Harold V. Tarver

Executive Profile

Strategic international development and program management leader with 30+ years advancing food security, trade capacity, and institutional resilience across Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Asia, and the United States.. Expert in USG (USDA, USAID, State Department) program design, grants and contract management, and cross-sector partnerships. Proven track record managing multimillion-dollar cooperative agreements, PASAs grants, and contracts with full financial and compliance accountability. Adept at building cross-sector partnerships, leading technical and operational teams, ensuring program delivery, and mentoring local institutions to achieve full compliance and sustainability in complex environments.

Core Competencies

Program Design & Execution Management (USDA, DOS) • Program/Operations Oversight • Grant & Contract Compliance • Financial Oversight • HR & Procurement • Oversight of Project & Program MEAL, CLA, and Knowledge Management Systems (for individual projects and programs) • Stakeholder Engagement • Project & Local Partner (University, Private Sector, NGO) Capacity Building • Strategic Planning • Risk Management • Project design, implementation and capacity-building leadership in:  Burkina Faso, Brazil, Cameroon, Chad, Colombia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Uganda, and Vietnam.

Selected Achievements

• Agricultural Development Advisor, USDA, Foreign Agricultural Service (Washington, DC) (January 2010–February 2025): Directed design and execution of six major technical assistance programs totaling $78M to strengthen food security and agricultural trade capacity in nine countries (West Africa Region, Haiti, Ghana, Peru, Nigeria, Brazil, Colombia, Vietnam, and Pakistan); oversaw the full life cycle of 17 cooperative agreements and grants, achieving 100% audit compliance with USDA, DOS, and USAID requirements; led procurement planning and competitive NOFO processes that improved partner selection quality and cut average startup time by 25%; negotiated bilateral agreements with foreign ministries and donors, strengthening intergovernmental partnerships and ensuring alignment with national strategies and U.S. policy objectives; supported international efforts to strengthen partner governments’ capacity to improve PSD national balance analyses, aligning with USDA methodologies and data standards; led financial reporting and performance frameworks that improved audit readiness and reduced reporting errors to near zero; mentored institutional partners (e.g., KNUST and UCC in Ghana) on grants administration that: 1) strengthened their capacity to co-design, execute, and monitor donor-funded initiatives, and 2) increased the percent of donor resources expended in country (as high as 70%–75% on several projects).
• Senior Manager, Institute for Food and Development Policy (Food First), Remote Support (USA) (June 2025–Present): Manage program delivery, partner engagement, and communications continuity across grant-funded initiatives; lead production of the monthly Food Sovereignty Digest, advancing public education and stakeholder visibility (https://foodfirst.org/newsletters-sep/); track grant performance and support proposal development with the Executive Director and Board of the organization based in Oakland, California.
• Africare, covering 11 African countries (Washington, DC) (July 1993–December 2009):
• Director (August 2006–December 2009): Designed and secured $50.8M in USDA and USAID funding for multi-year food security and emergency programs, increasing award competitiveness by 30%; directed $73M in regional operations, achieving on-time delivery and 100% donor audit compliance; standardized financial management training for nine country offices, improving fiscal discipline and cutting reporting turnaround time by 30%; cultivated strategic donor partnerships to expand operational reach and funding base.
• Country Representative (September 2001–August 2004): Led $1.4M annual portfolio in food security, health, and agriculture, achieving full compliance with Africare and donor standards; secured an $8.9M USAID multi-year grant, scaling program scope and sustainability; instituted rigorous financial controls and staff systems, increasing forecast accuracy and improving donor confidence.
• Assistant Regional Director, West & Central Francophone Africa Region (January–August 2001): Provided oversight of $13.7M in U.S.-funded programs across eight countries; reduced operational overhead through streamlined administrative functions and improved reporting.
• Food for Development Manager & Fellow (July 1993–December 2000): Oversaw design and management of 11 USAID P.L. 480 Title II programs in West Africa, improving monetization strategies and child nutrition monitoring; strengthened field office capacity in financial tracking and child nutrition monitoring, including training systems to ensure compliance and program impact.
• Community Development Agent & Technical Advisor in Animal Traction, Peace Corps (Togo) (June 1986–November 1989): Delivered hands-on training to farmers and extension agents on animal-traction systems, including safe and effective use of oxen for field work; improved land-preparation efficiency and crop productivity across project sites, resulting in a two-fold increase in adoption rates over three years.

Education & Certifications

M.S., International Agricultural Development, University of California, Davis, California

B.A., Political Science, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts

Certifications: Secret Security Clearance, Certified EMT-B, Firefighter II

Languages, Tools , & Honors

Fluent: English, French 
Tools: USDA ezFedGrants, MS Office Suite, Google Workspace, Airtable, Databank

Honors: Documented performance-based and special act cash awards from USDA (2010–2024)