|
5 Jul 2006
Unit:
Wageningen UR
Since 1998, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) promotes development-orientated agricultural and environmental research and strengthen North-South partnerships through its International Cooperation (DLO-IC) research programme. By 2005, some 70 collaborative North-South projects had been carried out. Every science group in Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR) was involved in the implementation of the programme and at least half the projects and activities undertaken were directly related to sustainable agriculture and rural development. In recent years there has been a search for more sustainable development strategies. This has direct implications for agriculture, given its relations with the natural resource base and its prime economic importance in low-income countries.
The enclosed summary (brochure) “Science for agriculture and rural development in the South” is one of the results of an interdisciplinary Wagningen-wide project group that was tasked with drawing lessons from the work of DLO-IC conducted during the past eight years. The project, called SAGI (Sustainable Agriculture and Global Issues) was also challenged to contribute to future thinking about issues of poverty alleviation, increasing food security and natural resource conservation. This brochure presents an extended summary of the project findings, which are further elaborated in a forthcoming scientific book publication.
The brochure is meant to summarize the major lessons learned and the proposed way ahead for a wider audience.
|