Researchers paying attention to the presentation at Venezuela’s INIA
(Washington, D.C., December 5, 2016) On December 1 and 2, 2016, FONTAGRO organized an in-person course in Venezuela aimed at drafting case proposals and final proposals that prove competitive when participating in project financing competitions.
This training was carried out at the facilities of Venezuela’s National Agricultural Research Institute (INIA) in Maracay. Participants included INIA’s General Manager, Luis Dickson, PhD, and the institution’s researchers, more than 50% of which are young female researchers with positions of responsibility and decision-making capabilities.
The course focused on capacity building for designing agricultural innovation proposals aimed at achieving results that, in turn, lead to actual impacts for family farmers. It was carried out in two stages. The first stage involved working in teams, each of which received guidelines for competitive proposal drafting exercises, including an ad-hoc manual prepared by FONTAGRO. The second stage of the course involved practical activities carried out with a pedagogical approach. In this stage participants were provided with tools, elements, and the guidance of four expert facilitators with experience on the course’s subject matter, from FONTAGRO and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
Within the framework of the course, which was designed for professionals with research and innovation responsibilities, it was observed that Venezuela has ample potential for working with different stakeholders, such as universities, producer associations, and other interest groups in the country, such as foundations, with which there are concrete opportunities for working jointly.
This initiative was requested by Venezuela’s authorities and endorsed by FONTAGRO’s Board of Directors at its Twentieth Annual Meeting.
Training Offering
Within the framework of its capacity-building strategy, FONTAGRO identified the need and the importance of offering its member countries online and in-person courses on drafting project proposals and final proposals. The purpose of this initiative is to build the capacities of researchers and professionals who work on drafting cooperation projects among countries. Some countries’ participation in FONTAGRO’s calls for proposals has been especially limited over the past few years. However, through this initiative, it was possible to identify needs and areas of common interest between Venezuela and other countries in the region, so as to solve similar problems among them.
To read about the course and see its materials (in Spanish), please click this link.
For more information and inquiries email fontagro@iadb.org.
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About FONTAGRO
FONTAGRO is a unique regional cooperation mechanism that promotes family farming innovation, competitiveness, and food security. It was established in 1998 and it includes fifteen member countries that have contributed a capital of some $100 million. FONTAGRO is sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). Its Technical Administrative Secretariat is based at IDB headquarters in Washington, D.C. FONTAGRO has cofinanced more than 100 projects and initiatives in its member countries for an approximate amount of $88.7 million, including contributions from other sources of funding and executing agencies. Its member countries are Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Contact Information:
Carina Carrasco
Communications Adviser
Telephone: +1 202 623 3038.
Email: ccarrasco@iadb.org
References:
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