Who is who: Fouzia Nasreen
AFS Newsletter - Who is who
1. What do you love, or what is special, about your work?
I have had the opportunity to work in some of the flagship market systems development (MSD) projects due to my engagement in Swisscontact. With the experience, I am now supporting various MSD projects on systems thinking, design and application.
2. Most interesting aspects of the context you work in?
The most interesting aspect of the work I do is the constant and good realization that sustainability matters and that our facilitation approach can bring about real impact in the field. I enjoy working with colleagues and stakeholders with various backgrounds and in various contexts – and really value the opportunity to learn from each of the work I do.
3. What is the most important lesson you have learned from your work?
Before thinking of a strategy, it is important to know the context well! Interactions with the relevant people in the field is key. The MSD approach needs to be inclusive and grounded in the context it is being applied to. For a strategy development process, it should begin with the aim to build a story on how systems change can be achieved in the given context and then work on practical steps to achieve the goal – which will translate into action points for the implementation team.
Short biography:
Fouzia Nasreen is a market systems development (MSD) professional with over 20 years of experience in the field of agriculture. She has held leadership positions in renowned flagship market systems projects in Bangladesh and has been supporting various projects with hands-on implementation of MSD strategies. Additionally, she has served as a Strategic Advisor and Study Lead on MSD and GESI (gender equality and social inclusion) approaches in multiple programs in Rwanda, Uganda, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Kosovo, and Macedonia. She has also been involved in the design and development of new programme and phase strategies aiming for inclusive market growth.