[KOICA Country Fellowship Program] Strengthening the Planning Management and Capacity in Rural Development - Reforestation Plan and Saemaul Movement (Afghanistan) September 22 ~ October 5, 2016, Seongnam, Korea<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> 

Eighteen(18) policy practitioners from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan take part in the fellowship program 'Strengthening the Planning Management and Capacity in Rural Development: the 2nd Year Course' to be held in Seongnam, Korea, from September 22 to October 5, 2016. Entrusted by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Korea Institute for Rural Development(KIRD) as the implementer of the program formulated the fellowship program.   The Program, one of the KOICA's multi-year country fellowship program to be carried out from 2015 to 2017, aims to to help strengthen the capacity of high- and middle-level policy practitioners in strategic planning and implementation for promoting agricultural and rural development of Afghanistan. While enlightening the value and role of agriculture and rural development in the globalized world, the program will help developing capacity for projecting strategies, making policies and planning investment for promoting agriculture and rural development in each participant's country.   The focus of the first fellowship course conducted in October 2015 was placed on helping middle-level policy practitioners to develop capacity for projecting policies and strategies, making investment program, and budgeting and implementing projects for promoting agricultural and rural development by sharing development experiences Korea's rural community development(Saemaul Undong). In 2015 fifteen(15) policy practitioners and researchers from Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development took part in the 1st year fellowship course from October 29 to November 14, 2015.   Prior to the invitational fellowship program in Korea, a short-term in-country program was convened in Kabul during the first week of May, 2016. Under the auspices of the Korea International Cooperation Agency(KOICA), a couple of Korean experts visited Afghanistan and led the execution of the in-country program in Kabul. The two(2)-day program in Kabul highlighted two topics: (1) Community-driven participatory rural development; and (2) forestry rehabilitation and sustainable forest management.   Reflecting the outcome of the in-country program as well as the 1st year course in 2015 the second year fellowship course in 2016 will deepen the depth of the objectives and contents of the program toward helping learn practical skills and knowledge for planning and implementing sectoral plans and programs for promoting agricultural and rural development: 1) to provide technical tools and knowledge of sector planning, project programming and implementation; and 2) to develop capacity for promoting effective progression of the Comprehensive Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) programs in the field, especially in the level of community: the Community Development Council(CDC); and 3) to help build capacities of sustainable forest management and active creation of new forest resources, focusing on building capacities of the forestry management institutions and regulatory framework.   The professional program this year consists of lectures, case studies and discussions on important issues of common interests among the participants as well as Korea¡¯s experience in those issues, and study visits on the sites in the related areas. A series of field visits closely related to the lectures and case studies in the classroom will be arranged including some development administrations and research organizations as well as rural villages. Especially a number of lectures will be delivered when the fellows visit the related organizations and institutions in the field. They includes Korea National Arboretum(KNA), National Institute of Forest Science (NIFS), Rural Development Administration(RDA), National Institute of Crop Science(NICS), National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science(NIHHS), Yangpyeong-gun Agricultural Technology Center, and Yangpyeong Yangseo Agricultural Cooperative.   The program will add an extra dimension by including some cultural program for deepening mutual understanding and building partnership among the participants and between Afghanistan and Korea.   An internet space for dialogue among the participants alumni of the particular program is spared for mutual communications and information sharing. Please visit the KIRD website addressed http://kird2.cafe24.com/bizdemo19081/en/05/02.php.