Collaborating to develop agricultural skills


Book Description

Investing in farmers – or agriculture human capital – is crucial to addressing challenges in our agri-food systems. A global study carried out by the FAO Investment Centre and the International Food Policy Research Institute, with support from the CGIAR Research Programme on Policies, Institutions and Markets and the FAO Research and Extension Unit, looks at agriculture human capital investments, from trends to promising initiatives. One of the nine featured case studies comes from the State of Mississippi in the United States of America. Agencies from i) formal education systems; (ii) nonformal education systems; (iii) state governmental agencies; and (iv) advocacy and commodity groups collaborated to develop agriculture human capital among youth and adults. Agency documents, representatives and clients described technical skills and functional skills developed, resulting in benefits like increased agricultural productivity, reduced expenses, higher individual or farm income, networks linking farmers and other producers, a better prepared workforce and a strong agriculture industry with good economic returns. This publication is part of the Country Investment Highlights series under the FAO Investment Centre's Knowledge for Investment (K4I) programme.




Systems Research for Agriculture


Book Description




Towards Collaborative Research in International Development


Book Description

The new millennium has witnessed profound changes to the way donor countries are approaching international development – with the emphasis now on collaborative, people-centred development. This timely book explores how research and research culture need to adapt to mesh with this new reality.




Agricultural, Biosystems, and Biological Engineering Education


Book Description

Agricultural engineering, developed as an engineering discipline underpinned by physics, applies scientific principles, knowledge, and technological innovations in the agricultural and food industries. During the last century, there was exponential growth in engineering developments, which has improved human wellbeing and radically changed how humans interact with each other and our planet. Among these, “Agricultural Mechanization” is ranked among the top 10 in a list of 20 Top Engineering Achievements of the last century that have had the greatest impact on the quality of life. While many success stories abound, the problems of low appeal among students, identity crises, and limited job opportunities in many climes continue to trouble the discipline’s future in many parts of the world. Yet agriculture and agricultural engineering remain fundamental to assuring food and nutrition security for a growing global population. Agricultural, Biosystems, and Biological Engineering Education provides the first comprehensive global review and synthesis of different agricultural, biosystems, and biological engineering education approaches, including a detailed exposition of current practices from different regions. Key Features: Describes novel approaches to curriculum design and reform Outlines current and emerging epistemology and pedagogies in ABBE education Provides a framework to grow agricultural engineering in Africa and other developing regions Highlights the role of ABBE education in the context of the SDGs Presented in 3 parts and containing 42 chapters, this book covers the historical evolution of agricultural engineering education and discusses the emergence of biological and biosystems engineering education. It will appeal to engineers and other professionals, education planners and administrators, and policy makers in agriculture and other biological industries.







Biotechnology


Book Description

Need for biotechnology research in Africa; Enhancing the genetic base; Cell and tissue culture; Controlled gene manipulation; Using molecular markers; Other selected applications of biotechnology; Policy issues.




Promoting Statistical Practice and Collaboration in Developing Countries


Book Description

"Rarely, but just often enough to rebuild hope, something happens to confound my pessimism about the recent unprecedented happenings in the world. This book is the most recent instance, and I think that all its readers will join me in rejoicing at the good it seeks to do. It is an example of the kind of international comity and collaboration that we could and should undertake to solve various societal problems. This book is a beautiful example of the power of the possible. [It] provides a blueprint for how the LISA 2020 model can be replicated in other fields. Civil engineers, or accountants, or nurses, or any other profession could follow this outline to share expertise and build capacity and promote progress in other countries. It also contains some tutorials for statistical literacy across several fields. The details would change, of course, but ideas are durable, and the generalizations seem pretty straightforward. This book shows every other profession where and how to stand in order to move the world. I urge every researcher to get a copy!" —David Banks from the Foreword Promoting Statistical Practice and Collaboration in Developing Countries provides new insights into the current issues and opportunities in international statistics education, statistical consulting, and collaboration, particularly in developing countries around the world. The book addresses the topics discussed in individual chapters from the perspectives of the historical context, the present state, and future directions of statistical training and practice, so that readers may fully understand the challenges and opportunities in the field of statistics and data science, especially in developing countries. Features • Reference point on statistical practice in developing countries for researchers, scholars, students, and practitioners • Comprehensive source of state-of-the-art knowledge on creating statistical collaboration laboratories within the field of data science and statistics • Collection of innovative statistical teaching and learning techniques in developing countries Each chapter consists of independent case study contributions on a particular theme that are developed with a common structure and format. The common goal across the chapters is to enhance the exchange of diverse educational and action-oriented information among our intended audiences, which include practitioners, researchers, students, and statistics educators in developing countries.




Development and Poverty Reduction


Book Description

Although the absolute number of poor people in the world has declined significantly in recent decades, poverty reduction continues to be a very important issue. There still are very large numbers of poor people, relative poverty is an increasingly concerning problem, and progress on poverty reduction varies enormously from one part of the world to another. Factors contributing to poverty reduction include economic growth, economic integration, and specific poverty-reduction programs, which are often initiated by Western countries. This book considers poverty reduction from a global perspective. Development and Poverty Reduction looks at a wide range of specific subjects, across all continents. It highlights in particular how the issues are perceived from a non-Western perspective and especially how the rise of China is both having a profound impact on poverty reduction globally and also changing the overall way in which development and poverty reduction are approached.




RNR STRATEGY 2040: Bhutan-IFPRI collaboration and beyond


Book Description

The agriculture sector in Bhutan has evolved progressively from subsistence to integrated semi-commercial sector, and encompasses forestry, agriculture, and livestock, collectively termed as Renewable Natural Resources (RNR). Systematic development since the 1960s has helped improve production of crops, livestock, and overall management of natural resources. Agriculture continues to be a major source of employment after five decades of planned development, with a staggering 51 percent of its population in farming, of which 61.7 percent are female (NSB 2019). Bhutan has also successfully maintained 71 percent of its natural forest cover (FRMD 2018), representing extensive carbon sequestration sink and making the country carbon-negative. Bhutan’s “green” approach to development, founded on the philosophy of Gross National Happiness and more particularly its local values, culture, and religious beliefs of coexistence with nature, has helped in maintaining remarkably stable forest cover and clean environment. Forest cover in Bhutan consists predominantly of broad-leaved trees accounting for 50 percent coverage (1.928 million ha), while 20 percent cover is provided by coniferous trees. The estimated forest biomass of about 973 million tonnes serves as a significant terrestrial carbon sink, amounting to 457 million tonnes of carbon (FRMD 2018). The forests of Bhutan show a wide range of ecological variation and species diversity offering wide variety of social and economic benefits, ranging from easily quantifiable economic values associated with forest products to less tangible services and contributions to society, thereby serving as the foundation of sustainable development. This initiative of collaboration resulted into formalization of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MoAF) and IFPRI on July 19, 2019, that defines the areas of cooperation between the two institutions. Since the initiation of this MoU in late 2018, MoAF and IFPRI started working on the collaboration which focused on capacity development of MoAF in policy analysis and visioning. This report aims to provide synopsis of MoAF–IFPRI collaborations from 2018 to 2020, highlighting the main output and defining areas of future collaborations.




Agriculture Investment Sourcebook


Book Description

Investing to promote agricultural growth and poverty reduction is a central pillar of the World Bank's current rural strategy, 'Reaching the Rural Poor' (2003). This 'Sourcebook' addresses how to implement the rural strategy, by sharing information on investment options and identifying innovative approaches that will aid the design of future lending programs for agriculture. It provides generic good practices and many examples that demonstrate investment in agriculture can provide rewarding and sustainable returns to development efforts. It is divided into eleven self-contained modules. Each module contains three different types of subunits that can also be stand-alone documents: I. Module Overview II. Agricultural Investment Notes III. Innovative Activity Profiles. The stand-alone nature of the subunits allows flexibility and adaptability of the material. Selected readings and web links are also provided for readers who seek more in-depth information. The 'Sourcebook' draws on a wide range of experiences from donor agencies, governments, institutions, and other groups active in agricultural development. It is an invaluable reference tool for policy makers, professionals, academics and students, and anyone with an interest in agricultural investments.