e-Taalim

US Funded Digital Library is certainly a follo-up to previous
funded projects in enhancing collaboration of research in the
North African Region.Many challenges are ahead,and new ways of
doing things are required as far as the exchange of technical
information.USAID was certainly instrumental in getting closer
cooperation in terms of Higher Learning,Academic Research and
Extension.Unfortunately,extension was rather a neglected area,
and currently an international survey of extension services is
sponsored by IFPRI and CGIAR.A tribute need be paid to the late
Dale E Hathaway,the founder of IFPRI,in 1977,and a recognized
authority in agricultural economics and international trade,
from Michigan State University,East Lansing,MI,USA.Reference
should also made of MIAC–Mid-America International Agriculture
Consortium launched in 1979,under the umbrella of BIFAD.There-fore lessons need be drawn from previous development projects
sponsored by USAID so as to give a new impetus to this area of
international cooperation,namely the linkages between Higher
Learning,Research and Extension,as this was called”the Unholy
Trinity”by the late Herbert Lionberger,a sociologist from the
University of Missouri,Columbia,Mo.Also,the late Dr Douglas
Ensminger,a sociologist,was rather instrumental in convincing
the various partners involved as to the usefulness in bridging
the gap between donors and recipients,thanks to his lengthy
field experience in India,in the poorest regions,namely the
States of Orissa and Bihar.US Land Grant Universities were also
deeply involved in this exchange process,since the launch of the Green Revolution.At this stage,it is appropriate to pay a
tribute ,posthumously,to the late Dr Norman Borlaug,who passed
away last September 12th,leaving behind a rich background in
findings currently used,by tens of countries in Africa and SouthEast Asia,namely the New High Yielding Varieties,thanks
to his monumental work undertaken in plant breeding ,at CIMMYT,
Mexico.He got the Nobel Peace Prize,in 1970,as a recognition of
his unforgettable record of achievements in agronomic research
and his multi-disciplinary understanding of agricultural issues,the world over.As the saying goes,”To better understand
the future,you must study the past.”