Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean
March 2017
News / Calls and Awards / Recent and upcoming events / New projects/ Publications and project articles
Institutions in Central America join forces to provide knowledge on the increasing number of deportations Three institutions funded by the Think Tank Initiative are working on the regional project “An approach to the policies of attention to deportees in the countries of the Northern Triangle of Central America" to analyze the public institutions in each country which attend to the people deported from Mexico and the United States. The Asociación de Investigación y Estudios Sociales (Asies Guatemala, Guatemala), the Fundación Guillermo Manuel Guillermo Manuel Ungo (Fundaungo, El Salvador) and the Foro Social de la Deuda Externa y Desarrollo de Honduras (Fosdeh, Honduras) participate in the project which receives funding from the Konrad Adeneuer Foundation (KAS). Read more (Spanish)
Canada’s Minister of International Trade meets IDRC-supported researchers in Chile Canada’s Minister of International Trade, the Honourable Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne participated in a meeting organized by IDRC with researchers in Santiago during his visit to Chile on March 13th-14th. Representatives of Espacio Publico, RIMISP, and Sistema B participated in this fruitful exchange of ideas on progressive trade, and in particular economic inclusion and gender equity. Read more
Researchers from Canada and Latin America and the Caribbean join forces to combat Zika virus
The spread of the Zika virus has become a pressing public health issue in many countries. To this day, there is no vaccine to prevent and no medicine to treat Zika virus infections.
Three teams of researchers from Canada and Latin America and the Caribbean will work together on innovative projects to combat the Zika virus after being selected by the “Canada-Latin America-Caribbean Zika Virus Research Program” funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and IDRC. Research will be undertaken in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador. Read more / Read articles published by participating institutions.
World Salt Awareness Week High salt diets are a major cause of high blood pressure, a leading risk factor for death, and account for close to two-thirds of strokes and one-half of heart disease incidents worldwide. Latin America has one of the highest rates of hypertension in the world. To celebrate “World Salt Awareness Week” (March 20-26) the project “Scaling Up and Evaluating Salt Reduction Policies and Programs in Latin American Countries”, led by INCIENSA in Costa Rica and financed by IDRC produced two educational videos. One focuses on the importance of adequate consumption of salt/sodium for health and the other on tips and techniques to reduce salt / sodium intake. Watch video 1 / Watch video 2
New project will prepare Haitian youth for digital jobs In Haiti, 80% of the population is living under the poverty line and unemployment is around 40%. A new 3 year project aims to create the enabling conditions for young Haitians to find employment in the digital economy by addressing skills and infrastructure deficits. Specifically, it will design, pilot and evaluate locally adapted online courses to enhance the technical skills of young Haitians; develop platforms for young Haitians to be matched with companies working in the digital economy, particularly those owned by the Haitian diaspora; and perfect the skills of telecommunications engineers in Haiti. The announcement of this project was made during the visit to Haiti of Canada’s Minister of International Development, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau last February. Read more
Harnessing the sharing economy for development Digital marketplace platforms like AirBnB and Uber – sometimes referred to as the sharing economy - have become an essential part of the digital economy in recent years. Advocates of the sharing economy testify to enormous economic potential, while at the same time, these models also have a significant impact on labour markets, environmental sustainability and consumption habits around the world. The sharing economy is expanding swiftly in developing countries due to high rates of digitalization, the uptake of new technologies, and a sustained rise in the use of social networks combined with the substantial challenges these countries experience related to transport, climate change and housing. This project coordinated by CIPPEC in Argentina, will support five in-depth case studies on the impact of the sharing economy in the developing world which will be selected through an open call. Case studies will examine the impact of collaborative consumption models on economic gains, labour, traditional industries, use of environmental resources and consumer surplus. Read more (Spanish)
Climate Resilient Cities in Latin America The projects selected by the Climate Resilient Cities (CRC) in Latin America Initiative in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Paraguay and Peru began their research activities. Several projects were launched in March:
“HOME” As a catalyst for resilience: relocation in the Amazon Rainforest” in Iquitos, Peru. (link in Spanish) “Triangle city cooperation: building joint climate resilient development in the Parana Basin” in Misiones, Argentina (link in Spanish)
The CRC Initiative is an action-research program between IDRC, the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), and Fundacion Futuro Latinoamericano. The research teams participating in this initiative will gather together in Foz de Iguazu to participate in a workshop to exchange experiences in April. Read more or follow them on twitter @ciudades_rc
Graduation Program in Latin America launches New Evaluation and Learning Platform Together with local governments, Fundación Capital's “Graduation Program”, develops comprehensive approaches to reducing extreme poverty. It does so by increasing and improving the productive, financial, human and social assets of people living in extreme poverty, offering them the tools and resources to become self-sufficient. Currently, the program has approximately 150,000 users and is designing innovative strategies to scale up the program in the region. Since 2016 the Centro de Estudios de Desarrollo Económico (CEDE) at the Universidad de Los Andes has been developing the “Evaluation and Learning Platform of the Graduation Program in Latin America” which is co-financed by the Ford Foundation, Fundación Capital and IDRC. Presently, the Platform is evaluating and documenting the experiences of graduation programs in Colombia such as “Transformando Mi Futuro” (Transforming my future) and “Produciendo por Mi Futuro” (Producing my future), Paraguay “Sembrando Oportunidades Familia por Familia” (Sowing opportunities family by family), Mexico “De la Mano de PROSPERA” (Together with PROSPERA), and Honduras “Emprendiendo una Vida Mejor” (Embarking on a better life). Read more (Spanish)
Innovation and Quality Education in Latin America The Latin American Initiative for Public Policy Research (ILAIPP) published the book "Innovation and Quality Education in Latin America" which includes studies presented during the second regional conference #EduILAIPP held in Lima in April 2016. The book contains five studies with emphasis in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay and Bolivia. It also contains studies on substantive aspects of education such as rural secondary education, university reforms, extended school days, prevention of school violence and the relationship between democracy and education. The book also includes two chapters by Canadian researchers on innovation and quality in education as well as, perspectives, strategies and challenges of bringing educational program innovations to scale. Read more (Spanish)
New Book – Putting Knowledge to Work: Collaborating, Influencing and Learning for International Development Editor(s): Luc J.A. Mougeot Publisher(s): Practical Action Publishing, IDRC February 2017 Dramatic changes in the ecosystem for international development are now pressing civil society organizations (CSOs) to invest more in knowledge to remain significant players. While the need for creative thinking and experimentation is greater than ever, there is still very little research published on challenges experienced and solutions found by CSOs as they adjust to the global changes underway. The book examines how CSOs access, generate, apply, and grow their intelligence, knowledge, and know-how. Read more
Researchers Awarded Yves Moury, Founder and CEO of Fundación Capital is among the winners of the Schwab Foundation´s 2017 Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Fundación Capital works to advance economic citizenship globally and at scale through the development and adaptation of tools and policies, and the construction of partnerships and capacity, so that people can save, grow, manage, and protect assets in ways that open the door to opportunity. In 2016 the program reached 5 million people. Fundación Capital is receiving funding from IDRC for several projects such as Proyecto Capital ; Graduation Program; and Active youth in the peace building process in Colombia. Read more
VIDEO OF THE MONTH – Water: a special economic good Did you know that water is one of the most difficult assets to manage? To contribute to the current debate in Peru about better management of this resource, GRADE produced a short video (4’). This video is based on the research presented in the book “La Economía del Agua: conceptos y aplicaciones para una mejor gestión” published by Eduardo Zegarra in 2014 which was funded by the IDRC’s Think Tank Initiative. Read more (Spanish)
24 Jan. 2017 26 Jan. 2017
Conferencia la discusión en el aula: construyendo literacidad y capacidades ciudadanas”; IEP; Lima, Peru Una aproximación a las políticas de atención a los deportados en los países del Triángulo Norte de
30-31 Jan.2017 21 Feb. 2017 Feb. 2017 23 Mar. 2017 27-28 Mar. 2017 30 Mar. 2017 3-4 Apr. 2017 5-7 Apr. 2017 10 Apr. 2017 12 Apr. 2017
Centroamérica, ASIES, Guatemala City International Workshop: Food Security and Nutritionally-sensitive agriculture: knowledge at the service of public policies; Bogotá, Colombia Seminario producción sostenible y eco-innovación en América Latina y el Caribe, Bogotá, Colombia Foro Anual Weconnect International Colombia: Empoderando Mujeres a través de Oportunidades de Negocios, Bogotá, Colombia Mesa de diálogo: Género y mercado laboral. ¿Cómo eligen las mujeres?; Montevideo, Uruguay Workshop on Canada’s Past and Future in the Americas ; Ottawa, Canada Webinario Co-Creación para la generación de políticas de datos abiertos – casos Perú y Costa Rica Gender Equality Forum, Toronto, Canada World Economic Forum - Regional Summit; Buenos Aires, Argentina Foro Anual WEConnect International Perú, Lima, Peru Rethinking Latin America’s rural shift, Ottawa, Canada
Evaluating the Impact of Digital Tools to Teach Math and Science in Chile Over the course of 30 months the Universidad de Chile will coordinate the evaluation of an innovative digital education program called "Conecta Ideas" ("Connect Ideas") to generate rigorous evidence on how to improve the quality of education using technology. This program, which teaches mathematics in 11 Chilean schools attended by students with low socioeconomic status, has been implemented for the past five years. Preliminary results indicate that the model has a significant effect on student learning. This project will assess these effects in depth, estimate costs, determine key factors for success, and provide clear protocols to ensure effective implementation and the scaling-up of the program. The project will also advocate for its adoption for low-income students in Latin America and the Caribbean. Results of the project are expected to inform education policies across the region, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Security for Women and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex People in the Conflict-affected Regions in Colombia This project coordinated by Fundación Ideas para la Paz (Foundation for Ideas for Peace), will help diagnose the security situation and construct alternative solutions to improve the local security conditions of women and LGBTI people in three regions affected by the violence. It is examining public and security policies associated with genderbased violence (GBV) as well as mechanisms for access to justice in related cases. It is working with key stakeholders to improve the local security conditions of women and LGBTI people, with a focus on GBV reduction. The project will also build and strengthen community, public, and private sector capacities to improve the security of women and LGBTI people affected by GBV, inform and sensitize stakeholders about local security conditions associated with GBV, with an emphasis on sexual violence, and disseminate recommendations for better policy and practice at local, national, and regional levels.
Agricultural Water Innovations in the Tropics This project, also known as AgWIT, seeks to contribute to agricultural resilience to climate change in Costa Rica and Brazil by developing more sustainable soil and water management strategies. Using integrated modelling techniques, researchers at the Universidad Nacional in Costa Rica and the Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental Da Amazonia in Brazil are testing the impact of biochar additions—known for their greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions potential—on crop yields, water retention and soil amendment of irrigated and rainfed tropical agricultural systems. By the end of 36 months, the project is expected to have developed a unique dataset of crop and water responses to biochar amendments as well as irrigation strategies of interest to producers and other water management decision-makers. The new recommendations will be made available to the farmers through trainings, and the results will be transmitted through participatory workshops. Ultimately, the project will enable small to medium scale producers in Brazil and Costa Rica to improve their competitiveness while also providing crucial information needed for manufacturers to compute so-called product environmental footprints.
IDRC IN THE NEWS Want to stay up to date on the information published by the media on the projects we fund in Latin America and the Caribbean? Follow us on Storify where we update information daily
HIGHLIGHTS
El País – Tarija Ecuador- Under the title “Estudio revela presencia de hidatidosis en la zona alta” the daily newspaper published an interview to IDRC’s Dr. Roberto Bazzani who highlights the research results of the "Sustainable Livestock Production, Health, and Environment in the Bolivian Altiplano" project.
Radio Canada – Under the title “La conducta humana, un desafío para la Leishmaniasis” journalist Leonora Chapman interviews Dr. Oscar Salomón who speaks about the project "Addressing the Emergence and Spread of Leishmaniasis in the Borders of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay" .
Agencia de noticias Unimedios – Under the title “La Universidad Nacional contribuye a la seguridad alimentaria del país” narrates the advances of the "Scaling up the production of more nutritious yellow potato in Colombia".
Agriculture and Environment
“Place of origin and the earnings of internal migrants in Mexico”, Cazzuffi, C.; Working Paper Series N°221, Territorial Cohesion for Development Program. Rimisp Santiago de Chile, 2016 “Rural Economic Development in Canada with an Emphasis on the Western Canadian Landscape”. Meredith, D.; LePage, B.; Cherwoniak, G.; Spek, M.; D’Eon, M.; Laing, R.; Working Paper Series N° 183. Rimisp, Santiago, Chile, 2016
Social and Economic Policy
“Una aproximación a las políticas de atención a los deportados en los países del Triángulo Norte de Centroamérica – Honduras”; FOSDEH; 2016
“Una aproximación a las políticas de atención a los deportados en los países de Triángulo Norte de Centroamérica. Guatemala”; Rayo, M.; Asociación de Investigación y Estudios Sociales-ASIES; 2017 “Deportados, entre expectativas y desesperanzas”; ASIES, 2017. “Una aproximación a las políticas de atención a los deportados en los países del Triángulo Norte de Centroamérica – El Salvador; FUNDAUNGO; 2016 “La ciudadanía en la escuela: vivir en el Peru. Estudio de opinión pública para conocer percepciones y expectativas sobre ciudadanía y formación ciudadana de estudiantes, docentes, y familias en Arequipa, Ayacucho, Callao, Iquitos, Lima y Piura”; Serie Miscelánea, volumen 38; IEP; Fundación Gustavo Mohme Llona “Conditional Cash Transfers and Financial Access: Increasing the Bang for Each Transferred Buc k?” Chiapa, C. ; Prima, S.; Development Policy Review, 2017, 35 (1): 23—38 “Balance de la política social para el periodo 2011-2016 y retos para el periodo 2016-2021” Monge Zegarra, A.; Grey Gutiérrez, L.; CIES, Diciembre 2016 “Mujeres en el Campo: retos, contribuciones y oportunidades de la científica peruana en el trabajo de Campo”, Espinosa Anaya, N. ; Lopez de la Lama, R.; UPCH “La ciencia avanza, ¿avanzan sus científicas?: barreras y oportunidades para la participación de la investigación científica en mujeres miembros de los grupos de investigación de ingeniería mecánica y electrónica de la PUCP”, Mezarina, J.; Cueva, S.; PUCP; 2017 “Los retos para enfrentar la desnutrición infantil : “Saber y no poder”: un estudio de caso en Vilcas Huamán (Ayacucho)”, Portugal, T.; Yon, C. ; Vargas Machuca, R.; Documento de trabajo N°225. Serie Documento de Política; 12; IEP. 2016 “This Isn’t the Life For You – masculinities and nonviolence in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil”; Taylor, A.Y., Moura, T., Scabio, J.L, Borde, E., Afonso, J.S., e Barker, G.; Promundo, 2016 “Estado del Arte Investigación. Violencia contra las mujeres en contextos de migración”. Proyecto: "Reducción de Violencia institucional y de Género contra Mujeres Migrantes Mesoamericanas”, julio 2016
Technology and Innovation
“Indicadores de producción verde. Una guía para avanzar hacia el desarrollo sostenible”, Cervera-Ferri, J.L., Ureña, M.L.; Naciones Unidas, 2017 “Ecoinnovación y Producción Verde: una revisión sobre las políticas de América Latina y el Caribe ”; Rovira, S.; Patiño, J. Schaper, M.; Naciones Unidas, 2017
International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean Juncal 1385, piso 14, 11000 Montevideo, Uruguay Tel: +598 29150492 Email: lacro@idrc.ca www.idrc.ca/lacro
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