From Agricultural Education to Education for Rural Development and Food Security: All for Education and Food for All. SD Dimensions.

Overview & Synopsis

Reducing the number of undernourished people in all countries to half its present level no later than 2015 is the commitment undertaken by the international community during the World Food Summit of 1996. In order to accomplish this goal, a common vision to work for sustainable growth that favors the poor and provides more resources for health, education, gender equality, and environmental sustainability worldwide is needed. Since the agriculture-only model of rural development has proven inadequate to address poverty education, rural development, and sustainable natural resources management, international assistance to agricultural education has declined. The latest good practices in such domains indicate that the empowerment of poor people, policy, and institutional reforms in the rural sector leading to participation of stakeholders need to be the starting point. At present, however, access to education is lower among rural populations, quality of education is lower in rural areas, and institutional capacity to address education for rural development and food security needs strengthening. In order to move forward, the following areas should be addressed: (1) targeting multiple stakeholders, focusing on Education for All and Food for All; (2) contributing to placing education at the core of the global and national development agenda and food security agenda; and (3) fostering interdisciplinary efforts and new partnerships. (Contains 38 endnotes.) (KC)