Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean
November 2013
News / Calls and Awards / Recent and Upcoming Events / New Projects / Project Publications and Articles
“Fruits of the Earth” - first collective brand for ecological products in Peru This past September, during the gastronomic fair “Mistura 2013”, small producers from the National Association of Ecological Producers of Peru (ANPE Peru) launched their first collective brand called “Fruits of the Earth.” This collective brand will guarantee that the products are organic and ecological. ANPE Peru launches the brand with the support of the agro-eco project “Ecological and socioeconomic intensification of the small Andean producer”. AGROECO is a research and rural development project implemented by the National Agrarian University La Molina, the Peruvian Environmental Law Association, and the University of British Columbia in Canada. The project is financed by the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF) an IDRC Program undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD). Read more (project) Read more (Spanish)
International seminar on violence and security alternatives On November 7th the international seminar “Latin American City: crime, violence and community alternatives for security” will take place in Medellin, Colombia. The results of two IDRC supported research projects on violence, criminality and community alternatives to security in Latin America will be presented at the seminar. Read more (Spanish)
New project will promote the economic empowerment of women through better policy
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On October 31 , the “Promoting the economic empowerment of women through better policies” project was launched in Uruguay. The main objective of the project is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of policies which promote gender equity in labour markets and better economic opportunities for women through research and the development of capacities. The project will work with research institutions in 8 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Mexico and Uruguay. The project will be led by the Interdisciplinary Centre for Development Studies (CIEDUR) in Uruguay and the Centre for Distributive Studies at the Universidad de la Plata (CEDLAS) in Argentina. Read more (Spanish)
Studies on child obesity in Latin America IDRC funded project “The influence of food packaging on children’s snack food preferences in Guatemala” led by Dr. Joaquin Barnoya, published its first research paper. The project examines the impact of food packaging on children’s preference for energy dense snack foods. Access the research paper here
Furthermore, a new project led by the Inter-American Heart Foundation in Argentina will research the impacts of unhealthy food advertisements on childhood obesity rates in the country. The adoption of regulations to limit such advertisements, especially those targeting children, is considered an important tool for global action in the prevention of obesity. This project will support the generation of local evidence to support decision makers in the promotion of a public policy which regulates this type of advertising. Read more
Both projects are financed by IDRC’s Non Communicable Disease Prevention Initiative (NCDP). Read more about other ongoing projects here.
New communications tools H20 Adaptar – CATHALAC + Saber América Latina In the framework of the “Understanding relationships between Think Tanks and Governments in Latin America” project being led by Grupo Faro in Ecuador and Diego Portales University in Chile, a new web portal has been launched with more information on this topic. This project aims to improve understanding of relationships between think tanks and universities in Latin
The IDRC supported “Water Security and Climate Change in Central America and the Caribbean” project has just launched a new web page. This tool will be very useful to the project and its objective of reducing the gap between scientific knowledge about the impacts of climate change on water resources and the efforts made by governmental institutions in Central America and the Caribbean to manage water resources in the region. Read more (Spanish)
America. In order to do so, it is carrying out studies in 10 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, as well as a regional study to analyze these connections. Read more (Spanish)
New Latin American network on public policy research The “Latin American Initiative for Public Policy Research (Ilaipp)” was recently created by 12 think tanks from Central and South American countries with the aim of influencing discussion on development challenges in the region through public policy research. The centres which participate in this initiative are: Inesad (Bolivia), Fundación ARU (Bolivia), Grupo FARO (Ecuador), CEDA (Ecuador), Fundaungo (El Salvador), Fusades (El Salvador), Asies (Guatemala), Fosdeh (Honduras), Cadep (Paraguay), ID (Paraguay), IEP (Peru) and GRADE (Peru). On November 7th and 8th, the Network will hold its first meeting entitled “Towards social inclusion in Latin America: advances, learning and challenges” in Antigua, Guatemala. This meeting will be attended by representatives of the institutions mentioned above, as well as representatives of ECLAC and the Think Tank Initiative. Read more (Spanish)
New publication explores the digital sharing economy As people share their time, tangible goods, money and ideas, these new digital sharing economy enterprises are proliferating. They are disrupting well-established business models and are driving a revolution in sharing by efficiently matching those who have assets or talents to share with those who need them. The publication “The Power of Sharing: Exploring the Digital Sharing Economy at the Base of the Pyramid” published by NESsT with the financial support of IDRC, explores how the digital sharing economy is starting to reach groups that were previously excluded from the global economy and starting to have an impact in their lives thanks to growing access to global open platforms, the Internet and mobile phones in poor communities. It analyzes digital, community-led innovations in developing countries, identifying characteristics that can be particularly important for development while also examining the challenges and constraints they face. Read more
Third publication on innovation systems in BRICs countries This is the third volume in a series of five books which bring together the results of intensive research on the national systems of innovation in the BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This book looks at the relationship between small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the national systems of innovation in the BRICS countries. It brings to fore crucial issues in the evolution and future trends of industrial or innovation policies for small firms. Read more
NEW
Latin American Competition for Communicational Pieces The National Institute for Public Health in Mexico (INSP), the Centre for Health Research and Studies (CEIS) at the Santa Fe Foundation in Bogota, and the Community of Practice in Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health in Latin America (COPEH-LAC) and Social Sciences Laboratory (LACSO) at the Central University in Venezuela (UCV) invite journalists and students in their last year or semester of social communications studies from Latin America to participate in this competition. This competition will award the best proposals on the Ecohealth approach to vector borne diseases: dengue, Chagas and malaria. Deadline: November 15, 2013 Read more (Spanish)
Call for papers – EcoHealth 2014 Conference EcoHealth 2014 is co-hosted by the Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology, Health, Society and Environment (Cinbiose) and the Canadian community of Practice in Ecosystem Approaches to Health (CoPEH-Canada). Under the theme Connections for health, ecosystems and society, the EcoHealth 2014 Conference will be held in Montréal (Québec, Canada), at the Université du Québec à Montréal, from August 11st to 15th. Deadline: November 30, 3013
Read more
Second Call for proposals: Policy analysis on growth and employment The Policy Analysis on Growth and Employment (PAGE) Program, invites
proposals from small research teams in developing countries. PAGE is part of the Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP) funded by IDRC and DFID UK.
Deadline: December 10, 2013
Read more
PROSAVINGS opens a call for projects in Mexico The ProSavings program is currently launching its final convocation phase directed at financial institutions interested in developing savings products tailored to the lowestincome populations, such as the recipients of government payment programs or conditional transfers. This time, the Program is directing its call for proposals to Mexican entities, welcoming innovative proposals to expand rural savings. The Program will award innovations that incorporate learnings from informal mechanisms such as savings groups, as well as aspects related to behavioral economics.
ProSavings relies on the experience and funding from the Inter-American Development Bank, the Citi Foundation, the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
Read more (Spanish)
Call for papers – Innovation in the service sector “Emerging Markets Finance and Trade (EMFT)” is organizing a special issue on “Innovation in the Service Sector”. Guest Editors of this issue: Gustavo Crespi, BID / Diego Aboal, CINVE, University of the Republic and ORT University and Claudio Bravo-Ortega, University of Chile Deadline: December 15, 2013 Read more
Awards - Drugs, Security and Democracy Program The Drugs, Security and Democracy (DSD) Program provides support for research to create a network of scholars interested in developing alternative approaches to drug policy and fostering strategies that address the growth of transnational organized crime. The competition is open to PhD candidates and recent PhD recipients worldwide. DSD is funded by the Open Society Foundations and IDRC. The program is a partnership between OSF, IDRC, the SSRC, Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), and Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (Mexico). Deadline: January 20, 2014 Read more
8 Oct., 2013 10-11 Oct., 2013 9-10 Oct. 2013 Oct. 12-19, 2013 15-18 Oct. 2013 17 -18 Oct. 2013 25-26 Oct. 2013 27-30 Oct. 2013 30 Oct. 2013 28-31 Oct. 2013 04 Nov. 2013 07 Nov. 2013 07-08 Nov. 2013 10-13 Nov. 2013 14-15 Nov. 2013
I Simposio sobre Cambio Climatico y Toma de Decisiones, Montevideo, Uruguay Coming Soon: A Healthier Food Secure Caribbean, Georgetown, Guyana Las agendas de investigación sobre crecimiento verde e inclusivo; Ciudad de México, Mexico XIII Coloquio Internacional de Derechos Humanos, San Pablo, Brazil Agua 2013, el riesgo de la gesitón del agua, Cali, Colombia Foro Internacional Violencia, Inseguridad y Víctimas: Una agenda para los Derechos Humanos, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico Séptima Reunión Anual de la Red de Evaluación de Impacto, Lima, Peru International Human Rights and Sustainable Development. A workshop for Senior Officials from Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Paramaribo, Suriname Conferencia Internacional Desarrollo, Deliberación y Políticas públicas, Montevideo, Uruguay Brazilian Labour Studies Association (ABET) Conference, Curitiba, Brazil Lanzamiento Colección Fronteras, FLACSO Ecuador; Quito, Ecuador Seminario Internacional.” Ciudad Latinoamericana: crimen, violencias y alternativas comunitarias de seguridad”. Socialización de resultados de investigación, Medellin, Colombia I Conferencia Regional “América Latina hacia la inclusión social: avances, aprendizajes y desafíos”, Antigua, Guatemala Tercer Foro Mundial sobre Recursos Humanos para la Salud, Recife, Brazil Quinta Conferencia Boliviana de Desarrollo Económico / Fifth Bolivia Conference on Development Economics, Santa Cruz de la Sierre, Bolivia
26-29 Nov. 2013
Taller internacional “Prevención del dengue y enfermedad de Chagas en ALC: Intervenciones basadas en la innovación y la gestión comunitaria del ecosistema”, Montevideo, Uruguay
Growth, inclusiveness and women's economic empowerment in Brazil Brazil has witnessed an unprecedented rise of women to economic and political power. Latin America's most populous country has a female president, Dilma Roussef, and women have 26% of the seats in her cabinet. Women make up 27% of the senior managers of Brazil's leading companies; compared with a global average of 21%. Twenty percent of the country's billionaires are women, compared with a global average of 10%. Brazil has a higher proportion of women in the labour force (59%) than developed countries such as France (52%) or Britain (57%). But is this remarkable transformation shared by all women in Brazilian society? And has the country's progressive social policy made growth more inclusive? Through this project, SOS Corpo - Feminist Institute for Democracy, will investigate whether Brazil's growth has contributed to women's economic empowerment and work to ensure research uptake through dialogue with policy makers.
Strengthening Social and Ecological Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change in the Orotoy Watershed, Colombia The purpose of this project, led by the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Research on Biological Resources, is to study the interlinkages between biodiversity, ecosystem water services and the livelihoods of rural people that reside in the Orotoy watershed. It will also analyze how water availability and use may be affected by future climate and land use change scenarios and how current water governance schemes would need to be adjusted. As part of the project, a specialized diploma program will be developed and implemented to train approximately one hundred community leaders, mid-level policy makers, and local and regional government officials. Read more (Spanish)
IDRC IN THE NEWS ICESI University (Colombia) published an interview with Rodrigo Varela who coordinates the GEM project which is the most complete study on themes associated with the creation of companies and business activities in the Caribbean. The project is being carried out in Barbados, Colombia, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Surinam and the Eastern Caribbean Islands. The TV program “Bom Dia” (Belem, Brazil) interviewed researcher Sergio Rivero, who leads a project on climate change and adaptation with coboclo communities in the Amazon. The “New Agriculturist” magazine (United Kingdom) published an article on the role of women in the organic agriculture AGROECO project in Peru. Radio Canada International interviewed Renaud de Plaen, from IDRC, who commented on the activities of the “From Farm to Fork: Improving Nutrition in the Caribbean” project. Interview Pablo Gómez Barrios. (Spanish)
Agriculture and Environment “Dinámicas del bienestar territorial en México basadas en los territorios funcionales: 2005- 2010”, Isidro Soloaga, I. ; Yúnez, A. Agosto Documentos de Trabajo RIMISP, Documento de Trabajo Nº 25; 2013 “Dinámicas del bienestar territorial en México basadas en municipios: 1990-2005-2010”, Yúnez A.; Arellano, J.; Méndez, J.; Documentos de Trabajo RIMISP, Documento de Trabajo Nº 24; 2013 “Regional Perspectives on Nutrition and Health Outcomes – Case study presentation” Gray-Donald, K.
Social and Economic Policy “Experiencia de reinserción psicosocial de adolescentes infractores luego de un periodo de privación de libertad” Spinzi, C.; Ledesma, A. ; Serie: educación Instituto de Desarrollo, Paraguay, 2013 “Violencia y seguridad ciudadana: algunas reflexiones. Ecuador”; Torres, A.; Alvarado, G. & González, L.; FLACSO Ecuador; 2013 “De inseguridad excluyente a la construcción de seguridad legítima”; Gottsbacher, M. in “Nuevo pensamiento sobre seguridad en América Latina: hacia la seguridad como un valor democrático”, CLACSO, 2013 “El estado frente al crimen organizado. Octavo estudio del Proceso de fortalecimiento del Sistema de Justicia, avances y debilidades”, ASIES, 2013 “El tamaño importa: variaciones por distrito en elecciones legislativas de Guatemala (1984-2011)”, Brolo,J. ASIES, 2013
Global Health Policies “Child-oriented marketing techniques in snack food packages in Guatemala”, Chacon, V. ; Letona, P.; Barnoya, J. BMC Public Health 2013, 13:967
International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean Avda. Brasil 2655, 11300 Montevideo, Uruguay Tel: +598 2 7090042 Email: lacro@idrc.ca www.idrc.ca/lacro
Comments or suggestions write to lacro@idrc.ca