Two of the most recent publications of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) are intended to promote a comprehensive view of rural development processes. The book “Metodología para Estimar el Nivel de Desarrollo Sostenible de Territorios: Biograma 2008” was published in July, while “Gestión de Desarrollo Sostenible en Territorios Rurales: Métodos para la Planificación” will be published shortly.
“Both works demonstrate IICA’s conceptual and methodological evolution in the field of rural development and update the theoretical and practical aspects involved in designing conceptual frameworks and formulating working tools on this subject,” author Sergio Sepulveda said. Until recently, he was the Institute’s Director of Sustainable Rural Development.
The publications are the latest results of IICA’s activities in this field. Since 1993, the Institute has used the sustainable development paradigm for its work in agriculture and the rural milieu.
“This paradigm is designed to meet the needs of current generations without compromising the possibilities of future generations. It calls for the right combination of social well-being, harmony with the environment and good economic conditions,” Sepulveda said.
The Institute’s research and other work have contributed to successful experiences like that of Brazil, which in 2003 instituted an innovative public policy for sustainable development in rural spaces.
The Brazilian initiative is based on the concepts, methodologies and tools disseminated by IICA concerning the application and management of the territorial approach. The policy led to the creation of the Secretariat for Territorial Development (SDT), the principal institutional entity of Brazil’s Ministry of Agrarian Development (MDA).
Previous editions of “Gestión de Territorios” have been used as textbooks for postgraduate courses at universities in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela. The “Biograma 2008” is the third version of the publication, the first of which was produced ten years ago.
It is a methodological tool that countries like Colombia have found very useful. It was used to complement and adapt the statistical information contained in the Household Survey carried out in 2005, to evaluate and monitor the Municipal Alternative Development Areas (ADAM) project. The Biograma has also been used successfully in Brazil and Peru.