WHAT IS FIDAMERICA?

FIDAMERICA is a network whose purpose is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the poverty-elimination projects supported by IFAD in Latin America and the Caribbean, by stimulating and facilitating communication, learning and knowledge management processes.

All IFAD-supported projects in Latin America and the Caribbean are part of FIDAMERICA. Participation in the network’s activities is open to all private and public organizations that share FIDAMERICA’s objectives.

The specific objectives of FIDAMERICA for 2002-2005, are:

1. Provide support to IFAD-funded projects in the design and organization of their communication, learning and knowledge management systems and processes.
2. Facilitate communication among the members and between them and other stakeholders, to share lessons learned in their development activities and to draw conclusions and recommendations that are valid across projects and organizations.
3. Facilitate access by the members to low-cost and high-quality information, analysis and documents on concepts, approaches, methods and tools that are applicable to the objective of eliminating rural poverty.
4. Facilitate the development of a regional network of the community-based rural organizations that are working in collaboration with IFAD-funded projects in the region.
5. Improve the participation in the network of NGOs, rural organizations, private sector stakeholders, local and national governments and bilateral and multilateral international agencies.

To reach these objectives, in the period 2002-2005 FIDAMERICA will develop the following services and activities:

1. Design and manage a Learning Systems Fund to cofinance demand-driven projects aimed at developing and strengthening learning systems and processes within and across IFAD projects
2. Develop, maintain and update Internet-based facilities and systems, such as a website, monthly electronic newsletters, electronic mail lists and electronic conferencing facilities.
3. Organize electronic conferences on topics of high priority to IFAD and in which representatives from farmers’ and rural organizations, NGOs, the private sector, local governments, the national government and other donor agencies can participate actively.
4. Organize the biannual region-wide Workshops on Knowledge and Innovation for Poverty Elimination, allowing stakeholders from all IFAD projects in the region to meet to exchange and discuss approaches, concepts, methods and tools and thus improve their work performance.
5. Provide technical assistance to projects so that they are better able to use the Internet in support of their rural poverty-elimination objectives.
6. Provide technical, methodological and logistical support to a new network of rural grass-roots organizations working with IFAD projects.

FIDAMERICA is funded by IFAD through a Technical Assistance Grant to RIMISP, who is responsible for the general coordination of the network.