Canadian University Projects in International Development Database (CUPID)

Americas

Colombia

• Development of a Training Program in Sustainable Agriculture
• Éducation relative à l'environnement en région amazonienne
• Réseau panaméricain pour les coopératives

Éducation relative à l'environnement en région amazonienne

Project purpose:
In response to the gravity and magnitude of social and environmental problems in the Amazon region, the objective of the EDAMAZ (Educación ambiental en Amazonia) project was to promote the institutional strengthening of participating universities in the area of environmental education.

Key results to date:
In each of the three participating countries, the partners set up a continuing education program for university teams, which trained 14 faculty and 13 students; a university program for teaching consultants specializing in leadership and facilitation at "school-community" locations, which trained 369 students in the Amazon region and in Canada; and a distance education program for primary school teachers in environmental education that trained 653 teachers, 11,457 students and 2,650 parents and members of the communities involved. In each of the three countries, a documentation centre was set up and teaching materials, both joint and specific to each, were produced. Approximately 60 articles have been published in journals or conference proceedings.

Réseau panaméricain pour les coopératives

Project purpose:
The objective of the project was to strengthen the capacity of Colombian cooperatives to develop opportunities for local employment on the basis of community entrepreneurship.

Key results to date:
Cooperatives and other community-based businesses have developed innovative management methods that allow them to adapt rapidly to increased competition by adopting democratic operating methods that leverage their members' power. Universidad Javeriana is now able to offer programs adapted and accessible to various clienteles involved in cooperative management and development. Faculty are able to adapt and enrich their teaching and research to include international elements and to transfer knowledge in their respective areas. Public awareness of cooperatives and development issues has been increased.

Development of a Training Program in Sustainable Agriculture

Project purpose:
The project aimed to strengthen the capacity of Colombia's Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander (UFPS) to develop new courses in sustainable agriculture and rural development that address the issues facing rural farmers. The project also sought to strengthen the capacity of the Universidad de la República in Uruguay in sustainable agriculture and rural development.

Key results to date:
Curricula for the one-year specialization program in sustainable agriculture and the five-year agro-environmental engineering program have been developed. In May 2002, the accreditation board for university programs in Colombia approved the one-year specialization program with courses beginning that September. Faculty training and improved library resources at partner universities in Colombia and Uruguay support the improved capacity of both universities to deliver courses in sustainable and organic agriculture. Two students from Uruguay have completed their master's studies at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. Improved South-South cooperation in sustainable agriculture has resulted as faculty members from universities in Colombia, Uruguay and Brazil participated in workshops and peer review of the newly developed specialization program at the lead Colombian university.