Context
By designating hunger and malnutrition - which is still largely a rural phenomenon - as priority areas, BMZ has made it clear that the development of rural areas is vital to reducing poverty. Key principles and guidelines relating to this field can be found in the BMZ strategy papers ‘Rural development and its contribution to food security’ and ‘Promoting sustainable agriculture’. By launching the special initiative ‘ONEWORLD – No Hunger’, BMZ has demonstrated its commitment to tackling the most pressing development policy challenges and its willingness to dedicate resources to this area.
There is general agreement, both among the governments of partner countries and in the international donor community, that investment in rural areas plays a key role in advancing development, and that this investment should be supported by cross-sectoral, gender-sensitive and context-specific strategies, approaches and instruments that are tailored to the diverse challenges in the different partner countries. Rural areas, including areas facing specific challenges such as addressing the cultivation of illegal drug crops, need new development strategies if they are to increase their appeal.
Policymakers and leading sectoral organisations need to share their knowledge and experience to ensure they are in a position to make balanced and forward-thinking decisions and engage in fruitful discussion with their partners in developing countries.
Objective
The project aims to better integrate concepts, instruments and technical contributions related to rural development in the German development cooperation portfolio.
Approach
The project advises BMZ - Special Unit "One World – No Hunger" and BMZ-funded German and international development projects. It cooperates with relevant national and international partners and their technical working groups as well as executing institutions to support the adaptation and dissemination of concepts and instruments. In terms of knowledge management there is systematic cooperation with international networks and the GIZ sectoral structure. Main areas of intervention are advisory services, further development of concepts and instruments and depending on need human capacity development. The project operates supra-regional and provides its services primarily through short- and long-term experts. In consultation with BMZ, German and international partners are granted funding for agreed measures.
Results
Sector projects have the task of advising and supporting BMZ on technical issues. In contrast to programs in partner countries, the results of sector projects often benefit the partner countries only indirectly rather than directly.
The project contributes to the refinement and implementation of concepts, instruments and proven practical experiences for rural development and in particular rural transformation. It also covers the topic ‘alternative development’ as specific rural development approach in areas where drug cultivation is an issue. Implementation is enhanced by integrating successful approaches on programme concepts. Concepts and lessons learnt are presented at national and international forums as German positions in the area of rural and alternative development and are made available to a broader audience through the BMZ's communication channels.