ALL ADEC MEETING ADEC, UCR, IICA-CATIE, Z amorano

1. ALL ADEC MEETINGADEC, UCR, IICA-CATIE, Zamorano Preliminary Draft Proposal DEVELOPING AND STRENGTHENING VIRTUAL LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENTS FOR AGRICULTURE Seattle, April 27, 2007

2. Cooperators in the concept of this proposal • José Ramírez: IICA • Federico Sancho: IICA • Jim French, IICA • Renán Agüero: Coordinator e-Learning Project, School of Agronomy, UCR • Antonio Flores: Director, e-Learning Center, Zamorano University, Honduras • Janet Poley, President and CEO, ADEC • Glenn Galloway, Director of Education, Dean of the Graduate School, CATIE

3. Overview • Importance of virtual learning in LAC • Reasons for the partnership • Members of the partnership • Importance initiatives to date • Objectives (General and Specific) • Outputs • Overall vision

4. The importance of virtual learning in Latin America and the Caribbean • Continuing large divide between existing information and that utilized by producers (and professionals) • Prohibitive costs of traditional training and higher education programs • Historic opportunity: technologies are improving and costs are coming down – emerging digital culture • Growing need among professionals for life-long learning

5. Examples of progress in IT in many countries • Growing presence of the internet, at times even in marginalized communities • Development of information systems – INFOAGRO • Expanding use of geographical information systems in many countries

6. Reasons for the partnership • Members are convinced that networking together, we will better respond to the vast information needs in LAC, including our own • Each member has experiences and strengths to contribute to this partnership • All members are committed to agriculture and sustainable rural development – years devoted to these tasks • All aspire to reaching a larger group of beneficiaries

7. Members of the partnership • ADEC – needs no introduction • Zamorano – Leading agricultural university in the Region, devoting much effort to Distance Education – creation of e-Learning Center • UCR – Leading university in Costa Rica and the Region, strong program in agriculture, commitment to e-Learning

8. Members of the partnership • IICA – Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture, hemispheric international organization devoted to agriculture and rural sustainable development, policy issues • CATIE – Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center, first Graduate School in tropical agriculture in LAC, dynamic research program, regional presence

9. Important initiatives to date • Zamorano and UCR – active in development of distance education programs, courses, strong efforts to create internal capacities • IICA-CATIE: Agricultural Information and Documentation System of the Americas (SIDALC – www.sidalc.net) developed through the Orton Library • IICA, Gov. Mexico y Texas A&M: Distance Training Center (CECADI), founded 1998

10. Other attributes and strengths • IICA offices in 34 member countries: IT linked • CATIE national technical offices: 8 NTOs • Graduates of UCR, Zamorano and CATIE well-placed throughout the region Importance of opportunities for life-long learning (source of mentors-instructors)

11. Common objectives of cooperation agencies and higher education institutions - Strengthen cooperation among countries: technical assistance, sharing of knowledge, information and experiences to contribute to agriculture and rural life - Improve rural connectivity and access to information through the creation of information network systems

12. Objectives of the Program • General Objective of the Program • Establish a regional model for the creation, management and use of knowledge… at the service of agricultural education and training institutions and organizations in the Americas… that seek to enhance innovation, competitiveness and sustainable development of rural communities.

13. Specific Objectives • Implement a program for the development and exchange of distance learning experiences among agricultural education and training centers of the hemisphere • Provide education and training centers with a virtual learning environment for developing competencies in agriculture and for rural prosperity, integrating existing networks

14. Specific Objectives 3. Improve competencies, methodologies, and tools for the creation, management and use of information and knowledge by the staff and users of virtual learning and documentation centers We aspire to generate benefits not only for the rural sector, but also for our respective institutions (and others)

15. Outputs:Development and exchange of experiences in distance learning • Training services enriched taking into account new competencies required for competitiveness in agriculture and rural sustainable development - New courses developed and implemented on priority topics for agricultural competitiveness and rural sustainable development

16. Outputs:Virtual Learning Environment for Agriculture • Enhanced opportunities for access to learning media and information regardless of time available and distance constraints Important for active professionals in the Region

17. Outputs:Enhanced opportunities for access to learning media • Staff and users of document and virtual learning centers improve their competencies: • management of information and knowledge required for distance education in diverse fields (content) • utilization of methodologies and tools for distance education (delivery) • Staff will receive training in thematic courses, virtual media and management of digital documents and libraries Initially, financial support will be required

18. Overall vision • Increased cooperation in putting crucial information in the hands of users – combining digital and traditional technologies • Building on progress and successes to date • Professional staff and graduates increasingly engaged in this process • Increased participation in the partnership over time by other institutions: ie. AMEAS which already brings together over 50 institutions (Otilio Vásquez)

19. Overall vision • Flow of information and learning opportunities among partners • Sharing of information generated by R&D initiatives implemented throughout the Region • Assessment and use of know-how, experiences and learning resources available within ADEC

20. Gracias