Welcome to AsiaDHRRA

Our good friend Alex Chandra has just published his much awaited book on the interplay of nationalism and regional integration in the context of the Indonesian experience. Order the book online here or here (for european customers)
Indonesia and the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement: Nationalists and Regional Integration Strategy
By Alexander C. Chandra
“This book, which [...]

Here’s another very interesting article on how SMS phones are revolutionalizing rural farming in Asia. Indeed it seems the SMS phone IS the Computer.
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Through its Warana Unwired project, researchers at the Technology for Emerging Markets (TEM) group at Microsoft Research India (MSR India) worked with a 70,000-person rural sugarcane cooperative to run an experiment replacing [...]

AsiaDHRRA, in partnership with Intel Technology, successfully concluded the three-day “Regional Workshop on Community-Based ICT Integration” last 14 March with thirty-one participants from six Asian countries attending. The workshop, held in Legend Hotel, Pasig City, aimed to have a full understanding of the past and current initiatives by civil society organizations in bridging the digital [...]

“Loyalty is the only [thing] I have and defend”
The preceding sentence was pronounced by Bambang Ismawan when delivering his short message during celebration of his 70th birthday in front of hundreds of invitees and guests on Friday night (7/3).
There are present in the event: Abdurrahman Wahid/Gusdur (former President), Meutia hatta (State Minister of Women empowerment), [...]

Here’s an insightful examination of the dizzyingly complex processes and practices on organic seed certification worldwide. its a bit of a long read but worthwhile nonetheless. Btw, there’s also a PDF version you can download over at the Grain website.
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GRAIN
The vision behind organic agriculture is one in which care for the environment and health are [...]

In celebration of AFA day, members and partners participating in AFA’s Consultation-Workshop & 3rd AFA General Assembly last February 28 - March 3, 2008 in Sangnok Resort, Cheonan, South Korea, visited 2 farmer communities.
pics and stories here… 

Tech Tuesday again, and we bring you this interesting story of how filipino farmers in remote areas are using the internet to research and find answers to problems they encounter in farming. Got this off inquirer.net
By Anselmo Roque
inquirer.net
SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ — Confronted with a pest attack on his rice field, Marcelino Dizon, [...]

Global Research
by Jeffery M. Smith
Genetically modified (GM) foods are inherently unsafe, and current safety assessments are not competent to protect us from or even identify most dangers. Overwhelming evidence to support this conclusion is now compiled in the book Genetic Roulette: The documented health risks of genetically engineered foods, which presents an abundance of adverse [...]

do visit this website to learn more about the worldwide struggle against the free trade agreements that so far have been so troublesome most especially to small rural farmers in developing countries.
“Fighting FTAs” provides a big picture of what today’s frenzy over free trade agreements (FTAs) means, and an insight into some of the struggles [...]

This seems like a very interesting event to go to. with all the nifty and ingenious inventions sure to be displayed.
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PhilRice
New technologies will be showcased during the Farmers’ Field Day, which is one of the highlights of the 21st National Rice R&D Conference on March 11-13 at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station in the Science [...]

AsiaDHRRA and Intel Philippines is set to conduct a 2-day Regional Workshop entitled “Community-based ICT Integration: Lessons and Possibilities” on March 13-14, 2008 at the Legend Villas, Mandaluyong City, Metro-Manila, Philippines.
The workshop hopes to glean lessons and identify guideposts in the continuing effort to bridge the digital divide that hinders access to development opportunities of [...]

Click here to visit the workshop blog where you can download presentations and view pictures…

Its TechTuesday again! and having recently celebrated the other half of the world last March 8 i thought of posting something techie with a gender twist. And here’s an inspiring article from IDRC about how African rural women farmers are benefiting from ICTs. It shows how “a variety of tools and tactics serve both [...]

Third World Network
By Kanaga Raja, Geneva, 3 Mar 2008
Following two weeks of small-group talks that produced little results, the agriculture negotiations at the WTO will be taking a pause this week. Members can use this time to discuss issues among themselves before the full membership meets again on 10 March to assess the situation and [...]