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Education for Rural People (ERP)
[last updated October 15, 2007 10:44 AM]
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General Information
Partnership website(s) |
Expected TimeframeSeptember 2002 - October 2017 |
Partners
Governments:
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Major Groups:
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UN System:
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Other intergovernmental organizations:
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Other:
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Thematic Focus
Primary Themes:
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Secondary Themes:
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Geographic Coverage
Geographic Scope: Global
Country(ies) where the partnership is being implemented: Argentina, Bolivia, Cambodia, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Italy, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Philippines, San Marino, Thailand, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela |
National Focal Points
This partnership has not made any contact with the national focal points for sustainable development in the countries involved
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Goals and Objectives
Summary of the partnership's goals and objectives
- Building awareness on the importance of Education for rural people as a crucial step to achieve the Millennium goals of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education , gender equity and sustainable natural resources management
- Contributing to achieve the Education for All goals,
- Overcoming the urban/rural gap in education.
- Increasing access to basic Education for Rural People
- Improving the quality of basic Education for Rural People
- Fostering the national capacity to plan and implement ERP as part of National Education for All and Rural Development Plans.
- Building awareness on the importance of ERP as a crucial step to achieve all the Millennium Development Goals, and particularly, eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education and promoting gender equity.
- Contributing to achieve the Education for All goals,
- Overcoming the urban/rural gap in education.
- Increasing access to basic Education for Rural People
- Improving the quality of basic Education for Rural People
- Fostering the national capacity to plan and implement ERP as part of National Education for All and Rural Development Plans.
- Building awareness on the importance of ERP as a crucial step to achieve all the Millennium Development Goals, and particularly, eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education and promoting gender equity.
Targets and Progress
Partnership targets- Capacity building, policies and advocacy of Educaton for Rural People
- Consolidation of ERP partnership as follow-up to the WSSD - Support to national youth development for food security |
Progress against targetsAfter 5 years since the launch of the partnership (The FAO/UNESCO flagship was officially launched at a side event during the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, 3 September 2002) the following activities are an indicator of progress towards objectives:
- 307 partners joined the initiatives (http://www.fao.org/sd/erp/ERPmembersList_en.htm); - A Coordination Unit was set up at FAO within the Natural Resources Department; - Five regional Education for rural people workshops where held; Caribbean Conference on Education for Rural People: Food Security, Agricultural Competitiveness, Sustainable Livelihoods; Saint Lucia, May 2006. Ministerial Seminar on Education for Rural People in Africa: Policy Lessons, Options and Priorities, Addis Ababa, September 2005, A workshop “Educación de la Población Rural (EPR) en América Latina: ALIMENTACIÓN Y EDUCACIÓN PARA TODOS”. The FAO/UNESCO Asia Regional Workshop on “Addressing Learning Needs of Rural People through National Agriculture, Rural Development and Education for All Plans" (Bangkok, Thailand, 25 -26 May 2004 ) Santiago de Chile, August 2004, Regional workshop on Education for Rural Development organized in partnership with FAO, UNESCO and UNESCO - International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), Bangkok, Thailand, 5 - 7 November 2002. - More than 20 publications were issued (global and national case studies http://www.fao.org/sd/erp/ERPpublications_en.htm) and several articles published (http://www.fao.org/sd/erp/ERPvirtualpublications_en.htm); - National strategies for Education for rural people was formulated in Kosovo and in South Africa; - Teaching and learning tools for rural people life can be consulted through an interactive research system of the ERP Tool kit. The ERP Tool kit provides education and training materials for rural teachers, technicians, instructors, trainers, parents, researchers, extensionists and others involved in formal and non formal education for rural people. It could also provide tools for self studies (http://www.fao.org/sd/erp/ERptktoolkit_en.htm). - A Networking with France on education and training for rural people was created. http://www.fao.org/sd/erp/ERPevents59_en.htm - A Web site was developed at http://www.fao.org/sd/erp/ which describes all activities undertaken; - A major ERP advocacy project - prepared in collaboration by the Italian NGO ACRA and FAO was founded by the European Commission; - ERP was a key topic in several international initiative and events (http://www.fao.org/sd/erp/ERPotheractivities_en.htm); - ERP was presented as a key decision-making policy issue at the Fifth meeting of High-Level Group on Education for All, Beijing, China, November 2005 (http://www.fao.org/sd/erp/ERPevents42_en.htm) |
Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
- Human resources development/training
- Education/building awareness
- Institutional strengthening, including local participation
Capacity building is developed through regional and national workshops for policy makers of Ministries of Agriculture, Rural Development and Ministries of Education. Publications on the topic where produced to serve as training materials.
Relationship to International Agreements on Sustainable Development
How the partnership contributes to the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
The Agenda 21 and Programme for Further Implementation of Agenda 21.
Chapter 3 - Combating poverty in rural areas is one of the pillars of the Flagship and is reflected across the objectives and activities of the partnership .
Chapter 8 - Influencing policy-making for sustainable development
Chapter 10 - An integrated approach to land-resource use
Chapter 14 - Meeting agricultural needs without destroying the land
The partnership will contribute to promote the integral approach in policy making processes for solving problems related to the rural sustainable development such as poverty alleviation; access to education and health; food security; sustainable agriculture patterns; protection of natural resources; and sustainable use of the land.
Chapter 36. - Education and public awareness
The Flagship is focused on:
- reorienting education towards sustainable development for people placed in rural areas, by addressing rural people needs in the curriculum
- increasing public awareness on the need to reduce the existing rural/urban educational gap and,
- training teachers and persons involved in decision-making processes related to the development of the rural world and for overcoming obstacles for achieving sustainability.
Chapter 37 - The Flagship counts on an action-oriented component which attempts to:
- develop a region/country's human, scientific, organizational, institutional and resource capabilities for sustainable development and,
- strengthen the use of existing human resources within partner institutions.
The Johannesburg Plan of Implementations in relation to
Chapter II. Poverty Eradication paragraphs 6(b),(c)(d) (e)(g)(i)(j) and 9 (c) by focusing on education and training and skills enhancement for rural communities
Chapter IV Protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development paragraph 38 (a) because of the direct impact of basic education on sustainable agriculture and rural development and because education is one of the commitments of the World Food Summit.
Chapter VIII Sustainable Development for Africa. Paragraph 56 (e) ERP contributes to Sustainable Development in Africa by supporting the development of national Programmes and strategies to promote education within the context of national strategies for poverty reduction in order to increase the capacity to achieve
the internationally agreed development goals related to education. If by the year 2015 the international community is to ensure that children every where, boys and girls, rural and urban, have equal access to all levels of education relevant to national needs, and since the majority of the world population and of the poor is rural, there is a need to partner efforts to ensure a specific focus on rural people education.
Chapter IX, Means for implementation, ERP is relevant to paragraphs 113 on eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005, since the greatest disparities are in rural areas; 114 on integrating sustainable development into the education systems at all levels; 115 ERP contributes to review the education action plans and programs to ensure that they are responsive to local rural conditions and needs; 116, ERP focuses both on the educational needs of the rural communities through formal and non formal education; 117 (d) ERP Is one of the key topics of the established decade on Education for sustainable development
Chapter X, Institutional framework for sustainable development 121 (g). ERP contributes to involvement of civil society and other relevant stakeholders in the implementation of Agenda 21 and contributes to the exchange of best practices in the context of sustainable development.
Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
Chapter 3 - Combating poverty in rural areas is one of the pillars of the Flagship and is reflected across the objectives and activities of the partnership .
Chapter 8 - Influencing policy-making for sustainable development
Chapter 10 - An integrated approach to land-resource use
Chapter 14 - Meeting agricultural needs without destroying the land
The partnership will contribute to promote the integral approach in policy making processes for solving problems related to the rural sustainable development such as poverty alleviation; access to education and health; food security; sustainable agriculture patterns; protection of natural resources; and sustainable use of the land.
Chapter 36. - Education and public awareness
The Flagship is focused on:
- reorienting education towards sustainable development for people placed in rural areas, by addressing rural people needs in the curriculum
- increasing public awareness on the need to reduce the existing rural/urban educational gap and,
- training teachers and persons involved in decision-making processes related to the development of the rural world and for overcoming obstacles for achieving sustainability.
Chapter 37 - The Flagship counts on an action-oriented component which attempts to:
- develop a region/country's human, scientific, organizational, institutional and resource capabilities for sustainable development and,
- strengthen the use of existing human resources within partner institutions.
The Johannesburg Plan of Implementations in relation to
Chapter II. Poverty Eradication paragraphs 6(b),(c)(d) (e)(g)(i)(j) and 9 (c) by focusing on education and training and skills enhancement for rural communities
Chapter IV Protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development paragraph 38 (a) because of the direct impact of basic education on sustainable agriculture and rural development and because education is one of the commitments of the World Food Summit.
Chapter VIII Sustainable Development for Africa. Paragraph 56 (e) ERP contributes to Sustainable Development in Africa by supporting the development of national Programmes and strategies to promote education within the context of national strategies for poverty reduction in order to increase the capacity to achieve
the internationally agreed development goals related to education. If by the year 2015 the international community is to ensure that children every where, boys and girls, rural and urban, have equal access to all levels of education relevant to national needs, and since the majority of the world population and of the poor is rural, there is a need to partner efforts to ensure a specific focus on rural people education.
Chapter IX, Means for implementation, ERP is relevant to paragraphs 113 on eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005, since the greatest disparities are in rural areas; 114 on integrating sustainable development into the education systems at all levels; 115 ERP contributes to review the education action plans and programs to ensure that they are responsive to local rural conditions and needs; 116, ERP focuses both on the educational needs of the rural communities through formal and non formal education; 117 (d) ERP Is one of the key topics of the established decade on Education for sustainable development
Chapter X, Institutional framework for sustainable development 121 (g). ERP contributes to involvement of civil society and other relevant stakeholders in the implementation of Agenda 21 and contributes to the exchange of best practices in the context of sustainable development.
Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
Integrating environment and development in decision-making; Integrated approach to the planning and management of land resources; Promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development; Promoting education, public awareness and training; National mechanisms and international cooperation for capacity-building in developing countries
Relevant Sections of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation Poverty eradication ; Protection and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development ; Means of implementation
Coordination and Implementation
Coordination Mechanism of the PartnershipA coordination unit for the partnership is managed by the Natural Resources Department and is composed by two FAO professionals, one research fellow, one volunteer and one person from the FAO's general support service. The partnership initiative is led in close collaboration with UNESCO Headquarters, Regional Offices and UNESCO Institute of Education Planning. IIEP contributes to the flagship with half time of a Senior specialist. The FAO based coordination unit is integrated during one week per months also by an education specialist from the NGO ACRA, which coordinates the ERP project funded by the European Union.
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Implementation Mechanism of the PartnershipThe coordination Unit based at FAO interacts with the 309 partners through ERP events and meetings, email exchange, an informal news letter and the web site.
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Resources
Funding Currently AvailableAmount in US$: 1000000
Source(s): Government - IGO - NGO
FAO, UNESCO, Italian Development Cooperation, NGO ACRA, European Commission, and the Republic of San Marino. |
Non-financial resources availableType(s): Computers - Office space - Staff
Source(s): IGO - NGO
FAO, UNESCO (HQ, Regional offices and Institute of Education Planning) and NGO ACRA. |
Funding SoughtRequired Amount in US$: 300000
Source(s) already approached: About 50 entities from the private sector and bilaterla donors.
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Non-financial resources soughtRequirement(s): Staff
Volunteers Source(s) approached and details:
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Additional Information
Additional Relevant Information
Lessons:
- Interdisciplinarity is crucial. The most innovative issue of the partnership is the alliance among the education and the agriculture and rural development sectors which is reflected in the collaboration among FAO and UNESCO, Ministries of Agriculture and of Education, research and academic institution and well as NGOs from the two sectors which had little tradition of partnering in the past.
- To ensure partners initial enthusiasm in joining is maintained they need to get some advantage from the partnership. This could be getting access to a network that allows them to share experiences and best practices through direct contact with other partners and the lead Organization. This could happen through their participation to specialized events or through facilitated access to relevant and updated literature indicated or produced by the partnership. Traditional means of communication need to be complemented by ICT. A web site is important but not sufficient. Other forms of direct communication such as informal news letters and email correspondence are needed. There is also a need to be able to provide technical cooperation when requested. Maintaining the momentum requires a commitment in terms of human resources and funding of the responsible Organization over a consistent time frame. Not doing so could backfire in terms of credibility of the Organization.
Challenges:
- Human and financial resources to be able to respond to the great enthusiasm and request for technical support expressed by government and. civil society since the foundation of the partnership. Great support from volunteers has been a way to counteract such shortage.
- In a time of shrinking resources for international aid, resources are the main problem. Civil society has been very supportive and enthusiastically responsive in securing resources for Education for Rural people which will be managed collaboratively in innovative ways. Traditional donors are supportive but their procedures are very time consuming. UN Agencies budgets, including FAO, are suffering important reductions.
- Interdisciplinarity is crucial. The most innovative issue of the partnership is the alliance among the education and the agriculture and rural development sectors which is reflected in the collaboration among FAO and UNESCO, Ministries of Agriculture and of Education, research and academic institution and well as NGOs from the two sectors which had little tradition of partnering in the past.
- To ensure partners initial enthusiasm in joining is maintained they need to get some advantage from the partnership. This could be getting access to a network that allows them to share experiences and best practices through direct contact with other partners and the lead Organization. This could happen through their participation to specialized events or through facilitated access to relevant and updated literature indicated or produced by the partnership. Traditional means of communication need to be complemented by ICT. A web site is important but not sufficient. Other forms of direct communication such as informal news letters and email correspondence are needed. There is also a need to be able to provide technical cooperation when requested. Maintaining the momentum requires a commitment in terms of human resources and funding of the responsible Organization over a consistent time frame. Not doing so could backfire in terms of credibility of the Organization.
Challenges:
- Human and financial resources to be able to respond to the great enthusiasm and request for technical support expressed by government and. civil society since the foundation of the partnership. Great support from volunteers has been a way to counteract such shortage.
- In a time of shrinking resources for international aid, resources are the main problem. Civil society has been very supportive and enthusiastically responsive in securing resources for Education for Rural people which will be managed collaboratively in innovative ways. Traditional donors are supportive but their procedures are very time consuming. UN Agencies budgets, including FAO, are suffering important reductions.