| |
Field Site: Ghana
Policy Site: Rome, Italy
See Web Site: http://www.fao.org/
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
was founded in 1945 with the mandate to improve agricultural
productivity, raise levels of nutrition and better the condition
of rural populations. Headquartered in Rome, today it is the
largest specialized agency in the UN system and takes the
lead for agriculture, forestry, fisheries and rural development.
One of its priority areas is the role of information in agriculture
and food security, which led to the establishment of the World
Agricultural Information Center (WAICENT) to provide a framework
for agricultural information management and dissemination.
The Fellow will be part of a WAICENT strategic initiative
called "Bridging the Rural Divide," which seeks
to address the growing disparity in information technology
use between rural and urban communities. The Fellow will study
the effects of information communication technologies and
rural information exchange processes on the rural digital
divide, using Ghana as a case study. During the first year,
the Fellow will develop a specific terms of reference for
this study at the FAO headquarters in Rome and will have the
opportunity to attend the upcoming World Summit on Information
to be held in Tunisia in November of 2005. It is expected
that the Fellow will spend up to 12 months on the study, based
out of the Ghana FAO field office, followed by a period back
at FAO headquarters in Rome for finalizing the report and
presentation of findings.
Education/Skills Required
- Master's Degree in Agriculture, International Communication,
Information Management or a related field.
- MS Office, statistical packages a plus.
- Proficiency in French.
- Previous living/working experience in West Africa desired.
- Knowledge of food security policy and familiarity with
the role of information technology in development desired.
- Excellent research, organizational, analytical and writing
skills required.
- Proven ability to work independently on research activities.
Other Considerations
Work-related travel may include visits to rural
areas with limited facilities.
Return
to Fellowship Opportunties
|
