Social Media – The Next Revolution

Why do some of us shy away from trying out new technology such as social media? There could be several reasons: too complicated to figure out; too expensive to implement; my supervisor/colleagues would never approve; more suitable for geeks and teenagers; it’ll take too much time … Or my personal favorite: I like things the way they are now. Yes, change can be a pain, because it can shake up your organized, structured existence. However, we can’t close our eyes and hope the Internet will go away.

Social media tools can help you in your role as researcher, manager or communicator.

Read more here!

Innovative Farmer Advisory Services Using ICT

Over the past 10 years, there has been a remarkable progress in the use of ICT in African agriculture, especially in the area of farmers’ access to market information. Various projects have been developed that integrate ICTs into the dissemination of agricultural information to farmers. Farmers Information Services at the national and regional level are a promising new field of research and application in the emerging field of e-agriculture. This paper discusses several innovative projects using ICTs to deliver information to farmers, focussing its analysis largely on mobile telephony, which has become more widespread recently as a means of disseminating agricultural information to farmers and offers various means of providing agricultural information in areas where internet infrastructure is limited and unreliable. Read more here.

Young Researchers Seminar – Call for Candidatures

The French Initiative for International Agricultural Research (FI4IAR: a joint venture of Inra and Cirad) in collaboration with Agropolis Fondation and with the support of the Young Professionals’ Platform for Agricultural Research for Development (YPARD) is organizing its first biennial seminar for young researchers working in developed and developing countries. Entitled “Exploring Agricultural Research for the future: a dialogue between young researchers from the South and the North”, the event will provide an opportunity for doctoral and post doctoral students to dialogue and to establish links between young researchers from the North and the South. More info here.

 

 

ICTs for Women’s Socio-Economic Empowerment

A World Bank Working Paper dated June 2009 presents both traditional examples of effective practices for women in developing regions and a new, bold model for development for consideration through a “female first” policy that sets as a requirement for all mainstream initiatives the insistence that projects take into consideration the impact and engagement of women. By asking the question, how will women be impacted and engaged, unresolved challenges can be addressed in areas including e-government, agriculture, e-learning, business development, and entrepreneurship. Overcoming these challenges will benefit women, but will also benefit their families their communities, and the developing regions. Read the WB paper here.

ESRC-DFID: Research on Poverty Alleviation – Call for Applications

The Department for International Development (DFID) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) have agreed to continue their strategic partnership to provide a joint funding scheme for development research. The purpose of the scheme is to provide a more robust conceptual and empirical basis for development, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

This second phase of the joint scheme has a total budget of £23 million and will consist of three annual calls for proposals. £7m is set aside for this first call.

Deadline for applications: 4pm UK time on 24th September 2009.
More info here.

Climate and Disaster Governance Programme – Bursaries for Students in Developing Countries

The Climate and Disaster Governance Programme is offering research bursaries of up to US$1000 to support research at the national or sub-national level in developing countries on topics that fall under the four themes:

• Citizen engagement and accountability in climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction policy processes
• What role for social protection in reducing climate and disaster risk?
• Opportunities for climate and disaster institution building in fragile states
• Implications of international climate and disaster risk reduction policy frameworks

Research topics that investigate cross-cutting issues related to Climate and Disaster Governance will also be considered.

Deadline for applications: 31 July 2009.
More info here.

Chance to develop climate change hub

DFID wishes to engage a Service Provider to establish and manage a major new Climate and Development Knowledge Network (“Climate Network”) to deliver a set of knowledge management, research and tailored advisory services for developing countries. More info here!

Magazine Debate: Value chains address poverty…?

The June 2009 issue of the LEISA magazine opens the debate on the value of value chain development for poverty reduction.

Victor Attuquaye Clottey (Ghana) argues that innovative agri-business has the potential to get farmers out of the poverty chain. Farmers in northern Ghana doubled their incomes from selling farm products in 2005-2008.

Gertjan Becx on the other hand says that there are many constraints for small-scale farmers to become entrepreneurial. Only “pro-poor” value chains will benefit the neeediest farmers.

What do you think? Is value chain development indeed going to lead to rural development and less poverty? Can men and women benefit equally? Or are other strategies more promising? Click here to post your comments!

Zimbabwe – Virtual Farming Is Bearing Fruits

How to optimally market honey, to cultivate a field or to avoid soil erosion is what small-holding farmers can learn – among many other topics – from innovative three-dimensional learning visualisations, which are now available in Zimbabwe. Read more here!

Portal for Tertiary Agricultural Education in Africa launched

ITOCA (Information, Training and Outreach  Centre for Africa) announces the launch of the portal for Tertiary Agricultural Education (TAE) in Africa. The portal was developed through funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and is available on the public domain. The portal’s online interactive database gives vital data to enable the tracking of human capital development in the tertiary agricultural education sector in Africa. Read more here.