b'INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTThe Future of Overseas Aid Development WorkWITH THE UNCERTAINTYCOVID-19 has broughtthings might be going on the ground.to overseas travel for 2021 and possibly into 2022,Once the foundations of a project have been groups involved in overseas aid work may need todeveloped and a good local partner is found, its time rethink the way that they work on projects in develop- to work out how to implement the project in a virtual ing countries. world. Sometimes, internet connections can be vari-Its possible a vaccine will be rolled out through- able. If this is the case, it may be best to deliver training out 2021 and may not have a worldwide effect of wellvia videos that can be sent to the location and then into 2022. Many developing countries may be the lastquestions can be answered via email. If webinars or places that receive the vaccine do to some of the logis- video conferencing is possible this would be the better tics that may be required. It will be at least two yearsoption to allow more interaction with the group.ANTHONY LEDDINbefore any normality internationally is achieved. In that Inspired aftertime aid agencies will have to find new techniques of reading Theknowledge delivery.Coming Famine,The most obvious one of these is the use of virtual this Australiantraining through webinars and videos where there canIt will be at least two years before any plant breeder setbe interaction and questions of the trainer withoutnormality internationally is achieved. In out to make aphysically being in the country. This is not the most difference. Plantideal scenario. When doing research on a new pro- that time aid agencies will have to find new Breeders Withoutject location, I do a lot of reading of papers to get antechniques of knowledge delivery. Borders encouragesidea of how the plants and the people behave in this plant breeders andenvironment. Before the beginning of each project I students to volunteeram involved in, I always visit the project site and speak their time for inter- to the farmers on the ground. Seeing what happens national breedingin a location with your own eyes and talking to localsAid groups may have to consider including in their projects. about it is worth 1,000 research papers. But this will notproject budgets technologies that may allow better be achievable with COVID-19, so the next best thinginternet connection. This may be things such as is to find someone from your country that came fromsatellite internet if the location is remote, and a large that location and ask them about their experiencesscreen tv, audio and video camera equipment to allow there. From this you can gather how to behave with thecommunication between large groups of people. The people you will be communicating with and you mayvirtual interaction between the trainer and the location be able to make some adjustments to the project tomay only need to be intermittent as groups at the loca-make them more practical. tion may be instructed to do tasks and to have there The next thing is to find a good partner group in inown internal discussions then can come back to the the country you can interact with virtually. Spend timeleader with a summary afterwards.talking to them and getting to know them so you areIn the budget of most international projects the air-confident that they are capable of running the projectfares can be a high cost so the money allocated to this with minimal interaction. In many projects that I havearea may be used to purchase equipment that would worked on it is important to understand the back- allow a virtual connection. Overseas aid projects can ground message of what you local partner is trying tocontinue through these uncertain times of COVID-19, it tell you. Local partners sometimes dont want to say nojust requires some outside the box thinking and resolu-to a request. You can end up thinking everything is OK,tion that virtual connection may not be as good as but the message comes through later that the projectbeing there face to face, but it is better than not having is not functioning. Make sure you pick the vibe of howa project at all. SW58/ SEEDWORLD.COMJANUARY 2021'