Learning knowledge and skills - United Nations …

1 Education SectorUnited NationsEducational, Scientific andCultural Organization9 789231 001697 Learning knowledge and skills for agriculture to improve rural livelihoodsUnited NationsEducational, Scientific andCultural OrganizationWhat and how young people learn in rural areas, especially girls and women, is key for creating inclusive sustainable societies. This publication, Learning knowledge and skills for Agriculture to Improve Rural Livelihoods, offers rich insights into young peoples Learning , livelihoods and aspirations. The publication is the result of a joint qualitative research project implemented by the International Fund for Agricultural Development and UNESCO in Cambodia, Egypt and Ethiopia.

2 For the young people who took part, schooling, other forms of Learning , skills development and literacy, agriculture, livelihoods, social identities, social change and rural transformation, are all closely connected, regardless of policy and administrative boundaries. Their perceptions illustrate why expanding the current form of schooling alone is inadequate if Learning is to be more meaningful and beneficial for their lives. Recommendations offered will be valuable for those who are rethinking policies and practice for enhancing Learning for young people in rural areas, within and beyond the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable NationsEducational, Scientific andCultural Organizationfor agriculture to improve rural livelihoodsAnna Robinson-Pantknowledge and skillsLearningfor agriculture to improve rural livelihoodsAnna Robinson-Pantknowledge and skillsLearningPublished in 2016 by the United Nations educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization, 7.

3 Place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Via Paolo di Dono, 44, 00142 Rome, Italy UNESCO 2016 ISBN 978-92-3-100169-7 This publication is available in Open Access under the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike IGO (CC-BY-NC-SA IGO) license ( ). By using the content of this publication, the users accept to be bound by the terms of use of the UNESCO Open Access Repository ( ).The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO or IFAD concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

4 The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors; they are not necessarily those of UNESCO and IFAD and do not commit these by Aur lia MazoyerPrinted by UNESCOP rinted in France3 ContentsForeword 7 Acknowledgements 11 List of acronyms 13 Executive summary 151. Background to the research 212. Overview of the research design and methodology 233.

5 Mapping the field: findings from the review of international literature Aims and approach of the literature review Transforming agriculture for development and poverty reduction Youth and agriculture: the occupation of last resort ? Agriculture and skills development policy: from basic skills to lifelong Learning Strategies for skills development in agriculture and rural development Adult Learning : moving beyond a schooling paradigm Literacy and rural development: exploring the links How did the literature review shape the overall study?

6 4944. The country studies from Cambodia, Egypt and Ethiopia: understanding the findings in context Cambodia country study 53 Country context 53 National policies and strategies for agricultural education and livelihood in rural areas 54 Research design and process 57 Site selection 59 Research activities 61 Overview of the main findings 62 Policy recommendations Egypt country study 66 Country context 66 National policies and strategies for agricultural education and livelihood in rural areas 67 Research design and process 68 Site selection and sample 69 Overview of the main

7 Findings 74 Policy recommendations Ethiopia country study 78 Country context 78 Policies and strategies for enhancing agricultural livelihoods and education in rural areas 79 Research design and process 81 Site selection 82 Research methods 84 Overview of the main findings 86 Policy recommendations 9055. Synthesis of findings Rapidly changing worlds: the widening generation gap 92 Evolving country contexts 92 Land: a shrinking resource 93 Alternative livelihoods: changing values Young people and agriculture: their views, aspirations and challenges Learning skills and knowledge for agriculture: young people s experiences 102 Informal Learning in the family and community 103 Schooling and rural livelihoods 106 Formal and informal Learning .

8 Understanding the relationship Agriculture and skills development for young people: from policy to practice 109 Policy frameworks and priorities 109 Learning for agriculture and rural livelihoods: what kind of Learning and for whom? 1126. Conclusion Summary of main findings and proposed actions Policy recommendations from the global seminar Implications for programmes and future research 126A more complex view of Learning , schooling and farming 126 Recognizing and valuing informal Learning in programmes and international educational policy 127 Prioritizing soft skill development 128 Challenging policy (and research) silos 129 Gender, education and rural livelihoods.

9 Moving beyond access Concluding reflections 130 Bibliography 1337 ForewordEnhancing knowledge and skills has never been so vital for the creation of inclusive and sustainable societies as in today s globalized, knowledge -oriented world. It is a key to eradicating poverty, promoting equitable economic and social development, human rights, creating global citizens, combating inequality and sustaining our environment. It also helps make these changes in harmony across development sectors in a more integrated way, as required by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

10 Without appropriate knowledge and skills , people are excluded from access to even the most basic information they need for daily life, and thus from societies. This publication, Learning knowledge and skills for Agriculture to Improve Rural Livelihoods, offers insights into how young people in rural areas see their Learning and lives, a perspective often overlooked in rethinking and enhancing Learning . It is a synthesis report of country studies conducted in Cambodia, Egypt and Ethiopia within the framework of the research project on Learning knowledge and skills for agriculture and rural livelihoods (2012 2014) designed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the United Nations educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an education response to youth unemployment and poverty in rural areas as well as concerns about food security.