Impact of the university community plan in the strengthening of the extension and rural promotory system in Nicaragua

Abstract

The University Community plan (PCU) started from May to December 2009 between the National University Counsel (CNU) and the Institutional Development Office (ODI) from the Nicaraguan Institute of Agrarian technology (INTA). The financial support was taken from the capacity development fund of PRORURAL (FADECAPRO). To the project were integrated 136 new graduated student of the following careers of veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, economist, communication, computer systems and anthropology of National Agrarian University (UNA), Engineer National University (UNI), Autonomous National University of Nicaragua (UNAN Managua and UNAN León), Catholic University of dry tropic (UCATSE), Rivas Agriculture International school (EIAG), Central American University (UCA), Bluefield Indian and Caribbean University (BICU) and the University of Autonomous Regions of Caribbean Cost of Nicaragua (URACCAN). The starting course, the rural promontory course and remainder technical training were given in CNIAB INTA Managua, Campos Azules INTA Masatepe, INTA Juigalpa, CEVAS INTA Matagalpa and CEO INTA León. The objectives of the PCU were strengthening the professional capacities, strengthening the net of rural promoters, increase the INTA technical assistance in the production areas and improve the food security and nutrition quality of poorer families of the rural sector. At the end of December 2009, a total of 588 rural promoters were organized and trained and a total of 10 571 producers were benefited with INTA technical assistance where 42% were women. The cover of INTA technical assistance, were increased in 12%. Those new professionals with their work let an unforgettable footprint in the communities and cooperatives and also and their own life. With this kind of agreement between CNU and the public institutions of the government we are preparing the new generation of young professionals to contribute to the Nicaraguan development.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/calera.v12i18.1126

Revista Científica Vol. 12. Nº 18, p. 61-66 / junio 2012