The Central American Bank for Economic Integration
(CABEI), as a development bank and the financial arm of integration,
has as its mission to promote progress and integration in the
Isthmus, to foment economic growth with equity and to respect
the environment, by means of supporting public and private projects
that create productive employment and contribute to improve productivity
and competitiveness, as well as increase the human development
indexes of the region.
Established in 1960, CABEI's mission is to assist
Central America's public and private sectors in attaining external
resources to promote regional development. CABEI has attracted
external funding for countless financial and technical assistance
programmes for the development of Central America's energy, telecommunications,
transportation and agricultural industries, as well as human resources,
housing, tourism, social development, and environmental conservation.
http://www.bcie.org
INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (IDB)
The Inter-American Development Bank was established
in 1959 as a development institution with lending and technical
cooperation programmes for economic and social development projects
that went far beyond the mere financing of economic projects that
was customary at the time. The IDB's programmes and tools proved
so effective that soon the IDB became the model on which all other
regional and sub-regional multilateral development banks were
created. Today, the IDB is the oldest and largest regional development
bank.
It is the main source of financing for economic,
social and institutional development projects as well as trade
and regional integration programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean.
In addition, agriculture and rural development are issues that
have received great financial support from the institution. The
IDB has recently increased its support to programmes that seek
to increase productivity, improve efficiency of government programmes
related to the rural sector and reduce rural poverty within a
framework of programmes aiming at improving environmental conditions
and promoting the entrance to international markets.
http://www.iadb.org/index.cfm?Language=english
http://www.iadb.org/topics/index.cfm?language=English
WORLD BANK (WB)
Agriculture and Rural Development >Strategy
> Implementation
Implementation of the Wold Bank's Agriculture
and Rural Development Strategy is centred on four main thrusts:
Integrating the needs of the rural poor in National Policy Dialogues;
scaling up investments and innovative approaches in rural development;
improving the quality and the impact of bank operations; and implementing
global corporate priorities and enhancing partnerships.
Taking into account the different realities of
countries across the world and the level of rural communities'
access to external markets and finance, strategies seek to identify
priorities and propose appropriate instruments to address their
specific circumstances.
Among the objectives of the World Bank's rural
strategy the following stand out: integrating the needs of the
rural poor in social national policy dialogues, scaling up investments
and innovative approaches in rural development, improving quality
and impact of the Bank's operations and implementing global corporate
priorities and enhancing partnerships.
http://www.worldbank.org/
http://lnweb18.worldbank.org/ESSD/ardext.nsf/11ByDocName/StrategyImplementation
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES - CIRAD
CIRAD has a mandate to "contribute to rural
development in tropical and subtropical countries through research,
experimentation, training operations in France and overseas, and
scientific and technical information, primarily in the fields
of agriculture, forestry and agrifoods".
The institution promotes development-oriented
research and actions with scientific excellence and quality and
it bolsters sustainable development by taking into account the
long-term economic and social impact of the processes of change
in communities and countries in the southern hemisphere. Therefore,
one of the key objectives of its international research is to
reduce social inequalities by means of sharing and the joint acquisition
of knowledge.
CIRAD works in over 50 countries worldwide and
has built and kept close links with different communities, agricultural,
animal and forest production centres where it has conducted research,
economic analysis, perspective analysis, surveys, etc. This has
enable CIRAD to coordinate and manage research projects and it
has facilitated the implementation and action of national and
international policies on training and information.
http://www.cirad.fr/en/index.php
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR TROPICAL AGRICULTURE - CIAT
The International Centre for Tropical Agriculture
(CIAT) is a non-profit organization that conducts socially and
environmentally progressive research aimed at reducing hunger
and poverty and preserving natural resources in developing countries.
Provided that rural people across the tropic - who account for
most of the world's poor - are given the right kind of support,
they are capable of achieving sustainable rural livelihoods. The
aim is to work on three areas: competitive agriculture, healthy
agro ecosystems and rural innovation.
CIAT's experience demonstrates that persistent
research on key crops and natural resource management is a highly
effective and direct way to address the needs of the tropic's
poor. In conducting research for development, the Centre draws
on expertise in five complementary areas: agro biodiversity and
genetics; ecology and management of pests and diseases; soil ecology
and improvement; analysis of spatial information; and socioeconomic
analysis.
CIAT has built ties with other institutions through
research organised around projects. Its partners include other
international centres, national research institutes, universities,
non-government organisations, the private sector and rural communities.
They work together to join efforts and receive the cooperation
of experts in a variety of scientific areas. In addition, as a
service to its partners, the Centre provides varied offerings
in training and conferences, specialised services in information
and documentation and a broad programme of communications.
CIAT is one of the 15 centres - known as the Future
Harvest Centres (http://www.futureharvest.org/) - working to reduce
hunger and poverty and preserve natural resources in the developing
world through partnerships with farmers, scientist and policy
makers in several fields.
http://www.ciat.cgiar.org/index.html
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH CENTRE - IDRC
The International Development Research Centre
(IDRC) aims at starting, promoting, supporting and conducting
research on the problems that affect developing regions worldwide
and the means of applying and adapting technical, scientific and
other knowledge to contribute to the economic and social progress
of these regions. It further seeks to optimise the creation, adaptation
and appropriateness of the knowledge that people from developing
countries consider of greater relevance for their own prosperity,
safety and equity.
The Canadian Parliament provides the institution
with financial resources and there are also donations from other
international bodies that facilitate the execution of programmes
and projects that aim at attaining greater economic and social
equity, improving natural and environmental resources management
and creating a more equitable access to information.
The Centre's operations in Latin America and the
Caribbean are guided by a regional office located in Montevideo,
Uruguay. (http://www.idrc.ca/lacro/)
www.idrc.ca
INTERNATIONAL POTATO CENTRE - CIP
The International Potato Centre (known worldwide
by its Spanish acronym, CIP) seeks to reduce poverty and achieve
food security on a sustained basis in developing countries through
scientific research and related activities on potato, sweet potato,
other root and tuber crops, and on the improved management of
natural resources in the Andes and other mountain areas.
CIP is one of the 15 centres known as Future Harvest
Centres (http://www.futureharvest.org/).
CIP headquarters are in La Molina, on the outskirts of Lima, and
they have several experimental stations.
CIP contributes to the CGIAR in a limited research
area defined by commodities (potato, sweet potato and Andean root
and tuber crops) and eco regions, in CIP's case, the Andes. CIP,
in close association with national research systems, selects priority
activities within these major work areas. These priorities are
continually refined against changes in the way crops are grown,
as well as changes in science and in national programmes.
http://www.cipotato.org/Org/org.htm
INTERNATIONAL MAIZE AND WHEAT IMPROVEMENT CENTRE (CIMMYTI)
The International Maize and Wheat Improvement
Centre (CIMMYT) is committed to improving livelihoods in developing
countries. Through thorough scientific research and effective
partnerships, CIMMYT creates, shares, and uses knowledge and technology
to increase food security, improve the productivity and profitability
of farming systems, and sustain natural resources.
CIMMYT is a non-profit international body with
direct links to about 100 developing countries through offices
in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It participates in an extensive
global network of people and organisations who share similar development
goals, including the public and private sector, non-governmental
and civil society organisations, relief and health agencies, farmers,
and the development assistance community.
http://www.cimmyt.org/
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN - ECLAC
The Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA)
was established by Economic and Social Council resolution 106(VI)
of 25 February 1948 and began to function that same year. By resolution
1984/67 of 27 July 1984, the Council decided to change its name
to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.
ECLAC, which is headquartered in Santiago, Chile,
is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations.
It was founded for the purposes of contributing to the economic
development of Latin America, coordinating actions directed towards
this end, and reinforcing economic relationships among the countries
and with the other nations of the world. The promotion of the
region's social development was later included among its primary
objectives.
Rural development and agricultural issues are
approached through a variety of programmes that focus on research,
diagnosis, design and recommendation of policies, technical assistance
and knowledge exchange through publications and courses. Additionally,
programmes on environmental development and sustainability assessment
are implemented. These issues are contained in the Division of
Production, Productivity and Management (http://www.eclac.cl/ddpe/default.asp?idioma=IN)
and the Division of Sustainable Development and Human Settlements
(http://www.eclac.cl/dmaah/).
http://www.eclac.cl/default.asp?idioma=IN
DEUTSCHE GESELLSCHAFT für TECHNISCHE ZUSAMMENARBEIT (GTZ)
GmbH
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische
Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH is an international cooperation enterprise
for sustainable development. GTZ's main client is the German Federal
Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It also
operates on behalf of other German ministries, governments of
member countries and international clients, such as the European
Union, the United Nations or the World Bank, as well as private
enterprises. GTZ works on a public-benefit basis and any surpluses
generated are channelled back into its own international cooperation
projects for sustainable development.
GTZ adapts its procedures and solutions to the
circumstances of its partner countries and it works with them
to develop strategies and measures that adapt to each context
and are implemented on the basis of a group of technical, regional
and management competencies. GTZ develops international cooperation
activities designed in accordance with the "sustainable development"
model, with the aim of increasing the action-taking capacity of
participants through "skills development".
GTZ provides services in connection with activity
areas that range from economic and employment promotion, governance
and democracy, basic health and education, to environmental and
natural resources care, agriculture, fishing and food. These are
some of its main services: advisory services to organisations
and governments in the fulfilment of their tasks and the development
of their democratic institutions and the rule of law, services
in project management and financing areas, expert selection and
guidance, technical planning and purchase of equipment and materials
for projects, career development courses, etc.
The work done within the framework of Rural Development
Programmes (http://www.gtz.de/en/themen/laendliche-entwicklung/863.htm)
focuses on interventions that aim at reducing food insecurity
and poverty in rural areas of many developing countries. Having
this in mind, several measures are proposed and implemented to
promote employment and sustainable management of natural resources.
http://www.gtz.de/en/
INTER-AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR COOPERATION ON AGRICULTURE - IICA
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on
Agriculture (IICA) is a specialized agency of the Inter-American
system, and its purposes are to encourage and support the efforts
of its Member States to foster agricultural development and rural
well-being in their territories.
With more than six decades of institutional life,
the Institute is responding to new mandates issued by the Heads
of State and Government of the Americas, the General Assembly
of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the ministers
of agriculture of the Americas. It has accumulated a wealth of
knowledge regarding agriculture and the rural sector, the diversity
of peoples and cultures, and the agro ecological diversity of
the hemisphere, all of which are important for crafting creative
solutions to a wide variety of problems and challenges.
Its presence in all of the Member States gives
the Institute the flexibility it needs to move resources between
countries and regions, in order to design and adapt cooperation
initiatives intended to address national and regional priorities,
facilitate the flow of information and improve the dissemination
of best practices. In pursuit of its vision and mission, IICA
focuses its actions in six strategic areas: Trade and Agribusiness
Development; Technology and Innovation; Agricultural Health and
Food Safety; Sustainable Rural Development; Information and Communication;
Education and Training.
The Institute has its Headquarters in Costa Rica,
and Offices in 34 countries of the Americas, as well as an Office
for Europe located in Madrid. The Directorate for Strategic Partnerships
works out of the IICA Office in Washington, D.C.
http://www.iica.int/costarica/
INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE - IFPRI
The United States International Food Policy Research
Institute was established in 1975 with the aims of identifying
and analysing national and international strategies and policies
for sustainably meeting the food needs of the developing world,
particularly concentrating on low-income countries and their poor.
Although research is precisely oriented towards
the objective of contributing to hunger and malnutrition reduction,
the factors involved go well beyond the food sector strictly defined.
The Institute's research programme reflects worldwide collaboration
with governments and public and private institutions interested
in increasing food production and having a more equitable distribution
of such food. The results of the Institute's research is disseminated
among authorities, opinion leaders, managers, policy analysts,
researchers and other people interested in food and agriculture
policy at a national and international level.
IFPRI is one of 15 food and environmental research
organisations known as the Future Harvest Centres (http://www.futureharvest.org/).
The centres conduct research in partnership with farmers, scientists,
and policymakers to help alleviate poverty and increase food security
while protecting the natural resource base. They work in the countries
that make up the Consultative Group on International Agricultural
Research (CGIAR) (http://www.cgiar.org).
http://www.ifpri.org/
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF RURAL RECONSTRUCTION - IIRR
The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction
(IIRR) works with low-income farmers of developing countries in
order to improve their livelihoods, taking their own strengths
and resources as a basis. IIRR manages to achieve this through
field research, training, publications and field-tested programmes
on low-income communities, together with other development organisations.
Rural reconstruction is a development strategy
that was first implemented by Mass Education and Rural Reconstruction
Movement, founded in China in 1923 by Dr. Y.C. James Yen. The
IIRR includes the principles of rural reconstruction in its three
components: The Learning Community (IIRR works with poor communities
to involve community leaders in the planning, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation of integrated development programs);
Education and Training (the Institute offers training courses
and several study programmes for development workers); Publications
and Communication Programme (IIRR works to document field-based
experiences).
At present, the Institute operates at its Headquarters
in Yen Centre in the Philippines, at its regional offices in Africa
and Latin America (Quito) and its local office in Ethiopia. It
has been working in Latin America since 1965 with the National
Reconstruction Movements in Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras and
in 1993 it opened its regional office in Quito, Ecuador.
http://www.iirr.org/index.htm
ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES - OAS
The Organization of American States (OAS) brings
together the countries of the Western Hemisphere to strengthen
cooperation and advance common interests. It is the region's premier
forum for multilateral dialogue and concerted action.
At the core of the OAS mission is an unequivocal
commitment to democracy, as expressed in the Inter-American Democratic
Charter: "The peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy
and their governments have an obligation to promote and defend
it." Building on this foundation, the OAS works to promote
good governance, strengthen human rights, foster peace and security,
expand trade, and address the complex problems caused by poverty,
drugs and corruption. Through decisions made by its political
bodies and programmes carried out by its General Secretariat,
the OAS promotes greater inter-American cooperation and understanding.
The OAS member states have intensified their cooperation
since the end of the Cold War, taking on new and important challenges.
In 1994 the region's 34 democratically elected presidents and
prime ministers met in Miami for the First Summit of the Americas,
where they established broad political, economic and social development
goals. They have continued to meet periodically since then to
examine common interests and priorities. Through the ongoing Summits
of the Americas process, the region's leaders have entrusted the
OAS with a growing number of responsibilities to help advance
the countries' shared vision.
http://www.oas.org/main/english/
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS - FAO
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO) leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving
both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral
forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements
and debate policy.
FAO helps developing countries and countries in
transition to modernise and improve agriculture, forestry and
fisheries practices in order to make sure people have regular
access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives.
Since its founding in 1945, it has focused special attention on
developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor
and hungry people.
FAO's mandate is to raise the level of nutrition,
improve agricultural productivity, better the lives of rural populations
and contribute to the growth of world economy.
http://www.fao.org/
