During the last12 years, Barry has worked with IIED directing research on the environmental assessment of the development projects, programmes and policies of aid agencies and has been involved in a range of major project feasibility and appraisal studies. A qualified botanist and soil scientist, he has specialised in the environmental interactions between natural resources, their use and management, and their relevance to development. He is also author of Blacks Agricultural Dictionary and has written several books on aspects of sustainable development and published over 70 journal papers, survey and technical reports. Her MSc thesis focused on the return of benefits from biodiversity use to local communities in Peru, involving 2 months field work in an indigenous Amazonian community using participatory appraisal.
Previous work includes international advertising telesales.
She is fluent in French and Spanish. In 1998 she began working on biodiversity issues at IIED, and since early 1999 has been co-ordinating a research project focusing on the Convention on Biological Diversity's third objective on benefit sharing. The project, on 'Participation in Policies on Access to Genetic Resources Traditional Knowledge Policies', has involved case studies in Peru, South Africa, the Philippines and India, and less detailed reviews of other countries. The case studies will be available in early December 2000, together with a Synthesis report containing a summary of the findings and recommendations for securing effective participation. A review of IIED's work on customary law, as part of a project on Natural Resources.