Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development

10 ~ 13 December 2019

Background

Agriculture is the most essential sector that sustains humanity and is inseparable with the enhancement of food security, rural development, sustainable livelihoods and environmental integrity (FAO). However, achieving sustainable agriculture is a difficult objective. 

The role of agriculture and its linkages with other growth sectors (e.g. strengthening the local agriculture sector and rural development) is also gradually being recognized as a key factor in promoting a more balanced process of rural and national development, ensuring broader-based and more equitable socio-economic change, and in the longer term achieving social and political sustainability. 

There is growing consensus that sustainable agriculture and reduction in rural poverty, cannot be achieved just by increasing financial flows to the rural sector. The self-help capacities of rural people need to be also strengthened so that those rural people can become more active partners in the development process, through the use of more participatory, multi-sector and multi-stakeholder approaches to agricultural policy making and implementation. 

In this regard, it would be significant to deal with sustainable agriculture and rural development issues together as closely connected with each other. Rural development is vital to the economic, social and environmental viability of nations. Therefore, in order to have more comprehensive and sustainable policies of rural development for the Asia and the Pacific, it is important to understand the roles and capacities of agricultural and rural development sector.

The lectures and activities included in this workshop are aimed at providing participants with a platform to gain a deeper understanding of their community and how development affects it. Best practices on sustainable agriculture and rural development will be presented during the workshop. Also, the workshop would offer opportunities to explore various development cases around the world. There will be sessions where participants effectively develop their national development plans and economic benefits in the long term.

Event objectives

The workshop aims to motivate participants to learn from each city’s case studies and to establish action plan to improve the current state of agriculture and rural development sector in their respective cities by utilizing workshop materials as well as networks established. In this sense, this event will;

·    Provide a venue for establishing network amongst the participants who are devoted to agriculture and rural development;

·    Offer a venue for knowledge sharing and discussion in agricultural and rural development policies at national and local levels;

·    Provide an exchange of best practices and ideas among governments and cities.

Learning objectives

At the end of the workshop, the participants will be able to:

·    Understand the sustainable agriculture and rural development trends in the context of the principles of transparency, participation, accountability, and enhanced local capacity;

·    Utilize the lessons learned from the good cases of sustainable agriculture and rural development policy implementation;

·    Understand the economic impacts of sustainable development and social development on the regional development, recognizing and evaluating the benefits and impacts of community-driven development projects.

Content and structure

The workshop contents are composed of the followings:

[Module 1] Nexus between sustainable agriculture and rural development

[Module 2] Participatory approach for sustainable agriculture and rural development 

[Module 3] Assessing and evaluating the effectiveness of sustainable agriculture and rural development 

[Module 4] Funding sources to support agricultural economics and rural development 

[Module 5] Engaging in action plan

Methodology

The training will be comprised of:

   ·    lectures and presentations by experts in relevant fields

  ·   practical exercises and group discussion

  ·   exercise on UNITAR CityShare Methodology

  ·   action plan presentation

  ·   study visit

Target audience

This training is mainly open to government officials and other related personnel from NGOs, Civil Societies and institutions and agricultural and rural development based organisations, academic and training institutions and other local actors, who are working in the field of national and local development within the Asia-Pacific region.

Event details

Requirements

Selected applicants are required to:

·        submit necessary documents on time, i.e., registration form etc.

·        complete and submit pre-training readings and assignments, i.e. case studies etc.

·        actively participate in the training program 

·        be fluent in written and spoken English (if needed, interview will be conducted through skype)

   *Additionally, Participants are required to bring a personal laptop for their exercises on UNITAR CityShare Methodology.

Application and deadline

Send the following 7 documents to cifaljeju.eco@gmail.com by 8 November 2019 (Friday)

* Late application will NOT be accepted. 

Note

·        Application without required documents will NOT be considered.

·        Participation is subject to the approval of the application by UNITAR CIFAL Jeju/JITC. 

·        Only Selected applicants will be notified individually.

Assistance with travel expenses

UNITAR CIFAL Jeju/JITC provides a LIMITED financial assistance with the airfare to Jeju-do, Republic of Korea from their capitals/points of departure as mentioned below:

- Local expenses (venue-to-venue transportation, accommodation, and meals) during the workshop will be covered by CIFAL Jeju.