the challenge of developing food and feed legumes over the next 25 years. Grain legumes 58 (in press)
· Easdown, W. & Chadha, M.L. (2010) International collaboration to develop the Australian mungbean industry. Australian Summer Grains Conference, 21-24 June, Gold Coast.
http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/grdcpublications/agsc
· Keatinge, J.D.H., Hughes, J.d'A, Tenkouano, A., Hamilton, K., Easdown, W.J., Mongi, H.O. (2009). Vegetables and small private interests. In: World Food Security: Can Private Sector R&D Feed the Poor? / ed. by Brown, A.G.; Canberra: Crawford Fund. p.60-68
· Weinberger, K.M., Easdown, W.J., Yang, R.Y., Keatinge, J.D.H. (2009). Food crisis in the Asia-Pacific region. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition 18(4):507-515.
· Wahlqvist, M.L., Keatinge, J.D.H., Butler, C.D., Friel, S., McKay, J. , Easdown, W., Kuo, K.N., Huang, C.J., Pan, W.H., Yang, R.Y., Lee, M.S., Chang, H.Y., Chiu, Y.W., Jaron, D., Krawinkel, M., Barlow, S., Walsh, G., Chiang, T.L., Huang, P.C., Li, D. (2009). A Food in Health Security (FIHS) platform in the Asia-Pacific region: the way forward. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition18(4):688-702.
· Keatinge, D. & Easdown, W. (2009). Hidden hunger: food security means balanced diets. Issues. no.89:35-39.
· Easdown, W. & Mecozzi, M. (2008). Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC) vegetable R&D network: Proceedings of the first steering committee meeting; Shanhua, Tainan : AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center. 110 pp.
· Juroszek, P., Lumpkin, T.A., Easdown, W., Tsai, H.H. (2008). Organic vegetable production and research needs in the tropics and subtropics. In: Organic agriculture in the tropics subtropics. Bonn : ISOFAR. p.29-52. ref.
· Easdown, WJ. & Starasts, A. (2004) Constructing useful information for farmers– the role of IT. 4th International Crop Science Congress. Brisbane: 26 Sept-1 Oct. http://www.cropscience.org.au/icsc2004/symposia/4/3/238_easdownwj.htm
· Hayman, PT & Easdown, WJ (2002) An ecology of a DSS: reflections on managing wheat crops in the north eastern Australian grains region with WHEATMAN Agricultural Systems, 74:57-77
· Easdown, WJ, Jasinski, M & Colliver, R. (2002) Online group processes to facilitate rural Internet research and development - Developing a generic process for participative development of R&D proposals using email. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation research Short Report 125, Canberra: Australia. http://www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/shortreps/sr125.html
· Easdown, WJ & Colliver, R (2002) Farmer groups on the net: Social factors affecting information farmer learning using the internet. FarmBis project report. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia.
· Easdown,WJ. Schmidt,D, Spencer,A., Bell,K, Starasts,A., Meikle,D.& Casey,M. (2002) Review of the DPI website. Rural Extension Centre consultancy report.
· Easdown, WJ & Libunao, W. (2000) Training course on management of agricultural information services. PASTT course 98-0058 ver4, 28 Feb-17 Mar. Completion report. AusAID:Canberra.
· Easdown, WJ (1999) Reinventing university education for workplace training of government extension workers in Australia. In ‘Connections – Adult learnings and the evolving university.’ 19th Alliance /ACE conference. Oct 21-23, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA
· Easdown WJ (1998) Building the Social Infrastructure to Support Practical Rural Internet Uses. Agricultural Information Technology in Asia and Oceania. First Asian Conference for Information Technology in Agriculture. pp 33-37. Wakayama City, Japan. Asian Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture http://www.jsai.or.jp/afita/afita-conf/1998/P04.pdf
· Fell, R, Clark, R, Easdown, WJ & Mobbs, R. (1998) Extension – dealing with diversity, coping with change. In H J Banks, E J Wright and K A Damcevski (Eds) “Stored Grain in Australia.” Proceedings of the Australian Postharvest Technical Conference. 26-29 May 1998. http://sgrl.csiro.au/aptc1998/19_fell.pdf
· Easdown, WJ (1998) ‘The elephant won’t fit in the toolbox’ In ‘Who’s listening – the place of communication technologies in rural communities.’ Proceedings of APEN Tasmania Conference, 13-14 July. Launceston.
· Easdown, WJ (1997) The role of the internet in rural communities. Occasional paper (4):2, Department of Natural and Rural Systems Management: University of Queensland - Gatton College
· Easdown, WJ (1997) Overcoming constraints on rural internet use. Proceedings of “Farming in the information age.” 23rd Australian Farm Management Society conference, Toowoomba, 6-8 Feb.
· Easdown, WJ (1997) Changing the rural web of rusty fencing wire: empowering with better telecommunications. Proceedings of the 2nd Australasia Pacific Extension Conference. Albury, Vol.1.pp 367-373.
· Easdown WJ (1997) The telecommunication needs of Darling Downs Futureprofit groups. Internal report. Rural Extension Centre: University of Queensland.
· Easdown, WJ (1996) Alternatives to the software product mentality in extension. In ‘8th Australian Agronomy Conference’. Australian Society of Agronomy. p. 223-227.
· Easdown, WJ (1996) The social impact of computer networking on the restructuring of an extension service. In ‘8th Australian Agronomy Conference’. Australian Society of Agronomy. p. 227-230.
· Egan, JP, Hammer, GL., Abrect, DG., Hayman, PT., Elliot, GA., Balston, JM., Huda, AKS. & Easdown WJ(1995) In “Managing climate risks in grain production.” Proceedings of Managing with climate variability conference, Canberra, Nov. 16-17.
· Easdown, W.J. (1995) Using the SOI for planting decisions. Darling Downs summer crop management notes. Toowoomba: QDPI.
· Easdown, WJ (1994) Outfitting and Incorporating: the social effects of computer technology in the restructuring of the Illinois CES. Unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Illinois.
· Easdown, WJ (1992) A new approach for using computers to assist complex agricultural decision making. Unpublished Masters thesis. University of Illinois.