May 26, 2022

ASEAN Learning Opportunity

Master Class on Sustainable Intensification of smallholder Agrifood Systems for SDG achievement

Closing date for applicants 24 June

The Crawford Fund is organising a Master Class on Sustainable Intensification of smallholder based AgriFood Systems in the ASEAN region. The purpose is accelerated achievement of SDGs, especially SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 3 (good health and wellbeing) and SDG 13 (climate action) in two populous Southeast Asian farming and food systems, viz, the lowland rice mixed system and the hill mixed system.

The Master Class is targeted to early- and mid-career professionals from bio-physical and social sciences working with agrifood innovation systems and scaling in ASEAN member countries in the following fields:

• development (extension, agribusiness, NGOs)
• planning and policy making
• research (all disciplines)

The Master Class will be conducted on selected dates during July and August, commencing on 11 July and finishing on 8 August. Tentative dates are 11, 12, 14, 18, 20 and 21 July and 1, 2, 4 and 8 August.  John Dixon, formerly from ACIAR will lead the Master Class, supported by Shaun Coffey from the Crawford Fund.

At the end of the Master Class, participants will have and improved understanding and competencies for the the design, implementation, review, adaptive management and evaluation of partnership-based roadmaps for resilient sustainable intensification projects and programs which are technically and institutionally-sound and effective. Also, the Master Class will strengthen networks among scientists, policy makers and implementers.  

The Master Class will emphasis facilitated co-learning using a backcasting (also known as Merlin) methodology supported by short lectures, video recordings, group discussions and panel sessions. The full engagement of all participants is expected, as well as the review of background reading and the completion of assigned tasks between sessions (approximately 30 hours required in addition to the scheduled sessions). Adequate connectivity for the zoom platform will be required and the working language will be English.

Please send expressions of interest to Master Class Director John Dixon [email protected]  before 24 June 2022 with a short CV (up to 1 page) and concept note (up to 1 page) including

• Name, position, organisation, email and mobile phone contacts
• Qualifications
• Gender
• Awards or Prizes
• Recent positions and experience relevant to SI
• A short concept note/vision of success (up to 1 page) on the expected results from the application in your workplace of the SI competencies acquired during the Master Class

Approximately 25-30 participants will be selected from applicants and notifications will issued by 4 July.  Please also indicate whether an official invitation letter from Crawford Fund would be required.