UPPRO Team

A development professional with more than 20 years of work experience, Ramesh Mishra’s work experience mainly includes microfinance, Agri-value chain interventions, Institution development (SHGs, FPOs), and Market linkage.He has worked with many renowned organizations BASIX, MP Government. His expertise includes the formation and management of FPOs, Agri producing market linkage, managing large teams.

A development professional with a specialization in Agri produce Market linkages, Rajesh Verma holds an MBA from IBS Delhi, specializing in Marketing and HR and has more than ten years of work experience working with many reputed companies, mainly Taylor Nelson Sofress MODE, Religare Securities Ltd., and BASIX Consulting. His expertise includes Agri producing market linkages, FPO development, and management, HR, and Finance management.

A development professional with a specialization in Agriculture, Baldev Shukla has a Postgraduate degree in Agriculture (Agronomy) and more than ten years of work experience working with many reputed companies, mainly Syngenta, Margdarshak, and BASIX Consulting. His area of expertise includes Agri value chain interventions, FPO development, and management, Agriculture extension.

Ramakant Mishra is a development professional with a specialization in FPO formation and management and more than 5 years of working experience working with FPOs in managing their business portfolio, operations, compliance.

Babita is a development professional with a specialization in helping community-based institutions in maintaining books of accounts. She holds a Bachelor’s degree and has helped FPOs manage accounts, using accounting software Tally &Excel, File Management, and Data entry.

An astute professional has over three decades of experience including last 6 years in social sector with CDFI, a leading social enterprise developing and supporting digital innovations for social impact. The focus is to use technology to empower the poor and develop mechanisms to sustain and scale such solutions. At present taking care of outreach to connect market linkages & business development connect with corporate sector, various state government & public sectors. The previous experience both national & international in the area of Consumer Electronic Industry – BPL, SAMSUNG, HYUNDAI, DENON, MARANTZ & WESTINGHOUSE in Sales & Marketing with expertise in strategic planning, brand management, targeting audience insights, media planning and budget management.

Rajnikant Prasad is a rural development professional with 18 years of work experience in project management, advisory and academics focused towards pro poor livelihoods promotion. His core area of expertise is in developing and strengthening Community Based Institutions(Women Self Help Groups, Farmers Producer Organization),conducting livelihood based studies, pro poor livelihood interventions, Agri value chain interventions etc. He holds post graduate diploma in Rural management from Xavier Institute of Management ,Bhubaneswar(XIMB),Odissa. Rajnikant has worked with PRADAN,BASIX Consulting, IIMA,ALC India. Presently, working with Bandhan Konnagar as Director (PMU-SJY).

Ms. Prativa has 16 years of experience in supporting livelihood activities for rural communities in India in the development sector –both in NGOs and in consulting agencies in managing projects in agricultural value chains, impact assessments and skill development the beneficiaries drawn from different institutions such as SHGs, Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Companies. She was the co-founder of Urvii Khadyam pvt.ltd. Currently, she continues as the founder director of Softskillz LLP that imparts softskills to graduate students.
She completed her masters in International development from Cornell University, Newyork and post graduate diploma in Rural Development from XIMB, Odisha.

Mr. N. Srinivasa Rao has over two decades of experience in promoting and nurturing community-based institutions through active alliances & networking in various parts of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Ethiopia. Srinivas worked for the organizations such as Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), BASIX, WaterAid India and UNICEF. Srinivas is a graduate in Agricultural Engineering from Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University and did his masters in Psychology from Dr. B R Ambedkar University. Specific domains of his expertise are Agricultural Value Chain, Natural Resource Management (NRM), Community- based Enterprising, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Policy & Advocacy.

Lalmani Tiwari, Development professional with more than 25 years of experience in Community Institutions building, Regenerative Agriculture, financial inclusion, NTFP based livelihoods, Green enterprise development etc. with focus on M&E System design and implementation. He has worked with organisation like BASIX,IGS, IIFM and also as Independent Consultant as completed assignment of many reputed organisation which includes SIDBI, FWWB,Rajiv Gandhi Foundation,JICA, MP-SRLM etc. He hold post graduate in scince in Forestry.

Akash Gupta is a seasoned professional in the field of organic agriculture with extensive experience spanning over multiple countries, including Uganda, Benin, Vietnam, Chicago, and Nepal. He has a strong track record of forming farmer groups for crops like sesame, soybean, maize, pulses, kidney beans, and cotton, leading these projects to achieve organic certification under NOP and EU regulations. His work has involved coordinating with certification bodies, providing training, and ensuring compliance with organic standards. Currently, as the CEO and Organic Consultant of The Organic Ventures, he brings his expertise to assist clients in navigating the complexities of organic certification, from farm operations to multi-ingredient processing and packing. His leadership extends to training teams, preparing documentation, and ensuring that all certification criteria are met, making him a vital resource in the organic industry.