By: Lykke E. Andersen*
Poverty is usually measured at the household level, and since there is pretty much the same number of women as men in each household, poverty rates have almost by definition been identical for men and women. This fact, however, has not prevented thousands of articles from claiming that “poverty has a female face” (1). The perception that women are more likely to be poor is almost universal, despite the lack of empirical evidence.
By Susana del Granado *
“A vision comes not from the intellect or the mind but from the heart, from the soul”
Donella Meadows
Today, June 5th , we celebrate World Environment Day and, as a celebration, the United Nations Environmental Program has launched a campaign and a contest about “sharing your dream[1]” to move people to imagine a sustainable future and to trigger discussion on the objectives for sustainable development[2].
A vision is a desirable future and, by definition, it is a positive image of what you want to see in the future. Donella Meadows, an environmental scientist and leading author of “The Limits to Growth”, while presenting at an ecological economics conference, inspired and requested her audience to envision a sustainable future. To develop that vision, she asked them to get comfortable, to close their eyes, to take a deep breath, and to dream:[3] Read More »
Climate change, ozone layer, biodiversity, carbon footprint, glacial melt – these have become the buzz phrases of a generation. To some these problems seem far away, while others give up in light of their complexity and magnitude. But clearly we should not leave it to the ‘big boys’ of environmental politics to tackle the problems faced around the world. Active and informed engagement with environmental challenges will be necessary to find satisfactory solutions. Today, Development Roast brings you three initiatives from three countries offering environmental education and tools for engagement at the policy, academic, and grassroots levels.
Costa Rican Earth University is revolutionizing agricultural education
The Costa Rica-based Earth University offers students a holistic degree in Agricultural Sciences and Resource Management that teaches them about every stage of agricultural and forestry production: from crop management and harvesting to processing and waste management. Unlike many other agriculture degrees, Earth courses do not teach the components of the ecological system, such as biology, physics, and chemistry, separately. Instead, Earth’s holistic approach confronts its students with the complexity of ecological systems and the role people play in them from the beginning. Students also learn about the ins and outs of agricultural business by planning and running an agricultural enterprise with their classmates over the course of three years with a special emphasis on the ecological and social costs of agricultural business. On campus, the university practices what it preaches: In 2011, it opened its first ‘green’ dorm with energy-efficient lighting, solar water heaters, and a rainwater collection system for toilets and outdoor sinks. Read More »
Today, on April 3, 2013, INESAD’s Dr. Beatriz Muriel Hernandez was incorporated as an Academic of the Bolivian Academy of Economic Sciences (ABCE). The event took place at the Bolivian Catholic University (UCB).
Research, policy making and general life should be as fun as it is serious, so at INESAD we have let our hair down for an entertaining and productive month:
Having recently implemented a new media and communications strategy, during October INESAD began to reap the rewards. Ioulia Fenton, Adam Nelson and Carolynn Look published two articles as part of the cover story of the October issue Global South Development Magazine and October Development Roast articles by several INESAD staff have been re-posted to almost a dozen different news, research and policy sites, including:
Development Roast Giving international development a proper roasting