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Easing hunger and poverty
Sociology's Robert Mazur leads effort of new Iowa State program.
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When discussions began for what has evolved into the Sustainable Rural
Livelihoods (SRL) program at Iowa State, Robert Mazur, associate professor
of sociology, wasn't initially involved.
The program was established through the Wallace Chair for Sustainable
Agriculture and the Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture in the
College of Agriculture. The program has been made possible through a gift
to the ISU Foundation from an Iowa State alumnus and his wife, who wish
to remain anonymous.
"The alumnus is interested in supporting the University and particularly
to address problems of hunger and poverty in developing countries,"
Mazur said. "It was decided early on that a diverse, experienced
group was needed to develop what would take shape here at Iowa State."
Mazur was one of the first individuals brought into the process, based
on his extensive work in developing countries, particularly in Africa.
Now Mazur is part of the interdisciplinary SRL management team and is
serving as the program's director. Eric Abbott, professor in the Greenlee
School of Journalism and Communication, also serves on the SRL management
team.
Mazur and the rest of the SRL management team are now focusing on developing
partnerships through helping improve agricultural and entrepreneurial
initiatives in impoverished rural communities in the developing world.
These initiatives will hopefully lead to sustainable livelihoods.
"We define a 'sustainable livelihood' as one that effectively addresses
needs for food and income, copes with and recovers from shocks and stresses,
and maintains and enhances capabilities and assets while not undermining
the natural resource base," Mazur said.
The program has begun to identify opportunities to partner with community-based
organizations, non-governmental organizations, universities or colleges
and the private business sector.
"We don't have a blueprint because we very much want to facilitate
the development of partnerships where the population is integrally involved
in the design, implementation and evaluation of the program," Mazur
said. "That way, we will have a much greater chance of success."
SRL has looked at several developing countries where Iowa State faculty
have expertise in and contacts with possible partners. Mazur said initially
the program looked at Peru, Mexico, Kenya and Malawi before settling on
Uganda for its first round of efforts.
"Africa has not really featured prominently on our (Iowa State's)
charts,” Mazur said. "It's a continent that has much need,
but one that doesn't get as much attention from granting agencies as other
areas.
"We felt that it was a good place to start and will fill a gap in
the University's increasingly important international programs."
In January, SRL facilitated an informal planning workshop in Kampala,
Uganda where partnerships with departments in the country’s leading
university (Makerere), local non-governmental organizations and government
agencies are being established. Mazur said the workshop focused on many
of the program's themes and activities such as agriculture, post-harvest
storage and marketing; food security, nutrition and health; small-scale
livestock rearing; fisheries; natural resource management; small business
development, entrepreneurship and mentoring; and information and communication
technologies.
"Uganda has the right combination of forward-looking colleagues and
institutions that are putting into practice the principles that our program
has and are working toward the same set of goals," Mazur said. "The
national government has mandated that the university actively engage in
meaningful outreach and research to truly benefit the really poor, a mandate
that they fully embrace."
SRL is currently beginning a process to hire a program coordinator who
will serve as the program's "hands on" developer, spending roughly
equal amounts of time on campus and in Uganda.
The management team’'s long-term plan is to strengthen existing
institutional relationships and to establish new ones not only in Uganda
but in other countries in the developing world."
"The donor made a long-term commitment to the program," Mazur
said, "We plan to develop programs in Uganda for at least five years
to initiate and support the kind of changes needed to become sustainable."
Mazur says SRL wants to make inputs that can make a difference and provide
a catalyst for that country and its populations.
"This will involve opportunities for a diverse mix of inputs and
benefits for the Iowa State community, too. SRL will have a definite effect
on campus in stimulating and supporting collaborative involvement of faculty
and students," he said. "There is very good potential for faculty
involvement to develop collaborative efforts with faculty and others in
Uganda."
Members of the SRL management team will soon be presenting seminars on
campus about SRL and Uganda.
Around LAS
March 8-21, 2004
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