Vocational skills for sustainable rural development

1
Vocational skills for sustainable rural
development

• Keith Holmes
• International Institute for Educational Planning
• www.unesco.org/iiep

2
Aims of presentation

• Review what we already know
• From training to skills development
• Assess the applicability of a sustainable rural
  livelihoods approach for ERP
• Planning implications for vocational skills for
  agriculture and rural development
• Monitoring and evaluation

3
What we already know

• Rural areas are often rich in natural resources
• Agriculture, of all types, is of great national
  importance
• Rural economies are increasingly becoming
  diversified, to include processing and services
• Countries are implementing various strategies for
  vocational skills for agriculture and rural
  development
• Dakar EFA Goal 3 Ensure that the learning needs
  of all young people and adults are met through
  equitable access to appropriate learning and
  life-skills programmes

4
Pro-poor skills development

• How far are skills socially constructed?
• Skills needs vary from place to place
• Skills development programmes do not necessarily
  lead to viable rural livelihoods
• Skills development involves partnerships
• Skills development is a promising strategy for
  the socio-economic integration of marginalized
  and excluded groups

5
Applicability of Sustainable Livelihoods
Approaches

• People-centred, pro-poor, holistic
• Seek to recognise and build upon peoples
  strengths and existing capabilities
• Analysis of complex livelihoods strategies
• Recognise impact of macro-policies on
  opportunities available to poor people
• Potential for dialogue between Ministries of
  Agriculture and Ministries of Education

6
Applicability of Sustainable Livelihoods
Approaches

• A diagnostic or analytical tool
• Places people/households at the centre,
  identifies pathways and blockages
• Integrates sectoral concerns with wider
  development initiatives
• A programme or project design tool
• A learning approach changing worldviews
  (Allison, 2005)

7
Challenges assumptions

• e.g. a simple deficit approach to rural
• Starts with the know-how that people have
• Recognises that rural vocations often consist
  of many livelihood components
• Sustainable rural livelihoods often involve a
  combination of indigenous and modern skills
• About the type of data needed to inform policy
• About links between culture and development

8
Implications for planning

• Community participation
• Avoiding urban-centric perspectives
• Recognises diversity of rural livelihoods, and
  connections with urban economies
• Potential integration of formal and informal
  knowledges, skills, education and training
• Learning to listen in new ways strengthening
  research capacity

9
Monitoring and evaluation of skills development

• What is the contribution of skills development
  towards macro-policy frameworks (e.g. poverty
  reduction) and national development priorities?
• How far have skills development interventions
  strengthened the capabilities of rural people to
  manage their livelihoods in a sustainable way?