IFRTD - the International Forum for Rural Transport and Development

'Cultivating the desert: Putting knowledge of rural transport on the agenda of Latin American development' is the title of a new paper published in the latest edition of the Knowledge Management for Development Journal (Vol. 4, issue 1, April 2008).

This issue of the KM4Dev journal is the second in a series of editions focusing on the subject of 'Knowledge sharing and knowledge management in Latin America and the Caribbean'. The Journal is produced by a team of Guest Editors comprising Margarita Salas, Kemly Camacho, Simone Staiger-Rivas and Camilo Villa, working with Julie Ferguson and Sarah Cummings as chief editors.

Abstract:

Until recently poverty issues were not seen as related to transport benefits. Roads and infrastructure programmes were assumed as an engineering challenge and did not consider local knowledge as a source of wisdom to develop better interventions. Even though the lack of roads was a major obstacle to development programmes, rural transport was not part of the development agenda. This article describes the creation and consolidation process followed by the International Forum for Rural Transport and Development in Latin America (IFRTD). Applying a highly participatory approach and searching to involve actors from all sectors, this network has increased its scope, developed national networks in different countries, and contributed to achieve the IFRTD goals. Emphasising knowledge sharing and valuing different knowledge forms, this network celebrates more than 20 years of activities. The paper highlights the role of transparency and knowledge sharing practices in developing and strengthening a learning community.