IICA expands online resources offering training in agriculture
San Jose, March 26, 2020 (IICA) – The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) has expanded its online training portfolio, to allow users around the world to access high-quality training resources on agricultural and rural issues in the Americas, which are now areas of critical importance in light of the global health crisis.
All the technological tools and the training material may be accessed through the www.iica.int website.
The Institute’s training portfolio consists of a platform with 21 e-learning courses, delivered by international experts; online scholarships to universities; one of the most extensive agricultural libraries in Latin America and the Caribbean and IICA Play - a streaming tool developed by IICA and Microsoft with 650 training videos on agriculture and livestock breeding.
The material addresses issues such as food safety, sustainable production, natural resources management and agricultural markets, inter alia.
The training resources, which adhere to high quality standards, have been developed in collaboration with globally recognized universities, private sector companies at the forefront of agriculture and technology, other international organizations and government entities.
Director General of IICA, Manuel Otero remarked that, “We are offering innovative tools to strengthen capacities in the agriculture sector of the Americas, as we must harness all technological resources in order to tackle today’s challenges, for example the need to practice social distancing as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic”.
New online courses
IICA recently launched the course, Análisis de peligros y puntos críticos de control (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and opened registration for other courses in its Agricultural Health and Food Safety Program (AHFS).
Of the 21 active courses, three are delivered in English, five in Portuguese and thirteen in Spanish. The portfolio offers online learning options, which, in most cases, are free of cost. Depending on the course, participants attaining a score equal to or greater than 80 points, are issued a certificate that can be downloaded.
IICA will soon add new training resources on different agriculture-related issues, but even from now those interested in obtaining further information may contact the Institute at e-learning@iica.int.
IICA – FUNIBER Scholarships
IICA has had a partnership with the Ibero-American University Foundation (FUNIBER) since 2019, offering 1,700 annual scholarships that provide discounts of up to 75% on Masters’ programs, 60% on Doctorates and short-term specializations and 65% on undergraduate degrees, all of which are online. Through the same agreement, enrollment fees have been reduced by 50%, in order to encourage online education. Further information may be requested at becas@iica.int.
Information resources:
IICA has a database with thousands of publicly accessible technical documents, which is available through its library system, enabling users to access academic periodicals and other agriculture-related resources. The database also includes articles, e-books, audiobooks and videos, among other support material. For more information, contact biblioteca.orton@iica.int.
IICA Play
This tool, which was developed by IICA and Microsoft to reduce the educational and digital divide, offers close to 650 videos, delivering technical and educational content on a range of issues related to agriculture and livestock breeding, from the use of natural resources to methodologies to treat phytosanitary illnesses. Find it at http://play.iica.int/.
More information:
IICA’s Center for Knowledge Management and Horizontal Cooperation
Institutional Communication Division
comunicación.institucional@iica.int