Regional Center for Africa

Participatory Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (PPM&E)
23 March - 3 April 2009; UGANDA
2 - 13 November 2009; KENYA

Facilitating Community-Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR)
11 - 22 May 2009; ETHIOPIA
19 - 30 September 2009; UGANDA
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Local Governance and Rural Development (LGRD)
22 June - 3 July 2009; KENYA
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Value Chain Development (VCD)
6 - 10 July 2009; ETHIOPIA
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Regional Center for Asia

Ecosystem based disaster risk reduction
April 13 – May 1, 2009; Course Fee: US$2,700

Reducing disaster risk and protecting the environment are complementary and ethical forms of action needed to ensure rural development continuity and prosperity.  While environmental degradation, poverty and disaster risk share common causes as well as common consequences for human security and well-being, it is also recognized that ecosystem services, environmental management and environmental information offer opportunities to reduce risk, decrease poverty and achieve a more sustainable development paradigm.  This course is designed for mid and senior level rural development professionals and government functionaries to learn concepts and strategies relevant to disaster risk reduction in solving many of the problems that beseech rural development and natural asset management initiatives. Participants will learn the skills and techniques necessary to systematically assess multi-hazards, plan and implement integrated risk reduction interventions, and to build and evaluate organizational readiness to undertake ecosystem-based integrated disaster risk reduction initiatives.  The course design strikes a balance and practical integration between the biophysical, socio-economic, and community health and welfare, respective of resiliency and vulnerability reductions. Most important to note about the course framework is that within, theory matches practice at the local level – thus, directed at the 'self' building of resilient and proactive communities.

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Gender and Entrepreneurship
June 8 – 27, 2009; Course Fee: US$2,500

Women entrepreneurs play an important role in local economies most especially in developing countries where micro-enterprises are undertaken by women. And yet, engendered variables continue to mediate and undermine women’s participation and success in the workplace. Gender biases, both explicit or implicit and actual or potential, continue to limit access to capital, technologies, transport and training, while lack of market knowledge and basic literacy and numeracy skills, have restricted women’s capacities to participate effectively in entrepreneurial activities. The burden of child care and domestic work, as well as the choice over childbearing are likewise socio-political issues with gender context that women have to contend with. This  course on Gender and Entrepreneurship aims to equip junior and senior level rural development professionals and government workers in understanding gender concerns and issues which will enable them to apply analytical framework, tools and strategies in ensuring gender equality and equity in their organizational culture, programs and community enterprise projects. Participants will also be guided in the implementation of their communities’ micro-enterprise projects, integrating gender concerns in their project’s action plans. Experiential learning methodologies such as interactive sessions, case studies, simulation sessions, field visits and adult learning techniques where both facilitators and participants will have the opportunity to translate their ideas into design and formulation of strategies, will be used.

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Innovations in Farmer-led Extension
July 13 – August 1, 2009; Course Fee: US$2,500.00

The course is designed to advance rural development objectives through improved agricultural extension practices with increased community participation beyond farmer led extension. Conventional technology transfer-oriented agricultural extension has failed to promote rural development in much of the world, particularly those regions characterized as agro-ecologically diverse, resource-poor and risk-prone. Moreover, there is an on-going search for institutional arrangements which will foster greater sustainability, increased participation of rural communities, the capacity to address equity issues within service provision activities and the incorporation of indigenous technical knowledge into agricultural research and development strategies.  Thus, there is a need to consider alternatives within the changing environment.  Designed for rural development extension staff, officers and specialists, this course helps extension professionals to develop new capacities for planning, managing and evaluating participatory approaches to agricultural extension programs. Course design carefully considers opportunities for interaction between participants, farmers, extension officers from NGOs and the government Department of Agriculture in the Philippines. The course also features case study experiences that focus on transitions in extension approaches within the organizations.

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Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation
September 14 – October 3, 2009; Course Fee: US$2,500

The course will provide a facilitative learning environment conducive to a cooperative yet challenging self-assessment and shared discourse about conventional and participatory monitoring and evaluation (PM&E) concepts and practices, and will explore critical elements that support the establishment and maintenance of PM&E within development organizations. Participants will be meaningfully engaged to reflect on the practical applications of PM&E within the context of their own organization, program, or project; and to identify ways to improve their current practices in monitoring and evaluation.

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Community-based Integrated Watershed Management

Watershed management offers a unique approach for the integrating technologies, governance and socio-economic strategies within the natural boundaries of a drainage area (called a "watershed"). This allows for the optimum development of land, water and plant resources to meet the basic needs of people and animals in a sustainable manner.  This course is designed to provide opportunity for mid and senior level rural development professionals and government functionaries  to learn concepts and strategies of a watershed approach in solving problems that beseech rural development and natural resources management initiatives. The participants will learn the skills and techniques necessary to systematically plan, implement, monitor and evaluate community-based watershed initiatives in partnership with local communities, government line agencies and rural development practitioners. Hence, the course design strikes a balance and practical integration between the technical, social, economic, and political elements of community-based integrated watershed management implementation.