Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean September 2013

News / Calls and Awards / Recent and Upcoming Events / New Projects / Project Publications and Articles

Climate change in estuaries and coastal zones

People living in coastal areas, especially large cities, are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts such as storm surges and flooding, coastal erosion, groundwater salinization, and sea level rise. Over the past three years, IDRC’s Climate Change and Water (CCW) program has supported more than 20 research projects that focus on coastal vulnerability and seek to identify and test adaptation strategies.

The Nucleo de Altos Estudios Amazonicos of the Federal University of Para and IDRC’s Climate Change and Water program are organizing the workshop “Research on Adaptation to Climate Change in Coastal” in Belem, Brazil on

October 2 – 4. Researchers from eight projects financed by the program from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean will participate. Read more

More competitive small and medium enterprises in Central America Final results of the research project “Avanza@: Capacities for Central American SMEs in the Knowledge-Based Economy” led by the Fundación Omar Dengo together with ILO/CINTERFOR were presented.

The project, developed between 2011 and 2013 was carried out in Costa Rica, El Salvador and Nicaragua. The main objective was to identify key skills and capacities required by managers of small and medium businesses in Central America for improvement, efficiency, permanent learning and environmental sustainability in the framework of emerging social development models; and to generate objectives and tools to strengthen the development of these capacities.

Read more (Spanish)

Safe and Inclusive cities: Panel Discussion Fifteen research teams have been awarded grants to undertake research in 40 cities across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America through the “Safe and Inclusive Cities” initiative, jointly funded by IDRC and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). On September 19, three leading experts on urban violence, crime, and inequality participated in the Panel Discussion “Making Cities Safer” at IDRC’s premises. Panelists were Ignacio Cano (University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil); Sylvain Shomba Kinyamba (University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo); Preet Rustagi, Institute of Human

Development, India). Access presentation or read more about the initiative

Productive development policies: contribution to better public policies

“Productive DevelopmentPolicy and Territorial Cohesion” is one of the studies carried out by the Territorial Cohesion for Development Program, which analyzes determinants and recommends actions to cope with the wide range of differences between employment, salaries and productivity levels in Brazil, Colombia and Chile. The study will determine which strategies might be effective in promoting investment and business developments that improve the quality and performance of the economies of those territories that lag behind in these countries.

Read more (Spanish)

From farm to fork: improving nutrition in the Caribbean

Obesity rates are on the rise in the Caribbean. The countries of the region have opted for economic development based on exportation of their crops, resulting in a high level of dependency on the importation of foods that are low in nutritional value and high in calorie content. Since 2011, researchers from the University of West Indies (UWI), St. Agustine and McGill University in Canada, funded by the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF), have been developing the project “From farm to fork: improving the nutrition in the Caribbean” in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis, which are showing significant

improvements in agricultural production, school nutrition and health. On October 10 – 11, the project will be presenting results in the two-day workshop “CIFSRF CARICOM Food Security Project: Improving Nutrition and Health of CARICOM populations” that will be held in Georgetown, Guyana on the occasion of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture.

Read more (McGill University) / Read project update (IDRC)

The impact of broadband on development in Latin America

Can broadband contribute to growth and poverty reduction? What is its impact on education? The evidence suggests that increased broadband penetration generates significant economic returns.

In line with this, several governments in the Latin American and Caribbean region have undertaken and implemented broadband plans, and at the same time have committed a significant amount of resources to the development of infrastructure, applications and services. However, as these initiatives are developed new questions arise regarding the contribution of broadband to development. On October 26, the Regional Dialogue on the Information Society (DIRSI), coordinated by the Institute of Peruvian Studies (IEP), presented the results of the research program “Broadband Adoption and Poverty: Evidence and New Research Directions from Latin America” Read more (Spanish)

Food labeling – consumers’ perception in Brazil

The Brazilian Institute for Consumers Defense (IDEC), with funding from IDRC, has just concluded the first study that evaluates knowledge, perception, behavior and consumers’ preferences in nutritional food labeling in four cities of Brazil. The study recommends a nutritional alert system for food labels to facilitate understanding. Read abstract (Spanish) / Read full article (Portuguese)

New book analyzes innovation systems in BRICs countries

This is the second volume in a series of five books bringing together the results of intensive research on national systems of innovation in BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This volume analyses the relationship between the evolution of inequality and the NSIs in the emerging BRICS economies. It reveals the multi-dimensional character of inequality and recommends policies to ensure that the benefits of innovation are distributed according to the determinants of inequality in these countries. Read more

VIDEO OF THE MONTH – Climate change, a mountain of challenges The retraction of glaciers is one of the most visible impacts of climate change. One of the areas most affected is the Andean region, where temperature changes are 70% more intense than in the rest of the world. For example, the Illimani and Sajama glaciers have receded by between 21-50% in the last 30 years.

The video, produced by Agua Sustentable (Bolivia), features how communities living near the glaciers are adapting to these changes. This project is financed by IDRC. Watch video (7:30’)

IDRC - e-Health Innovations Catalyst Grant

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR) have re-launched the e-Health Innovations Catalyst Grant in partnership with the CIHR Institute of Aging (IA) and IDRC. The aim of the e-Health Innovations Catalyst Grant is to fund novel approaches to e-health innovation that will improve the quality of patient and population centered care and improve Canada's competitive position in the e-health innovation industry.

Deadline: October 15, 2013 Read more

Call for papers – Innovation in the service sector

“Emerging Markets Finance and Trade (EMFT)” is organizing a special issue on “Innovation in the Service Sector”. Guest Editors of this issue: Gustavo Crespi, BID / Diego Aboal, CINVE, University of the Republic and ORT University and Claudio Bravo-Ortega, University of Chile Deadline: December 15, 2013 Read more

Sept. 17-19. 2013 IX Conferencia Anual sobre Compras Gubernamentales en las Américas, Montevideo, Uruguay

Sept. Sept. 2013 Competencias para la productividad de las MIPYMEs centroamericanas en la economía del conocimiento y la innovación, San José, Costa Rica

Sept- 26, 2013 Banda Ancha y Desarrollo: Evidencias y Nuevos Datos en Latinoamérica, Washington D.C. BID

Oct. 02-04. 2013 Taller “Investigación sobre la adaptación al Cambio Climático en Estuarios y Sistemas Costeros”, Belem do Para, Brazil

Oct. 04-12, 2013 Caribbean Week of Agriculture, Georgetown, Guyana

Oct. 08. 2013 I Symposium on Climate Change and Decision Making, Montevideo, Uruguay

Oct. 12-19, 2013 XIII Colóquio Internacional de Direitos Humanos, San Pablo, Brazil

Oct. 15-18, 2013 “AGUA 2013: El Riesgo en la Gestión del Agua” – Cinara, Cali, Colombia

Oct. 17. 2013 “Foro Internacional Violencia, Inseguridad y Víctimas: Una agenda para los Derechos Humanos”, México D.F.

Oct. 25-26, 2013 Impact Evaluation Network annual Meeting, Lima, Peru

WawaRed Peru: Improving health information systems for better Maternal Health Peruvian women suffer high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality. These rates are disproportionately higher among poorer and indigenous populations, reflecting the deep inequities that underlie the country’s health system. Such illness and death affects not only mothers, but also their entire families and the communities where they live. Health information gathered by different individuals at different levels of the health system help inform how health services are planned and delivered. Inaccurate, duplicated, invalidated or delayed information can negatively affect how health systems respond to people’s health demands. This affects decision-making and overall governance throughout the health system.

This research project examines the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) used in health information systems (eHealth) toward improving data quality, use of data for decision making, and corresponding changes in governance of the system and equitable access and use of services.

IDRC IN THE NEWS

CNN Chile interviewed Enzo Abbagliati, who spoke about the power of social networks and the creation of spaces for the exchange of views between citizens and decision makers. Mr.Abbagliati leads IDRC funded project “Rethinking Political Legitimacy: Citizen Inclusion and Social Digital Media”.

The newspaper “El Comercio” (Peru) published an article on recently approved project

“Scaling up intermittent rice irrigation for the control of malaria in Jequetepeque Valley”. The article is accompanied by interviews with Monica Saavedra, DIGESA’s Director General, and Elena Ogusuku, Project Leader. Author: Vannessa Antunez.

The newspaper “Prensa Libre” (Guatemala) published an article on the improvement of housing for the eradication of the “kissing bug”, which transmits Chagas Disease. The project, financed by IDRC, is being carried out in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. Author: Ana María González.

Radio Canada Internacional interviewed Prof. Ignacio Cano, Federal University of Rio de

Janeiro, who leads a project on violence and social cohesion in Rio de Janeiro and Cape Town, South Africa. The project is part of the Safe and Inclusive Cities program. Author: Pablo Gómez Barrios.

Agriculture and Environment

Territorios funcionales de Nicaragua. Rodríguez, T.; Bayres, K. ; Martínez, B.; Gómez, L.; Documento de Trabajo N° 22; Serie Estudios Territoriales; Programa Cohesión Territorial para el Desarrollo; Rimisp, 2013.

Las Políticas de Desarrollo Productivo en Chile 1990 y 2012; Moguillansky, G. ; Ramírez, E.; Furnaro, A. ; Documento de Trabajo Nº 19; Serie Estudios Territoriales; Programa Cohesión Territorial para el Desarrollo; Rimisp; 2013.

Social and Economic Policy

¿Puede el uso de Internet aumentar las diferencias salariales entre trabajadores calificados y no calificados en el Perú?, Huaroto, C.; GRADE/DIRSI; 2013

Ecuador: ¿estamos en transición hacia un país pospetrolero?, Albán, M.A; Breda, T.: Castro, M.; Chíu, M. Hildahl, K; Honty, G. ; Larrea, C.; Centro Ecuatoriano de Derecho Ambiental (CEDA); 2013

Research explores links between social protection and poverty reduction in Latin America, IDRC; 2013

Comunicação e Juventudes em Movimento. Novas Tecnologias, Territorios e Desigualdades; Lanes Araujo de Souza, P.; Paiva Zanetti, J. IBASE; 2013

Cultura na Baixada Fluminense e o uso das NTICs; Comunicacao e Juventudes en Movimento Novas Tecnologias, Territorios e Desigualdades, Dos Santos Ribeiro, M.; IBASE; 2013

Gênero/mulheres jovens; Comunicacao e Juventudes en Movimento Novas Tecnologias, Territorios e Desigualdades; Paiva Zanetti, J.; IBASE; 2013

Identidade favelada, juventude e o uso das NTICs; Comunicacao e Juventudes en Movimento Novas Tecnologias, Territorios e Desigualdades; Lanes Araujo de Souza, P. ; IBASE; 2013

Jovens pobres e o uso das NTICs na criação de novas esferas públicas democrática; Comunicacao e Juventudes en Movimento Novas Tecnologias, Territorios e Desigualdades; Lanes Araujo de Souza, P.; Paiva Zanetti, J.; IBASE; 2013

Colaboração e competição na pesquisa agrícola brasileira: o caso do melhoramiento genético em algodão no Brasil. Ferreira, J.M.; da Silveira, J.; Brito Miyamoto, B.; Nascimento Pereira, C.; Aparecida Leonel Lunas, D.; IE-UNICAMP / Red Mercosur; Documento de Trabajo N° 1; 2013

How can we improve the socio-economic benefit of public private R&D partnerships in Agricultural biotechnology? The case of cotton in Mercosur; Arza; V.; van Zwanenberg; P.; Red Mercosur; Policy Brief; 2013 /

Cómo mejorar el impacto socioeconómico de la colaboración Público-privada en I+D en el sector de biotecnología agropecuaria? El caso del desarrollo de un algodón resistente a la plaga más importante del Mercosur; Arza, V.; CONICET – CENIT/Red Mercosur; Documento de Trabajo N° 2; 2013

Experiencias Educativas Inclusivas de Retención Escolar Resultados de la Experiencia de Investigación Acción Proyecto “Carapeguá en Desarrollo; Instituto Desarrollo (ID); Documento de Trabajo Nº 6; Serie Desarrollo Territorial; 2013

Emigración del Paraguay: efecto de las remesas; Aquino Sánchez, B.; Montoya Díaz, M.D.; Instituto Desarrollo (ID); Documento de Trabajo N° 5, Serie Economía; 2013

Proteção e vulnerabilidade em contextos urbanos: o caso dos refugiados no Rio de Janeiro, Moulin, C.; Hasow Discussion Paper N°6, 2013

Los precios de la conectividad en América Latina y el Caribe, Galperín, H.; Universidad de San Andrés; Documento de trabajo N° 15, 2013

Global Health Policies

Rotulo nutricional ou bicho de sete cabecas?; Revista do IDEC, Agosto 2013

Análisis del contenido de sodio y grasas trans de los alimentos industrializados en Argentina; Allemandi, L.; Garipe, L.; Schoj, V.; Pizarro, M.; Tambussi, A.; Revista Argentina de Salud Pública, Vol. 4 - Nº 15, Junio 2013

Guía para investigaciones sobre contenido nutricional de alimentos industrializados. Experiencia argentina en el monitoreo de sodio y grasas trans; Fundación Interamericana del Corazón; The George Institute for Global Health; 2013

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