Marcelino Avila
| Organization | Human Dynamics |
|---|---|
| Organization type | Private Sector (Commercial Companies) |
| Organization role |
Former team leader
|
| Country | Belize |
| Area of Expertise |
Agricultural research and development
Education and training Team leadership and management Strategic planning |
Belizean citizen, educated in the USA: BA, John Carroll University; MSc and PhD, University of Missouri - Columbia.
Previously employed by CATIE based in Costa Rica, Cornell University, IDRC based in Zimbabwe, ICRAF based in Kenya and Mexico, Government of Belize, Caricom Secretariat based in Guyana, UN-FAO based in Rome, and with EU funded project based in Belize and now in Malawi.
Expertise in crop, livestock and agroforestry research, development and education; policy analysis and management in national, regional and international organisations, and programme leadership, management and evaluation.
Produced more than 90 publications in refereed journals, books and book chapters, training manuals, technical reports, funded project proposals, newspaper articles, etc.
Fluent in English and Spanish, and good reading/understanding of French, Portuguese and Italian.
This member participated in the following Forums
Forum Communication for Development, community media and ICTs for family farming and rural development
Question 1 (opens 22 September)
Hi Everyone,
Great to follow the discussion and interesting issues raised and suggestions raised. While these are excellent contributions, I think the basic strategy should be be demand-driven and farmer-centred. Can these media mechanisms really help them solve their pressing, urgent problems? Which problems - perhaps those that can be solved with good production/processing practices and innovations, marketing and stable prices for their products, affordable and accessible financing, financial management, etc. Most of these families and members are poor, lack resources and know-how, hence providing practical solutions and options to them would go a long way in helping them to benefit in terms of their own objectives, priorities and opportunities. "The proof of the pudding" will definitley be in their "eating".
Many thanks for the opportuinty to learn from the comments of others and also to offer my comment. .