Agricultural Economist and Rural Development Planner, Ousman Touray has over 30 years’ experience of humanitarian and rural development programming in West Africa: The Gambia, Senegal, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Ousman’s career has been characterised by extensive work in social research, gender and development, monitoring and evaluation, and impact assessment of regional development programmes and projects. He possesses substantial expertise in the design, development, and implementation of gender-responsive programmes, projects, policies, and strategies, gained through years of engagement with diverse development contexts across West Africa. Ousman has expert knowledge in development planning, gender, support to vulnerable small-holder female farmers and rural populations, community development, human rights, and institutional assessment and organisational development, combined with training and facilitation roles. In his experience, he has designed and implemented several gender and women empowerment programmes, including women’s vegetable production and marketing in the Gambia, adolescent reproductive health initiatives in Nigeria, and micro-finance initiatives with women in Sierra Leone and Liberia. With proven leadership in organisational strategic planning and programme implementation, he has successfully developed and managed initiatives that address critical development challenges while promoting social inclusion, equity, and sustainable livelihoods. His career is driven by a strong commitment to social justice, human dignity, and community empowerment, balanced with a deep appreciation for professionalism, accountability, innovation, and results-oriented management. Ousman's work experience includes 8 years with Government as Senior Agricultural Planner, 3 years as M&E/Agricultural Economics Specialist with Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du Fleuve Gambie (OMVG), 9 years with Concern Universal in Gambia and Nigeria as project officer, programme manager and subsequently Country Director, 3 years as International Programme Manager with Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), and 7 years with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations as programme monitoring and evaluation officer and Senior Programme Officer and Technical Advisor. During these years of work, Ousman has worked on different policies, strategies, evaluations and programmes with a strong gender focus. He is deputizing Project Director of the IFAD-funded ROOTS Project in the country and the first board chairman of United for Development.
