EEducation for ducation for RRural ural PPeopleeople

David AckerDavid Acker Lavinia Gasperini Lavinia GasperiniProfessor , Agricultural EducationProfessor , Agricultural Education Senior Officer, Agricultural Education Senior Officer, Agricultural EducationRaymond and Mary Baker Chair Raymond and Mary Baker Chair Office of Knowledge Exchange, Office of Knowledge Exchange,in Global Agriculturein Global Agriculture Research and Extension (OEK) Research and Extension (OEK)College of Agriculture and Life SciencesCollege of Agriculture and Life Sciences Food and Agriculture Organization Food and Agriculture OrganizationIowa State University, USAIowa State University, USA of the United Nations (FAO) of the United Nations (FAO)

Ministerial Conference on Higher Education in Agriculture (CHEA) Ministerial Conference on Higher Education in Agriculture (CHEA)

Kampala, November 15-19, 2010Kampala, November 15-19, 2010

Purpose of ERPPurpose of ERP

Share global synthesis of Share global synthesis of policypolicy lessons learned on: lessons learned on:

EEducation ducation forfor

RRuralural

PPeopleeople

http://www.fao.org/erp/enhttp://www.fao.org/erp/en//

Underlying PremiseUnderlying Premise

Investments in Investments in rurarural l people people education, training, and capacity education, training, and capacity development are essential development are essential prerequisites to reducing poverty and prerequisites to reducing poverty and increasing food security.increasing food security.

ERP ObjectivesERP Objectives

Placing ERP high in the national and Placing ERP high in the national and International Agenda to achieve the MDGsInternational Agenda to achieve the MDGs

Focusing on improving access to quality Focusing on improving access to quality education for rural people education for rural people

Fostering national capacity to address Fostering national capacity to address learning needs of rural people to learning needs of rural people to overcome the urban-rural education gapovercome the urban-rural education gap

ERP Contributes to MDGs:ERP Contributes to MDGs:

ERP is critical to the achievement of all MDGs ERP is critical to the achievement of all MDGs and particularly:and particularly: MDG 1:MDG 1: Eradicating extreme poverty & hungerEradicating extreme poverty & hunger MDG 2:MDG 2: Achieving universal primary education Achieving universal primary education MDG 3:MDG 3: Gender equity, empowering women Gender equity, empowering women MDG 7:MDG 7: Ensuring environmental sustainability Ensuring environmental sustainability

MDGs

ERPERP

FoodSecurity

PovertyReduction

GenderEquity

Environment

Ministries Ministries of of

AgricultureAgriculture

UNESCOUNESCO

Ministries Ministries of of

EducationEducation

DonorsDonors andandInt’l.Int’l.OrgsOrgs

NGOsNGOs

Civil Civil SocietySociety

FAO

PresentationPresentation

Effective Pro-Effective Pro-rural Policiesrural Policies

Motivating major changes in policy and Motivating major changes in policy and resource allocation to favor rural citizensresource allocation to favor rural citizens

ERP related capacity development at societal, ERP related capacity development at societal, insitutional and individual levelinsitutional and individual level

Challenge # 1Challenge # 1

Effective Pro-Effective Pro-rural Policiesrural Policies

Case # 1Case # 1

11 African Countries“Food security and poverty reduction strategies are directly dependent on our capacity to foster rural children's access to quality primary education.”

Organizational and Organizational and Institutional EfficiencyInstitutional Efficiency

Coordination among MoE, MoAg, extension, Coordination among MoE, MoAg, extension, schools, NGOs and the private sector is schools, NGOs and the private sector is essential for optimal efficiencyessential for optimal efficiency

Challenge # 2Challenge # 2

Organizational and Organizational and Institutional EfficiencyInstitutional Efficiency

KosovoKosovo

National strategy for ERP developed National strategy for ERP developed through cooperation between agriculture through cooperation between agriculture and education ministriesand education ministries

Local stakeholders involved:Local stakeholders involved:- School personnel- School personnel

- Farmers- Farmers

- Women’s associations- Women’s associations

Case # 2Case # 2

Access to Education Access to Education and Trainingand Training

Challenge # 3Challenge # 3

• Removal of school fees• Mobile extension staff• School feeding programs• Expansion of the education network

• School and training center construction• Satellite schools in remote areas for young children

Access to Education Access to Education and Trainingand Training Case # 3Case # 3

IndiaIndiaA private sector – government partnership to provide school meals to 800,000 children daily.

Link: education - child’s health

Meals increase school attendance, especially among girls and improved learning ability

- Uses locally grown produce- Large centralized kitchens- Meals distributed daily by truck

Quality of Education Quality of Education and Trainingand Training

Quality depends on:Quality depends on: facilities facilities teachers teachers materials materials evaluationevaluation leadershipleadership curriculumcurriculum community linkscommunity links

Challenge # 4Challenge # 4

Quality of Education Quality of Education and Trainingand Training

UgandaUgandaQuality and relevance are linkedQuality and relevance are linked

Agriculture is part of curriculumAgriculture is part of curriculum

Garden produce helps supply school lunch programGarden produce helps supply school lunch program

Important link between quality and relevance, vital to increasing appeal and utility of education for rural people.Important link between quality and relevance, vital to increasing appeal and utility of education for rural people.

Case # 4Case # 4

Decentralization and Decentralization and Community InvolvementCommunity Involvement

Challenge # 5Challenge # 5

Decentralization of authority and responsibility for education and training

The importance of high levels of community involvement in determining appropriate education interventions

Decentralization and Decentralization and Community InvolvemCommunity Involvementent

CambodiaCambodiaFormation of school committees of parents, Formation of school committees of parents, teachers and local leadersteachers and local leaders

Construction of village based satellite Construction of village based satellite schools for young children who could not schools for young children who could not walk long distanceswalk long distances

Parents provided the labor to build the Parents provided the labor to build the schoolschool

Local residents trained as teachersLocal residents trained as teachers

Case # 5Case # 5

Gender Responsive Gender Responsive Learning EnvironmentsLearning Environments

Girl friendly schoolsGirl friendly schools Safe accommodations for girls and women Safe accommodations for girls and women Flexible timetables Flexible timetables Take-home food for girlsTake-home food for girls

Challenge # 6Challenge # 6

GGender Responsive ender Responsive Learning EnvironmentsLearning Environments

Burkina FasoBurkina FasoA high percentage of girls do not finish A high percentage of girls do not finish primary schoolprimary school

Girl friendly schools see enrolments Girl friendly schools see enrolments soar in 132 communitiessoar in 132 communities

- separate toilet facilities- separate toilet facilities- girls who attend 90% or more of the - girls who attend 90% or more of the time are given take home rationstime are given take home rations

Case # 6Case # 6

Accommodating Accommodating Non-traditional LearnersNon-traditional Learners

refugees and displaced personsrefugees and displaced persons people in inaccessible, remote areaspeople in inaccessible, remote areas nomadic and pastoral communitiesnomadic and pastoral communities out-of-school youthout-of-school youth disabled personsdisabled persons ethnic minoritiesethnic minorities retired child soldiersretired child soldiers working childrenworking children

Challenge # 7Challenge # 7

Accommodating Accommodating

Non-traditional LearnersNon-traditional Learners Case # 7Case # 7

KenyaNon-traditional learning for children of pastoralist families

Classes take place after animals are penned for the night allowingstudents to fulfill their duties managing the animals

Curriculum developed in consultation with parents, local leaders and students

Multi-grade classes

Redefining Redefining Agricultural EducationAgricultural Education

Challenge # 8Challenge # 8

Fundamental changes needed in how agricultural education is conceptualized

Agricultural education has simply not kept up with the pace of our changing world

Redefining Redefining Agricultural EducationAgricultural Education

Case # 8Case # 8

ParaguayTeaching entrepreneurship through agricultural education

Self sufficient, fully organic farm school

Teaches value added processing

Teaches life skills, agro-tourism, reproductive health

Skills Training Skills Training for Rural Peoplefor Rural People

Skills needed to succeed in Skills needed to succeed in global, knowledge economiesglobal, knowledge economies

- Life skills- Food production skills- Self-employment skills

Challenge # 9Challenge # 9

Skills Training Skills Training for Rural Peoplefor Rural People

Case # 9Case # 9

UgandaCapacity development, life skills training, income generating activities

Community-based health and nutrition education

Use of trained volunteers to extend training throughout community

Recruitment and Recruitment and Retention of Extension Retention of Extension and School Staffand School Staff

Challenge # 10Challenge # 10

Difficulty in attracting and retaining extension and school staff to rural areas

Recruitment and Recruitment and Retention of Extension Retention of Extension and School Staffand School Staff

Multiple countriesMultiple countriesMore attractive deployment policies:More attractive deployment policies:

Case # 10Case # 10

• higher salaries• loan forgiveness • subsidized housing• better health care• access to land

• posting newly qualified staff in pairs

ConclusionConclusion

Education for rural people is critical to insuring that development efforts are successful and that future generations will succeed.

What Will Success Look Like?What Will Success Look Like?

ERP well established and funded at societal, ERP well established and funded at societal, institutional and individual level and expanded institutional and individual level and expanded access and improved quality of education of all access and improved quality of education of all rural children, youth and adults (CD Societal rural children, youth and adults (CD Societal and Institutional Level)and Institutional Level)

Rural people (CD Individual level):Rural people (CD Individual level): engaged in knowledge-based economies engaged in knowledge-based economies prepared to learn to adapt and cope with prepared to learn to adapt and cope with

globalization and market forces, climate globalization and market forces, climate change, food crises and other shocks change, food crises and other shocks

AdultsAdults

Will benefit from agricultural extension, skills training, literacy training and basic education.

Children and YouthChildren and Youth

Will benefit from quality education and training opportunities to ensure their livelihoods are improved relative to those of their parents.

“We will work to increase public investments and encourage private

investment in the country- developed plans for rural

infrastructure and support services, including- but not limited- to roads, storage, irrigation, communication infrastructure, education, technical

support and health.”

(Declaration of the World Summit on Food Security, Rome, 2009)