Asian Rural Institute

We will continue the efforts described above, seek potential new financial supporters, and ideas/opportunities for income generation.

Human resource training for rural leaders from developing nations in Asia and Africa, and occasionally from the Pacific and Central and South America. Each year, ARI carries out a 9-month rural leaders training program to study sustainable agriculture through integrated organic farming, community development, and leadership. Upon completion of this training, the participant will return to work in his/her sending body in his/her community, utilizing what they have learned in ARI to work for the development of their own people. Our hope is that the long term impact of ARI’s training program will be seen in local communities where ARI graduates serve. By applying what they’ve learned at ARI, both agricultural knowledge, and leadership skills, graduates of the program can enable individuals and communities to move away from conventional, chemical-dependent, agriculture toward more organic methods that are more healthy for community members and their soil. Also, we hope that ARI’s open and respectful stance toward people of other faiths will be reflected in the leadership practices of graduates, such that they might be agents of peace and mutual respect among diverse community members.

In the communities of ARI graduates we would like to see the following changes: Growth of sustainable and organic agriculture, Increased use of previously underutilized local resources, Decrease of agrochemical usage, Increase of self-initiated collaborations in farming, marketing and financing, Increase of income-generating activities, Improved health of crops, livestocks and human residents, Increased confidence in one’s local community and economy, Greater inclusivity (age, gender, ethnicity, religion) in local decision making, Spread of healthy, sustainable agriculture knowledge to other communities.