Axinn, George H. (author / Department of Resource Development, Michigan State University) and Department of Resource Development, Michigan State University
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1988
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 72 Document Number: C03372
James F. Evans Collection; Axinn, This paper presents some of the basic trends, issues, and questions regarding the last four decades of international development cooperation in agriculture. The impact of technical cooperation tends to account for only a small proportion of change; the bulk of the variance being caused by internal, rather than external, forces and events. The paper reviews both multilateral and bilateral technical cooperation and then illustrates with the case of U.S. universities in international technical cooperation. It goes on to question the difference between "development" and "merely change", and asks who are the real beneficiaries: Finally, the paper suggests the following factors affecting continuity and change as forces to be analyzed with respect to any attempt at technical cooperation: biological, physical, cultural, social, economic, administrative, political, and diplomatic. The world experience of the past four decades confirms that without consideration of such a human ecology of continuity and change, well-meaning interventions in international technical cooperation are likely to have unintended consequences for both "donors" and recipients". (author)
