Distance Learning for Food Security and Rural Development: A Perspective from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization

Authors

  • Scott McLean
  • Lavinia Gasperini
  • Stephen Rudgard

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v3i1.81

Keywords:

food security, rural development, distance education

Abstract

This article introduces the work of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and describes its interest in the application of distance learning strategies pertinent to the challenges of food security and rural development around the world. The article briefly reviews pertinent examples of distance learning, both from the experience of FAO and elsewhere, and summarises a complex debate about the potential of distance learning in developing countries. The paper elaborates five practical suggestions for applying distance learning strategies to the challenges of food security and rural development. The purpose of publishing this article is both to disseminate our ideas about distance learning to interested professional and scholarly audiences around the world, and to seek feedback from those audiences.

Author Biographies

Scott McLean

Dr. Scott McLean is an Associate Professor of Extension at the University of Saskatchewan Extension Division. This article was written during Dr. McLean's appointment as a Visiting Expert with the Extension, Education and Communication Service and the WAICENT Outreach Programme. Dr. McLean's email address is: scott.mclean@usask.ca.

Lavinia Gasperini

Dr. Lavinia Gasperini is the Senior Officer for Agricultural Education at the Extension, Education and Communication Service of the FAO. Dr. Gasperini's email address is: lavinia.gasperini@fao.org.

Stephen Rudgard

Stephen Rudgard is the Officer-in-Charge of the World Agricultural Information Centre (WAICENT) Outreach Programme of the FAO. Stephen Rudgard's email address is: stephen.rudgard@fao.org.

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Published

2002-04-01

How to Cite

McLean, S., Gasperini, L., & Rudgard, S. (2002). Distance Learning for Food Security and Rural Development: A Perspective from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v3i1.81

Issue

Section

Research Articles