Three representatives from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), including two members of CIDA’s Food Security program, were recently at UBC. There were several opportunities for students to interact with the CIDA representatives while they were here. Below is a compilation of 21 things about CIDA in general, and about their FS program in particular, that might be of interest to graduate students.<\/p>\n
About CIDA<\/strong>:<\/p>\n CIDA\u2019s President, Margaret Biggs, is UBC\u2019s Champion in the Deputy Minister University Champion Program<\/a><\/p>\n Rebecca Mellet is the Director of CIDA\u2019s Pacific Regional Office<\/a>.<\/p>\n CIDA is a granting agency that accomplishes development primarily by giving money to its implementing partners.<\/p>\n CIDA is guided by the Paris Declaration, which include principles of:<\/p>\n CIDA has 20 focus countries.<\/a><\/p>\n CIDA has 3 priority themes<\/a>:<\/p>\n Gender, environment and good governance are understood to permeate these three themes.<\/p>\n CIDA conducts Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) of all of its programs.<\/p>\n Working for CIDA<\/strong>: CIDA recruits new Development Officers approximately every two years. The next recruitment will be fall 2011. Most positions are filled through the Public Service. More information can be found on CIDA\u2019s Work Opportunities<\/a><\/p>\n Speaking French is an asset if you want to work at CIDA. CIDA is based in Gatineau, Quebec. In the past, up to 70% of CIDA\u2019s staff have been francophone. Other languages are also valuable.<\/p>\n Beneficial skills to have if you want to work at CIDA include: program management; business skills e.g. experience with contracts, clients, budgets, etc; policy; communications; partnerships. Consider making the work you are doing demand-driven by the people you work for; make yourself indispensable to your target employer.<\/p>\n CIDA has a consultant database<\/a>.<\/p>\n CIDA and Food Security<\/strong> CIDA considers four dimensions of food security:<\/p>\n 70% of world\u2019s poor are rural and involved in farming; in 2007, 4% of global development assistance focused on agriculture, and 4% of in-country public spending in developing countries.<\/p>\n Following the global food crisis in 2007-8, Canada committed $1.2 billion to FS at the G8 meeting in 2008.<\/p>\n CIDA focuses on smallholder farmers. Smallholders are understood to be part of the private sector. To meet the poverty and FS challenge, smallholder farming must be productive, integrated into markets, environmentally sustainable, and resilient to shocks and climate change. CIDA aims to work within local systems and knowledge.<\/p>\n CIDA emphasizes the importance of women to FS.<\/p>\n CIDA is aiming to strengthen national and regional agricultural systems.<\/p>\n CIDA\u2019s FS program is currently focused mainly on Senegal, Mali, Ghana, Ethiopia, Sudan and Mozambique.<\/p>\n Official development assistance is seen to be only a small part of what is needed; the agricultural development needs private investment.<\/p>\n Some important questions for CIDA\u2019s FS team:<\/p>\n Three representatives from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), including two members of CIDA’s Food Security program, were recently at UBC. There were several opportunities for students to interact with the CIDA representatives while they were here. Below is a … Continue reading \n
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\nThere are no pure or applied researchers at CIDA, although CIDA does give research grants. The IDRC<\/a>, by contrast, is a research-focused crown corporation. IDRC has awards<\/a> for student researchers.<\/p>\n
\nRyan Clark is CIDA\u2019s food security (FS) team leader.<\/p>\n\n
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