Winrock International
Mission: "Putting ideas to work . . . With people in the US and around the world to increase economic opportunity, sustain natural resources, and protect the environment. Winrock matches innovative approaches in agriculture, natural resources management, clean energy, and leadership development with the unique needs of its partners. By linking local individuals and communities with new ideas and technology, Winrock is increasing long-term productivity, equity anmd responsible resource management to benefit the poor and disadvantaged of the world."
In China since: 1982
Annual China budget: $100,000 (STC)
Number of staff: 10 national and 2 expatriate
Mainland China Contact:
Ms. Wang Yan 王妍
Office Administrator 行政官员
北京100081中关村南大街12号
农业科学院农经所内温洛克代表处
Tel: +86 (0)10 6211 0355, 6218-7544
STC Mainland Contact
Winrock International Sichuan Office
6/F., Nanyi Building, No. 1 Consulate Avenue,
Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 P. R. China
Tel: +86-28-8523-0104/8523-0105
Fax: +86-28-8523-2556
Web: http://www.winrock-stc.org
Activities in Other Countries:
74 countries worldwide
This organisation derives its name from that of its principal benefactor, Winthrop Rockefeller (1912-1973), one of six sons of the noted American businessman and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller. Winthrop Rockefeller developed large farms in Arkansas, where he also served two terms as state Governor. On his death, part of his estate was bequeathed to create a centre that supports agricultural research and innovation in the US and abroad. This is the base of Winrock International, which now also works in leadership and organisational capacity building and natural resource management.
In 1982, Winrock opened an office in the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). During the late 1980s and early 90s it engaged in a number of projects to develop Chinese teaching, research and policy making capacity in the field of agricultural economics. More recently, with funding from the Starr Foundation, it has developed agri-business training and exchange programmes in cooperation with CAAS and North American universities. Winrock has also been involved in a number of agricultural technology projects such as a recent effort, funded by the US Department of Agriculture, to improve the management of pig production and nutrition.
In addition, since the early 1990s, WI has implemented a number of training and leadership development programmes funded by the Ford Foundation. The first such was a Yunnan Upland Management programme that sought to link researchers, government officials and local communities in a series of action research projects to encourage participatory approaches to rural development. Winrock was contracted to manage capacity-building and training aspects of the programme in Yunnan, later extending this work to Guizhou and Sichuan.
From 2000, Winrock implemented a five-year, USD 1.5 million Ford-funded ‘women’s capacity building and rural development programme’ in Yunnan and Guizhou. This offered ‘advocacy for impact’ training to mid-level women professionals from various government departments, aiming to create a pool of future expertise for sustainable, gender sensitive rural development. Trainees went on to carry out their own, action-research projects, with funding support from the programme.
Also funded by the Ford Foundation was a USD 900,000, three-year NGO capacity building programme that Winrock began to implement in 2002. This worked with Ford Foundation NGO grantees to identify and address their needs for organisational development. It created training, consultancy and mentoring opportunities in areas such as strategic planning, governance, leadership, human resource development and financial management.
As of 2005, WI will also be working in Ganzi Prefecture of western Sichuan, to promote local business development, natural resource management and cultural preservation among Tibetan communities. This three year, USD 2.5 million project is funded by the US government Agency for International Development (USAID).
Sustainable Tibetan Communities
Mission: “ to strengthen Tibetan communities’ capacity for meeting their socio-economic needs, while conserving the environment and preserving their cultural heritage.”
Sustainable Tibetan Communities (STC) is presently in its first phase of working to promote sustainable growth for Tibetan communities in western Sichuan while still preserving their unique cultural traits and environment. This first phase was launched in January of 2005 and will continue through August of 2007 and which time a second phase is planned to begin.
STC uses two main components for the advancement of these goals. A core component, which secures and operates their infrastructure; evaluates and issues grants to Tibetan and US organizations operating in the Ganzi prefecture of Sichuan; helps link geographic locations for the benefit of cooperation. The second component is the sub-grant component, which compliments the goals of the core component and progresses their objectives for Tibetan communities.
Recent activities have included: STC funded a tour guide skills course held at the Tibetan Traditional Culture Conservation Association of Sichuan Tibetan School in Kangding to train fifty students tour guide skills and promote traditional Tibetan culture and heritage. A Tibetan Cooking Training course was held for 66 residents to encourage better cooking skills, service and entrepreneurship. In collaboration with Sichuan University Vocational Skills Training Center for Motorcycle Maintenance STC funded the education of twenty herdsmen to attend a short-term training program in motorcycle repair.
WI’s total income in 2003 was USD 52 million. Of this, USD 43 million derived from contracts and grants from government agencies, multilateral organisations and private foundations.
STC has received 2.50 million RMB for the first 3 years. Most of their project funding is provided by USAID.
Links
http://www.winrock.org
|
