Shivalika Gupta is a rural development specialist committed towards generating quality evidence in development programs and policy. During the past eight years, she has progressively engaged with a variety of stakeholders, including consultants, academics, international donors, and the Government of India across topics including agriculture, financial inclusion, health & nutrition, and energy. It is her conviction that the missing key to the infamous challenge of policy implementation gap is providing access to credible evidence to all stakeholders, especially the communities concerned. As a technical expert for monitoring, evaluation, and policy research, her strengths are research designs (experimental & quasi-experimental), leading evaluation studies, developing logical frameworks, developing indicators for projects and programs, designing monitoring systems, and documentation. In her prior engagement as Welthungerhilfe India’s first M.E.A.L Coordinator (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning), she led the creation of a new technical support unit for the country program comprising 31 local NGO partners nationwide. The unit supports the partners on planning and implementing M&E functions, accountability initiatives, and capacity building initiatives. Previously, she has worked in various research-oriented capacities with research consulting, J-PAL, and NITI Aayog (Government of India’s policy think tank). As an evaluator, she has singlehandedly led field studies across eight states in India. As a trainer, she is known to deploy a hands-on approach to M&E related topics across all levels of program implementation. Shivalika continues to work on challenges related to agrarian distress and farmer welfare.

Host Organization: International Fertilizer Development Center

Role at Host Organization: As the Global Engagement Programs Fellow, Tabish will play a role in managing global engagement programs at the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs. The Fellow will be working within different fields, including assessment, event planning, program/partnership management and development, marketing and recruitment, curriculum development, and alumni engagement.