AIDeR (Territory, Development) : 2003 Yearly Report in pdf (english)

Objective

This program proposes to develop, with a network of partners, a methodological framework for the implementation of an integrated approach to regional (and territory) development. The objective is to reinforce in-country knowledge management, analysis and organization capacity in order to:

Prevent the generation of social and territorial disparities with a better coherence of regional organization that will make local development actions more sustainable.

To take into account the multiple components of the territory (biophysical, socio-economic, political) and the multiple spatial interactions (relation urban-rural, mobility, biodiversity, local-global) in natural resources management;

To realize, with local actors and decision makers, an evaluation and appropriation of information, knowledge, and analytical methods which are directed towards a better understanding of territorial development; to adjust to operational objectives (fight against poverty, food insecurity, market integration, strategic planning).

AIDeR: Territory, Development (presentation in pdf document)

Actions

The priorities of CIAT and IRD lie at the intersection of three components: improvement of natural resources management in an objective of sustainability; fight against poverty and food insecurity; development of comparative methods on the basis of effective partnerships.

The study areas were therefore selected according to three criteria: 1) incidence of poverty; 2) strategic importance of the use of the natural resources; 3) existence of a network of capable researchers and institutions. In addition these areas are included in three economic integration zones at the edge of the large world economic blocks:

Three programs will be developed:

• A research program on territorial dynamics, more specifically on rural zones, in order to identify spatial disparities, characteristics of spatial poverty traps, the linkages between rural and urban areas, the production structures, land management, adoption and diffusion of information through social networks.

• A training program with partners. The aim is to raise awareness of planning and development entities, on the spatial dimension in analysis, targeting, and project management. This program would benefit from university collaboration and exchanges of students within the scope of a program of thesis.

• A participatory program with development actors. The aim is to work in collaboration with public institutions (governmental and non-governmental) that have the responsibility to define and execute regional and local policies or development activities. This, to identify, for each step of the work program, their goals, the problems they face, policies or actions that are implemented, and the level of integration of sustainable territorial management. This will be done with surveys, participation in research marketplace workshops, and restitution seminars.

Principal investigators

IRD : Mazurek Hubert — US ESPACE - mazurek@mpl.ird.fr

CIAT : Nathalie Beaulieu — Rural Innovation Institute - n.beaulieu@cgiar.org