Principles & approach

There are three underlying principles which determine NID's approach to development work:

  • As much as is possible, we collaborate closely with partner organizations on the ground, to establish local ownership, local priorities and local best practices;
  • We apply a `rightstreaming' approach to all gender and development consulting work. This means incorporating gender analysis across the many layers of institutional capacity and across sectors, and working holistically with a cross section of stakeholders around common goals;
  • We treat ICTs as a set of tools and applications that can be applied at different levels and adapted to the specific needs and priorities of different groups towards their development goals.


    • These principles ensure that we:

  • Build capacity at local levels through facilitating exchange of  information, advice, training and skills;
  • Design and adapt our training modules with local partners to suit different needs and contexts;
  • Interface with cutting edge research and thinking in real-life initiatives;
  • Change ways in which knowledge and information is shared to optimize personal growth and skills.

Training

We design, customize and deliver a broad spectrum of training packages customized to adult learners both in the field and for distance learning. Our methodology is highly participatory and combines an understanding of policy contexts with hands-on, technical or on-site training.  Our clientele have included a wide spectrum of interest groups from women farmers in the fields, to micro entrepreneur women's groups in Cameroon, Tanzania, the Caribbean region and the Baltic States to senior staff in multilateral, donor and government agencies.

Sector experience

The sectors that we especially focus on include:

  • Open and distance adult learning using hybrid teaching and learning models (virtual and real);
  • ICT applications and policy in rural development, agricultural livelihoods and small enterprises;
  • Media policy, legislation and capacity building in developing countries;
  • Small scale farming, urban and organic farming, local food security and eco-agriculture;
  • Rural and primary resource livelihoods in the context of climate change and related shifting priorities including bio-fuels and clean technologies;
  • Policy, program, project and investment decisions of multi-lateral agencies in environment and climate change management.