1. National Agricultural Policy Center (NAPC) Rural Development Division (RDD)

2. Damascus, May 11, 2005By Firas Yassin2 Presentation Structure RDD concept, roles, objectives and composition;RDD concept, roles, objectives and composition; RDD workplan and main activities;RDD workplan and main activities; The workplan adjustment: reasons and modifications;The workplan adjustment: reasons and modifications; Carried out and currently processed activities;Carried out and currently processed activities; Issue of concern.Issue of concern.

3. Damascus, May 11, 2005By Firas Yassin3 What is RDD NAPC DivisionNAPC Division RDD MissionRDD Mission Focus on: people livelihood; Focus on: people livelihood; rural-other sectors’ relations. rural-other sectors’ relations. RDD Approach: RDD Approach: Sustainable Livelihoods (DFID) Sustainable Livelihoods (DFID) analyzing assets (pentagon capital); analyzing assets (pentagon capital); analyzing people strategies. analyzing people strategies.

4. Damascus, May 11, 2005By Firas Yassin4 RDD Members and Topics Samira Al-Zoughbi: rural poverty and inequality in rural areas;Samira Al-Zoughbi: rural poverty and inequality in rural areas; Wedad Shhadeh: migration and rural-urban relationships;Wedad Shhadeh: migration and rural-urban relationships; Raid Hamzeh: non-farm activities in rural areas;Raid Hamzeh: non-farm activities in rural areas; Firas Yassin: natural resources and the environment;Firas Yassin: natural resources and the environment; Firas Haydar: Infrastructure and other investments;Firas Haydar: Infrastructure and other investments; Samira Subh: women’s role in agriculture and related gender issues;Samira Subh: women’s role in agriculture and related gender issues; Abeer Manla Hasan: sustainable livelihood approach to rural development.Abeer Manla Hasan: sustainable livelihood approach to rural development.

5. Damascus, May 11, 2005By Firas Yassin5 2005 RDD Workplan Supervision of Prof. Donato Romano Objectives –Organizing the RDD and start its activities; –Developing staff skills, enhancing their competence and knowledge, facilitating the formation of a homogeneous research team; –Carry out the institutional and research activities pertaining to RDD as per the NAPC 2005 workplan.

6. Damascus, May 11, 2005By Firas Yassin6 Skills Development Activities Personal readings;Personal readings; Synthesizing selected readings;Synthesizing selected readings; Reconstituting the research process behind a paper;Reconstituting the research process behind a paper; Evaluating Internet resources for research purposes;Evaluating Internet resources for research purposes; Drafting of policy notes, briefs and review papers;Drafting of policy notes, briefs and review papers; Personal work program;Personal work program; Organization and conduct of research work.Organization and conduct of research work.

7. Damascus, May 11, 2005By Firas Yassin7 Outputs of Personal Readings one each member for a total of 7 Review Papers, due by February 2005;7 Review Papers, due by February 2005; 7 internal Seminars, due in March 2005;7 internal Seminars, due in March 2005; 7 Rural Development Briefs, due by March 2005;7 Rural Development Briefs, due by March 2005; 7 Policy Briefs, due by April 2005;7 Policy Briefs, due by April 2005;Plus: 1 or more Policy Notes, due by May 2005.1 or more Policy Notes, due by May 2005.

8. Damascus, May 11, 2005By Firas Yassin8 Research and Institutional Activities Periodic reports (no specialized periodic reports)Periodic reports (no specialized periodic reports) –SOFAS – The State of Food and Agriculture in Syria, 2006; –SAS-MTR – Mid-term Review of the Syrian Agriculture Strategy, 2005. Thematic studiesThematic studies –Non-Agricultural Activities in Rural Areas and their Impact on Agriculture, May 2005; –Poverty and Migration Trends in Rural Areas: Determinants, Indicators and Policies, September 2005; –Farming Systems Study individual Working Papers.

9. Damascus, May 11, 2005By Firas Yassin9 Workplan Adjustments Recognizing time needs and other contraints, the following adjustments have been agreed: Non-Agricultural Activities in Rural Areas and their Impact on Agriculture, Sep 2005;Non-Agricultural Activities in Rural Areas and their Impact on Agriculture, Sep 2005; Poverty and Migration Trends in Rural Areas: Determinants, Indicators and Policies, 2006;Poverty and Migration Trends in Rural Areas: Determinants, Indicators and Policies, 2006; 1 rural development briefs, 1 policy briefs and 1 policy note comparative review from FS study1 rural development briefs, 1 policy briefs and 1 policy note comparative review from FS study

10. Damascus, May 11, 2005By Firas Yassin10 Activities Carried Out Finalization of the FSS individual reports;Finalization of the FSS individual reports; Evaluation of internet resources for research purposes;Evaluation of internet resources for research purposes; Outline and drafting of review papers;Outline and drafting of review papers; Four internal seminars of the review papers March 2005, the rest three will be presented during next September.Four internal seminars of the review papers March 2005, the rest three will be presented during next September.

11. Damascus, May 11, 2005By Firas Yassin11 The Current Processing Activities SAS-MTR : the mid-term review of the Syrian Agriculture Strategy;SAS-MTR : the mid-term review of the Syrian Agriculture Strategy; Completion and finalizing the review papers;Completion and finalizing the review papers; Preparing for the national workshop, Jun 2005: preliminary discussion of the SAS-MTR;Preparing for the national workshop, Jun 2005: preliminary discussion of the SAS-MTR; Publishing the Farming System individual reports.Publishing the Farming System individual reports.

12. Damascus, May 11, 2005By Firas Yassin12 Issue of Concern Weak internet connections;Weak internet connections; Lack of related study and data for Syrian context for most RDD’s topics;Lack of related study and data for Syrian context for most RDD’s topics; Insufficient data for SAS and the needs for more efficient connection with MAAR.Insufficient data for SAS and the needs for more efficient connection with MAAR.

13. Damascus, May 11, 2005By Firas Yassin13 Thank you for your attention