, ,

Lavinia GasperiniFAO Senior Officer, Agricultural Education,

Office of the Director of Knowledge Exchange, Research and Extension (OEKD)"Broadening coherence and collaboration for rural development through

employment and decent work" Rome, 14 November 2011

Education for Rural People Education for Rural People (ERP)(ERP). . The role of Education, Training and The role of Education, Training and

Capacity Development in Food Capacity Development in Food Security and Poverty Reduction. Security and Poverty Reduction.

Underlying PremiseUnderlying Premise

Investments in education, training, Investments in education, training, and capacity development are and capacity development are

essential prerequisites to reducing essential prerequisites to reducing poverty, increasing food security poverty, increasing food security

and RD.and RD.

Rural undernourished

Rural illiterates

70% of the 925 millions =

647 millions

70 % of the 863 millions=

604 millions

The majority of the undernourished people are illiterate and vice

versa.

ERP ObjectivesERP Objectives

Put ERP high in the national and Put ERP high in the national and international agenda to reach the MDGs. international agenda to reach the MDGs.

Foster public private partnership to Foster public private partnership to advocate for ERP to be included in the advocate for ERP to be included in the plan of action of Rio 2012plan of action of Rio 2012

Strengthening national capacity to Strengthening national capacity to implement education programs to address implement education programs to address learning needs of rural people with the aim learning needs of rural people with the aim to overcome the urban-rural education to overcome the urban-rural education gap.gap.

MDGs

ERPERP

Education

FoodSecurity

PovertyReduction

GenderEquity

Environment

Ministries Ministries of of

AgricultureAgriculture

UNESCOUNESCO

Ministries Ministries of of

EducationEducation

DonorsDonors andandInt’l.Int’l.OrgsOrgs

NGOsNGOs

Civil Civil SocietySociety

FAO

10 10 ChallengesChallenges

10 Cases

PresentationPresentation

Effective Pro-rural Effective Pro-rural PoliciesPolicies

Challenge # 1Challenge # 1

• Motivating policy and resource allocation to favor rural citizens

• Capacity development for planning ERP at societal (macro), institutional and individual level.

Effective Pro-Effective Pro-rural Policiesrural Policies

Case # 1Case # 1

11 African Countries (Rome, 29 November 2007)

“Food security and poverty reduction strategies are directly dependent on our capacity to foster rural children's access to quality primary education.”

Organizational and Organizational and Institutional EfficiencyInstitutional Efficiency

Coordination among MoE, MoAg, extension, Coordination among MoE, MoAg, extension, schools, NGOs and the private sector is essential schools, NGOs and the private sector is essential for optimal efficiencyfor optimal efficiency

Challenge # 2Challenge # 2

Organizational and Organizational and Institutional EfficiencyInstitutional Efficiency

KosovoKosovo

National strategy for ERP developed National strategy for ERP developed through cooperation between agriculture through cooperation between agriculture and education ministriesand education ministries

Local stakeholders involved:Local stakeholders involved:- School personnel- School personnel

- Farmers- Farmers

- Women’s associations- Women’s associations

Case # 2Case # 2

Access to Education Access to Education and Trainingand Training

Challenge # 3Challenge # 3

• Removal of school fees• Mobile extension staff• School feeding programs• Expansion of the education network

• School and training center construction• Satellite schools in remote areas for young children

Access to Education Access to Education and Trainingand Training

Case # 3Case # 3

IndiaIndiaA private sector - government partners- to provide school meals to 800,000 children daily.

Meals increase school attendance, especially among girls and improved learning ability

- Uses locally grown produce- Large centralized kitchens- Meals distributed daily by truck

Quality of Education Quality of Education and Trainingand Training

Quality depends on:Quality depends on: facilities facilities teachers teachers materials materials evaluationevaluation leadershipleadership curriculumcurriculum community linkscommunity links

Challenge # 4Challenge # 4

Quality of Education Quality of Education and Trainingand Training

UgandaUganda

Quality and relevance are linkedQuality and relevance are linked

Agriculture is part of curriculumAgriculture is part of curriculum

Garden produce helps supply Garden produce helps supply school lunch programschool lunch program

The link between quality and The link between quality and relevance, vital to increasing relevance, vital to increasing appeal and utility of education for appeal and utility of education for rural people.rural people.

Case # 4Case # 4

Decentralization and Decentralization and Community InvolvementCommunity Involvement

Challenge # 5Challenge # 5

Decentralization of authority and responsibility for education and training

The importance of high levels of community involvement in determining appropriate education interventions

Decentralization and Decentralization and Community InvolvementCommunity Involvement

CambodiaCambodia

Formation of school committees of parents, teachers Formation of school committees of parents, teachers and local leadersand local leaders

Village based satellite schools for young children who Village based satellite schools for young children who could not walk long distancescould not walk long distances

Parents provided the labor to build the schoolParents provided the labor to build the school

Local residents trained as teachersLocal residents trained as teachers

Case # 5Case # 5

Gender Responsive Gender Responsive Learning EnvironmentsLearning Environments

Girl friendly schoolsGirl friendly schools

Safe accommodations for girls and womenSafe accommodations for girls and women

Flexible timetables Flexible timetables

Take-home food for girlsTake-home food for girls

Challenge # 6Challenge # 6

Gender Responsive Gender Responsive Learning EnvironmentsLearning Environments

Burkina FasoBurkina Faso

A high percentage of girls do not finish primary A high percentage of girls do not finish primary schoolschool

Girl friendly schools see enrolments soar in 132 Girl friendly schools see enrolments soar in 132 communitiescommunities

- separate toilet facilities- separate toilet facilities- girls who attend 90% or more of the time are - girls who attend 90% or more of the time are given take home rationsgiven take home rations

Case # 6Case # 6

Accommodating Accommodating Non-traditional LearnersNon-traditional Learners

refugees and displaced personsrefugees and displaced persons people in inaccessible, remote areaspeople in inaccessible, remote areas nomadic and pastoral communitiesnomadic and pastoral communities out-of-school youthout-of-school youth disabled personsdisabled persons ethnic minoritiesethnic minorities retired child soldiersretired child soldiers working childrenworking children

Challenge # 7Challenge # 7

Accommodating Accommodating Non-traditional LearnersNon-traditional Learners

Case # 7Case # 7

Kenya

Non-traditional learning for children of pastoralist families

Classes take place after animals are penned for the night allowing students to fulfill their duties managing the animals

Curriculum developed in consultation with parents, local leaders and students

Multi-grade classes

Redefining Redefining Agricultural EducationAgricultural Education

Challenge # 8Challenge # 8

Fundamental changes needed in how agricultural education is conceptualized

Agricultural education has simply not kept up with the pace of our changing world

Redefining Redefining Agricultural EducationAgricultural Education

Case # 8Case # 8

Paraguay

Teaching entrepreneurship through agricultural education

Self sufficient, fully organic farm school

Teaches value added processing

Teaches life skills, agro-tourism, reproductive health

Skills Training for Skills Training for Rural PeopleRural People

Skills needed to succeed in global, knowledge Skills needed to succeed in global, knowledge economieseconomies

Challenge # 9Challenge # 9

- Life skills- Food production skills-Self-employment skills-Information Technology skills

Skills Training for Skills Training for Rural PeopleRural People

Case # 9Case # 9

UgandaCapacity development, life skills training, income generating activities

Community-based health and nutrition education

Use of trained volunteers to extend training throughout community

Recruitment and Recruitment and Retention of Extension Retention of Extension

and School Staffand School Staff

Challenge # 10Challenge # 10

Difficulty in attracting and retaining extension and school staff to rural areas

Recruitment and Recruitment and Retention of Extension Retention of Extension and School Staffand School Staff

Multiple countriesMore attractive deployment policies:

Case # 10Case # 10

• posting newly qualified staff in pairs• higher salaries• loan forgiveness • subsidized housing• better health care• access to land

What Will Success Look Like?What Will Success Look Like? Rural people will have the capacities to be people:Rural people will have the capacities to be people:

engaged in knowledge-based economies engaged in knowledge-based economies prepared to learn how to adapt and cope with to prepared to learn how to adapt and cope with to

globalization and market forces, climate change, food globalization and market forces, climate change, food crises and other shocks. crises and other shocks.

“We will work to increase public investments and encourage private

investment in the country- developed plans for rural infrastructure and

support services, including- but not limited- to roads, storage, irrigation,

communication infrastructure, education, technical support and health.”

(Declaration of the World Summit on Food Security, Rome, 2009)