Rimisp – Latin American Center for Rural Development is a regional non-profit organisation that was set up in 1986.

Goals: Latin American rural development, understood as strengthening the capacity of different social groups in the rural sector, and enhancing the freedoms enjoyed by the people who make up rural society in our region.

Purpose: Rimisp contributes knowledge to support processes of institutional change, production innovation and the strengthening of social actors, so revitalising and transforming Latin American rural societies, as well as making them more just and equitable.

Institutional commitment: The organisation is committed to supporting those who are marginalised and excluded within rural societies. However, it does not seek to represent such people or speak in their name or that of any other social sector. Rimisp’s legitimacy is founded on its organisational culture, its work and on the extent and type of relationships it has with its partners.

Working in networks: Rimisp places the utmost importance on the investment made in its relationships with different partners, based on standards of confidence, reciprocity and respect. It carries out all of its functions through networks based on such relationships.

Organisational culture: To cultivate an organisational culture that is recognised and appreciated by its members, based on principals and practices of independence, transparency, honesty, the quality of processes and products, commitment, effort and dedication, efficiency and flexibility.


OBJECTIVES
In collaboration with its partners, Rimisp will contribute towards:

1. Catalyzing regional multiactorial platforms that allow for dialogue, along with the collaboration and synthesis of outlooks and strategic and programmatic agendas for the development of Latin American rural societies.

2. Improving understanding of the changes that affect Latin American rural societies and strategies that may respond to such changes.

3. Improving the quality of available methodologies and instruments in the region for the design, implementation and evaluation of strategies, policies, programmes and projects focused on rural development.

4. Learning processes that strengthen the capacity of actors and innovative social coalitions, particularly at territorial level.

5. Expanding the information available for social actors and agents of rural development.
COMMITMENTS 2008 – 2012
Rimisp has proposed a thematic agenda for 2008-2012 that will provide continuity to its general long-term concerns: the transformation of rural societies and the effects in terms of welfare, inclusion and social equity.

Consequently, activities focused on the areas of developing regional spaces and mechanisms for exchange and dialogue in Latin America will be expanded; to better understand changes in rural societies and their contexts; in the appreciation of strategies and experiences of rural societies; and in developing the skills of social actors.

The purpose of these activities is to directly or indirectly influence strategies and public policies at national and sub-national government level, within international agencies, in the private sector and among social organisations and movements with our own focus regarding rural territorial development.


THE FOCUS OF RURAL TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT (RTD)
Rural Territorial Development (RTD) is an analytical and public policy approach that proposes the implementation of simultaneous processes for production transformation and institutional changes at the level of rural territories. Production transformation seeks to link such territories to dynamic markets. Institutional change is, on the one hand, focused on strengthening the linkages between a territory's social actors, and between these and external agents.

On the other hand, institutional changes also seek to modify the rules and formal and informal standards that prevent or hamper the inclusion of the poor and dispossessed in development processes and the distribution of the benefits gained therein. For RTD, the rural territory is a geographic space with its own socially constructed identity. Processes of territorial development begin with such identity and also shape it.

ISSUES AND PROJECTS OF RIMISP
In order to meet its commitments, Rimisp has placed priority on three specific thematic areas in which it wishes to make substantial contributions, together with its partners and collaborators.

I.- Area of Social Learning for Rural Development
The objective is to consolidate and enrich projects run by Rimisp regarding social learning for rural development, with a view to increase their effectiveness and the capacity to impact programmes and policies to improve the welfare of Latin American rural societies.

Some of the projects in this thematic area are as follows:

FIDAMERICA is a regional platform that promotes and facilitates communication and learning processes to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of initiatives to reduce poverty. It is supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Latin America and the Caribbean. (www.fidamerica.org).  

The Chorlaví Group proposes to stimulate and facilitate decentralised processes for social learning geared towards improving the quality and effectiveness of transforming initiatives within Latin American and Caribbean rural societies. (www.grupochorlavi.org).

The Learning Network of Rural Indigenous Municipalities seeks to strengthen the capacity of local stakeholders in rural indigenous municipalities in Central America and the Andes region, in order to improve their governance systems and livelihood strategies. (www.rimisp.org/ramri).

II.- Area of Rural Territorial Dynamics
This seeks to understand the processes of change within economic structures and of the institutional frameworks of rural territories and the effects these changes exert on economic growth, social inclusion and environmental sustainability.

Some of the projects in this thematic area are as follows:

The purpose of the Territories with Cultural Identity project is to understand the determinants and institutional processes that enable access into dynamic markets of products and services with a cultural identity, which have significant effects on the economic and social development of poor rural territories, so reinforcing their cultural identity. (www.rimisp.org/territorioeidentidad2).

The Rural Territorial Dynamics programme is focused on the development of capacities and provision of consultancy for policies based on research for rural economic growth, social inclusion and responsible environmental governance. (www.rimisp.org/dtr).

III.- Area of Market Transformation
This area proposes to analyse the principal dynamics of transformation in food and other products and rural services markets. It seeks to document the effects of such transformations on growth, social inclusion and environmental sustainability.

PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS
Rimisp’s work is based on a broad and diverse network of ally institutions with which it cooperates in the conception, design and implementation of collaborative projects. Rimisp works in networks and in partnerships with others.

Over the last few years, Rimisp has signed a range of collaboration agreements with more than 130 organisations in Latin America and other regions.

Through its partners, Rimisp has implemented projects during the last three years in 18 Latin American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Also over the last three years, it has carried out collaborative projects with organisations in Canada, China, the United States, Ethiopia, the Philippines, France, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Turkey and Vietnam.

Since 2005, our partners and collaborators have included: national and regional governments; universities; bilateral and multilateral international agencies; and research NGOs.

FUNDING
The operational income versus operational costs of Rimisp for the year 2007 came to over USD 4 million. Many different types of funding organisations collaborate permanently or intermittently with Rimisp. Our large funding agencies include IDRC in Canada; ICCO in the Netherlands; IFAD; the Ford Foundation; the UK Department for International Development (DFID) through the University of Manchester; New Zealand’s International Aid and Development Agency; the World Bank; FAO; the Inter-American Development Bank; national and sub-national government institutions (Chile, Mexico, Bolivia and Ecuador).

PUBLICATIONS BY RIMISP
In order to disseminate its research work and results, Rimisp offers a series of publications, which can be accessed via its website.
• Rural Debates and Issues Series: regularly publishes all research material carried out by Rimisp.
• InterCambios Bulletin: each month publishes a compilation of documents related to a specific issue of rural development.
• Books and digital publications: either independently or in collaboration with partners, Rimisp has published different texts that reflect on the work of its projects.