IFPRI invites nominations highlighting rural development solutions in China, Vietnam, and Lao PDR that are reliable in solving specific challenges in rural areas and relevant for the African continent in a new project.
To promote agricultural production, enhance food security, improve nutrition and increase incomes of poor people living in remote rural areas in developing countries, IFPRI, with support from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is working on a project to leverage South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) initiatives to share rural development solutions for private sector engagement.
We invite nominations highlighting rural development solutions in China, Vietnam, and Lao PDR that are reliable in solving specific challenges in rural areas and relevant for the African continent. They are tools that can be used and re-used to address common issues like resource management, marginalization of rural communities, financing concerns, erosion, pollution, financial stress, and the effects of climate change. There are three major types of solutions: Technologies (either in terms of a new form of technology or an innovative application of pre-existing technology), new financing schemes, and new methodologies that inform policy processes and knowledge exchanges.
Nominations of solutions in China may cover three suggested fields, including 3 topics in each field:
1. Small machinery and mechanization
· Post-harvest tools and equipment
· Processing technologies and equipment
· Small irrigation technologies
2. Input system development
· Innovation for input adoption through private business models
· Seed systems development
· Drones for smart agriculture
We also welcome nominations of agricultural and rural development solutions in Vietnam and Laos, not limited to the solutions within the above three fields.
We take this project as a unique opportunity to showcase successful agricultural and rural development cases in Asian countries. Lessons learned will reach those who can contribute to local and global efforts to improve food security and reduce poverty through agricultural development, policymakers, international development organizations, donors, scholars, NGOs, enterprises and smallholder farmers, etc.
Please submit your nominations by March 31, 2021. Nominated solutions will be reviewed by a panel of international experts and, if selected, highlighted in our knowledge products and communications initiative. The basic criteria for solution selection are:
· Feasibility. The solution must be operational in at least one developing country.
· Reliability. The solution has been tried and tested, producing good results.
· Rural and agricultural Dimension. The solution needs to be focused on solving a specific problem/ challenge in rural areas and engaged in agriculture directly.
· Reproducibility. The solution can be reused and adapted by others in similar socio-economic or environmental situations.
We encourage you to share this call for nominations with colleagues in your organization and networks. Please feel free to contact the IFPRI East and Central Asia Office at IFPRI-Beijing@cgiar.org if you have any questions or would like further information.
Important Dates
Nomination Deadline: March 31, 2021
Cases Selected: April 30, 2021
Publication and Dissemination: Dec. 31, 2021
