Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean January / February 2015

ENGLISH VERSIONNews / Calls and Awards / Recent and Upcoming Events / Project Publications and Articles

“Doing the bright thing” for Canada and the world

IDRC’s President reflects on a recent trip to Chile and Colombia as part of the delegation accompanying the Governor General of Canada.

“…No country can confront the tremendous challenges of today’s world on its own. But nor should it. A recent trip to Latin America brought home to me just how much Canada has to offer, and gain from, international collaborations aimed at tackling global challenges and achieving shared goals…”

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First Global Meeting of National Councils for Science, Technology and Innovation to be held in 2015

At this meeting, scheduled for October 2015 in Santiago de Chile, representatives of councils from 5 continents, will gather to discuss shared priorities and explore the next steps to enhance international collaboration in this field. This meeting is the result of a commitment between the Canadian Science, Technology and Innovation Council (STIC) and the Chilean Consejo Nacional de Innovación para el Desarrollo and part of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the abovementioned institutions and IDRC in December 2014.

Read more (Spanish)

The future of evaluation in Latin America

From march 9-13 the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Perú, will host the “IV International Conference on Evaluation” organized by the Latin-American and Caribbean Monitoring, Evaluation and Systematization Network (ReLAC), This year's conference focuses on “The future of evaluation in Latin America and the Caribbean: Development, Equity and Culture”. IDRC is supporting the participation of several researchers and evaluators at the conference, they will be presenting their IDRC-funded research in areas such as: Evaluation learning in climate change and adaptation; evaluation and social inclusion in

Latin America and the Caribbean; and new approaches for evaluating research quality results.

Read more (conference, Spanish) Read more (IDRC evaluation program)

Open data meet up in May!The Government of Canada, Canada’s International Development Research Centre, and the World Bank invite you to the 3rd International Open Data Conference. From May 28-29, 2015 sector and open data experts, senior government officials, industry

leaders, and civil society champions from around the world will gather in Ottawa, Canada to exchange ideas and work together to enable the data revolution. Pre-registration is now open! Conference updates will follow in the coming weeks and months. Read more

Six New Projects on Open and Collaborative Science in Latin America

October 2014 marked the launch of the Open and Collaborative Science in Development Network (OCSDNet), a research network aiming to gather observations on whether, and under which conditions, open approaches to research and collaboration could lead to various development outcomes in

the Global South. The Network has just announced the first group of awarded grants from its calls for case studies that employ innovative and transformative open processes to address a range of development challenges in marginalized contexts. The 13 awarded OCSDNet projects span 27 countries while 6 projects involve experiences from the following Latin America and Caribbean countries– Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico. Read more

Scaling up positive financial inclusion initiatives in 5 LAC countries

Although the region has made progress reducing poverty in recent years, 28% of Latin America’s population still lives in poverty and is extremely vulnerable and suffer from social and economic exclusion. To address this challenge, non-profit organizations have implemented "graduation" pilots with the aim of enhancing the assets that allow households to become self-sufficient, and build capacity to cope with shocks without falling back into extreme poverty. These include: consumption support, savings mobilization and financial literacy, livelihoods training and asset transfer. Fundación Capital, Ford Foundation and IDRC will be supporting the governments of Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico and Paraguay as they implement graduation strategies designed by each government through the evaluation of these programs. A request for proposals is now open, details in the “calls and awards” section. Read more

Three new policy briefs on entrepreneurship in the Caribbean

Did you know:

That compared to the populations in other Caribbean countries, Jamaicans hold more positive attitudes towards entrepreneurship and are more confident in their abilities to start and run a business, but are less likely to perceive good start-up opportunities?

Or that although early-stage enterprises in Colombia are relatively innovative in terms of their products and competitor markets, the vast majority are employing old technologies?

Or that societal attitudes towards entrepreneurship compare favourably to the average for LAC countries, but fewer Barbadians consider entrepreneurship as a good career choice?

Learn these and other interesting facts about entrepreneurship in the new documents produced by GEM Caribbean project. GEM Caribbean is financed by IDRC and aims to establish, train and strengthen entrepreneurship research teams in Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Read more

Alternative Justice Mechanisms The “Alternative Mechanisms for Expanding Access to Justice in Latin America” project being carried out by the Centro de Estudios de Justicia de las Américas (CEJA) with funding from IDRC, began in 2013. It seeks to generate public policy recommendations which improve access to justice for vulnerable groups in the population by incorporating alternative justice mechanisms into judicial processes in Latin America.

During the first phase of the project a baseline study allowed for the identification of 207 alternative justice mechanisms in 19 countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Access documents, infographics, bibliographic information and other information produced by the project here.

Food Security, Land and Territorial Dynamics in Bolivia

Between 2011 and 2014 IDRC funded the project “Food Security, Land and Territorial Dynamics in Bolivia” executed by Fundación Tierra. This project generated knowledge and skills about food security using an integrated approach which prioritizes land and agriculture policy, as well specific food security experiences.

Recently a series of five policy recommendations were published on this approach.

Read more (Spanish)

Promotion of healthy diets in the region

On January 21st the International Seminar “Promotion of healthy diets: a key strategy for the prevention of non-communicable diseases” took place in Lima, Peru. At the event, researchers shared progress from their research supported by IDRC in Chile, Argentina and Peru. The event was coordinated by Peter Busse, associate researcher at the Instituto de Estudios Peruanos (IEP).

Read more (Spanish)

Interactive tool on broadband indicators in Latin America The regional Dialogue on Information Society (DIRSI) created a new interactive tool that provides information on prices and affordability of fixed and mobile broadband in Latin America. The information is extracted from the annual survey quality and of prices of broadband that DIRSI prepares since 2010. Read more (Spanish)

 

Information Lives of the Poor – Videos available in Spanish

A series of video interviews to the authors of IDRC publication “Information Lives of the poor” are now available. In these videos, researchers from Africa, Asia and Latin America detail the changes caused by increased access to information and communication technologies among poor populations. Read more

IDRC-funded research published in prestigious scientific journals

The “World Development” journal will include a special edition with 11 articles produced by the Rural Territorial Dynamics Program (DTR) project and containing the main findings of the project.

Through the DTR program, RIMISP worked in 11

countries in the region with financing from IDRC. It tried to identify the reasons why some rural territories have managed to have more economic growth with social inclusion and environmental sustainability.

Read more

In February, the “Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene” journal published a special number on the impact of ecosystem interventions based on community participation in dengue and Chagas prevention in

Latin America and the Caribbean. It showcases the research results of 8 multidisciplinary teams in 7 Latin American countries. This research is financed by IDRC in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR). Read more

New book describes university/industry interaction in the Global South

University-Industry Interactions in the Global SouthEduardo Albuquerque, Wilson Suzigan, Glenda Kruss, and Keun Lee / Edward Elgar Publishing, IDRCISBN: 9781784711092 / 320 pg.e-ISBN: 9781552505861 This book presents case studies from Africa, Asia and Latin America on relations between universities and business and how they affect future innovations.

Read more

Researcher distinguished

Colombian researcher Ana Maria Ibanez, Dean of Economics at the Universidad de los Andes has been appointed as member of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission.

Ana María Ibañez coordinates IDRC funded project “Overcoming Violence through Local Institutions: A Comparative Study of Households and Communities in Colombia" We congratulate Ana María and wish her success in this new endeavour!

Read interview “El Tiempo” newspaper (Spanish)

Video of the month – A community approach to dengue vector control in Uruguay

Uruguay is one of the few countries in Latin America that does not have dengue, but its proximity to neighbouring Brazil and Argentina where the disease is prevalent puts it at risk. A community approach to reducing breeding of the mosquitos that can carry dengue is starting to pay off. The research presented in this video, is part of a broad study in 7 Latin American countries that uses a community approach to reduce the transmission of Chagas disease and dengue, financed by IDRC in collaboration

with World Health Organization’s Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR). Watch video: 6’ duration

Request for Proposals for an institution to lead a regional platform that will conduct evaluations on the “Graduation Program”

This request for proposal seeks to select the organization entrusted to lead a regional platform that will conduct evaluations on the graduation programs in Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico and Paraguay.

Deadline: February 27, 2015Read more

Call for researchers - Latin American Open Data Initiative (ILDA)ILDA has opened a call for researchers to delve into the following topics: open data and transparency in government; open data and public services - health and education; open cities and; natural resources, agriculture and open data.

ILDA is financed by IDRC and Fundación Avina. Deadline: February 28, 2015Read more ( Spanish)

Call for proposals – Scaling Up Food Security and Nutrition Innovations - Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF)

Canada’s International Development Research Centre and Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada have launched the 2015 open call for proposals under the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund. This open competitive call for proposals will fund projects submitted by strong partnerships between research, development, private sector, and other business-oriented organizations from Canada and

from eligible countries.

Deadline: March 27, 2015Read more

IV Essay Competition for undergraduate and graduate students  

As part of the Enhancing women´s economic empowerment through better policies in Latin America project, the Centre for Distributive Studies, Labor and Social Studies (CEDLAS) in collaboration with CIEDUR, and with the support of IDRC is organizing the “IV Essay Competition for undergraduate and graduate students on labor and

social issues with a gender perspective”.Deadline: March 30, 2015Read more (Spanish)

Manuel Chiriboga Award

The Manuel Chiriboga Award, an initiative of RIMISP, aims to pay tribute to the outstanding Ecuadorian sociologist for his exceptional contribution to the knowledge and transformation of Latin American rural societies. The award is targeted towards doctoral theses on the transformation of rural societies in Latin America. Deadline: May 15, 2015Read more (Spanish)

Jan. 27, 2015 “Foro Proyecto de Creación de la Corte Penal Suramericana en el marco de UNASURFLACSO, Quito, Ecuador

Jan. 29, 2015 “Conversatorio Narcotráfico en Ecuador y América Latina: una mirada desde la política pública ” , FLACSO., Quito, Ecuador

Feb. 12-13, 2015 “Searching for Common Approaches to Deal with Unconventional Conflicts and Violence in the Americas”, OAS, Washington D.C.

Mar. 12-13, 2015 “Conferencia: El futuro de la evaluación en América Latina y el Caribe”. Desarrollo, Equidad y Cultura, ReLAC, Lima, Perú

Mar. 24-25, 2015 “International Seminar: Health Innovation Systems and Sustainability”, BNDES, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Apr. 14, 2015 “Foro Económico Internacional de las Américas”, Miami, FloridaMay, 24-29, 2015 “XIV Coloquio Internacional de Derechos Humanos”, Conectas, San Pablo, Brasil

IDRC IN THE NEWS

Want to stay up to date on the information published by the media on the projects we

fund in Latin America and the Caribbean? Follow us on Storify, where we update the information daily.

HIGHLIGHTS

SciDev (América Latina) publishes an article on the forthcoming meeting of councils of Science and Technology that will take place in Santiago de Chile this year. “Chile acogerá reunión mundial de consejos de innovación”

Diario Hoy (Argentina) under the title “El año que vivimos en peligro”, publishes and extensive interview to Ricardo Gürtler, a long standing IDRC researchers on the prevention of the transmission of communicable diseases in Latin America, mainly Chagas in Argentina.

Radio Canada International (RCI) interviewed Orazio Belletini, Executive Director of Grupo Faro who highlights the research results of the links between Think Tanks y Universidades recently published. Interviewer: Pablo Gómez Barrios.

Agriculture and Environment “Improving the Nutrition and Health of CARICOM Populations: final technical report” (March 2011 -

August 2014) ; Phillip, L.; Francis-Granderson, I. “Neoestructuralismo y corrientes heterodoxas en América Latina y el Caribe a inicios del siglo XXI”;

Libros de la CEPAL, N° 132 (LC/G.2633-P), Santiago de Chile, Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), 2015.

“Cities in the Rural Transformation”; Berdegué J. A. and Proctor F. J.; Working Paper Series N° 122.

Working Group: Development with Territorial Cohesion. Territorial Cohesion for Development Program. Rimisp, Santiago, Chile, 2014

“Background Paper: Research and Development and Extension Services in Agriculture and Food Security”; Wesley, A.; Faminow, M. ; ADB Economics Working Paper Series; No. 425; December 2014

“Ecohealth and resilience thinking: a dialog from experiences in research and practice”. Berbés-Blázquez, M.; Oestreicher, J.K; Mertens, F.; Saint-Charles, J. Ecology and Society 19(2): 24. 2014

“Ampliación responsable de la frontera agrícola: Cómo lograr mayor seguridad y soberanía alimentaria”; Propuestas para Políticas Públicas N°1, Fundación Tierra, 2014

“Ganadores y perdedores: Especialización productiva y diferenciación social dentro del “nuevo” campesinado”; Propuestas para Políticas Públicas N°2, Fundación Tierra, 2014

“Dependencia alimentaria guaraní: Temas pendientes después de la titulación de territorios indígenas”; Propuestas para Políticas Públicas N°3, Fundación Tierra, 2014

“Mujeres rurales, tierra y seguridad alimentaria”; Propuestas para Políticas Públicas N°3, Fundación Tierra, 2014

“Políticas diferenciadas para los distintos tipos de campesinos”, Propuestas para Políticas Públicas N°5, Fundación Tierra, 2014

Social and Economic Policy

“Entre el discurso y la acción. Desafíos, discusiones y dilemas en el marco de la creación del Ministerio

de Inclusión Social” Trivelli, C. Vargas Winstanley, S. ; IEP, 2014 (Documento de Trabajo, 208. Serie de Política 9, Diciembre 2014

“Financiamiento de la política: análisis comparado y propuestas de política”; Fuentes, C. ; Herrera, M.; Escuela de Ciencia Política, Universidad Diego Portales, Policy paper Nº1, Diciembre 2014

“Acceso a información pública en Uruguay: normativa, condiciones de aplicación y enforcement”; Piñeiro Rodríguez, R. ; Rossel, C. ; Facultad de Ciencias Humanas, Universidad Católica del Uruguay / Escuela de Ciencia Política, Universidad Diego Portales, Policy paper N°2, Enero de 2015

“El estado de derecho y la observancia de la ley por los funcionarios de gobierno en Argentina”, Sybil Rhodes y Jorge M. Streb; Centro para la Apertura y Desarrollo de América Latina. Escuela de Ciencia Política, Universidad Diego Portales, Policy paper N°3, Enero 2015.

“Regulación de lobbies en Argentina. Análisis de situación y alternativas de reforma”, Novaro, M.; Centro de Investigaciones Políticas / Escuela de Ciencia Política, Universidad Diego Portales Policy paper N°4, enero 2015.

“Diálogos por la Seguridad Ciudadana. Reporte desde México”; INSYDE, México, 2014. “El derecho a la consulta previa, libre e informada: Hallazgos de un proceso de aprendizaje entre pares

para la investigación y la acción en Ecuador, Guatemala y Perú”; Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental (SPDA)/ Centro Ecuatoriano de Derecho Ambiental (CEDA) / Asociación de Investigación y Estudios Sociales (ASIES); 2014

“Is the Demographic Advantage Wasted by Informality in Developing Countries?”; National Transfer Accounts-Colombia” Urdinola, P.B; Tovar, J. UNDP; In National Transfer Accounts and Generational Flows, December 2014

“Bioeconomía, Economía Verde y Economía Solidaria: instrumentos para un desarrollo sustentable en Argentina” Giacchi, M.F.; RedLATN, Serie Crecimiento Verde e Inclusivo; Colección Jóvenes Investigadores Brief #96; Diciembre 2014

“Sustaining Colombians through the #entrepreneurial pipeline: a policy challenge for Colombi a ?” Stevenson,L. ; Varela, R. ; Moreno, J.A.; GEM Caribbean; 2015

“Colombian entrepreneurial dynamics 2013”, Stevenson,L. ; Varela, R. ; Moreno, J.A.; GEM Caribbean; 2014

“Creating space for entrepreneurship to become a driver of growth in Barbados: a policy imperative” Stevenson,L. ; Varela, R. ; Moreno, J.A.; GEM Caribbean; 2014

“Entrepreneurship: the driver for economic diversification in Trinidad and Tobago”;

“Fostering entrepreneurship: a policy imperative for Jamaica” “R eto para la política empresarial colombiana: mejorar la permanencia de los empresarios en la tubería

empresarial” Stevenson, L.; Varela, R.; GEM Caribbean, 2014

Global Health Policy

“Aportes y desafíos del enfoque de género en el estudio de las enfermedades transmitidas por vector”, Arenas-Monreal, L.; Piña-Pozas, M.; Héctor Gómez-Dantés, Revista Salud Pública Méx 2015; Vol. 57(1):66-75

“Ecological and socioeconomic intensification of smallholder agriculture in the Andes: final technical report” (March 2014 - August 2014); Ugás, R.; Eeckhout, H.; Ruiz, M.; Jovel, E.

What are the television viewing and eating habits of children in Peru ?, Busse, P. Instituto de Estudios Peruanos; Global Health Promotion. doi 10.1177/1757975914547923

“Knowledge creation through international collaboration. Highlights from Phase 6 (2011-2014) of the Canada-Latin America and the Caribbean Research Exchange Grants program”, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, 2014

International Development Research Centre (IDRC)Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean Avda. Brasil 2655, 11300 Montevideo, UruguayTel: +598 2 7090042Email: lacro@idrc.cawww.idrc.ca /lacro

Comments or suggestions write to lacro@idrc.ca