IAAMRH Action Plan -

I A A M R H : DRAFT ACTION PLAN


VISION : Healthy farmers for a healthy society.

  1. IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH HEALTHY LIVES Improve health of communities through attitude and behavior change of individuals and communities, by information and motivation, multisectoral approach, access to appropriate resources, community action and empowerment.
    1. Health classes in schools and higher education institutions
    2. Influence national education and health policy makers to include health knowledge and behaviour change in the curriculum.
    3. organize consultations of national policy makers at regional/global levels
    4. support the WHOs concept of "Healthy Settings"
    5. Community awareness, understanding and action about health problems and factors that promote health
    6. use media (modern and traditional) to inform general public conference on use of available media
    7. develop health programmes using non-formal education methods for rural communities
    8. promote community participation in all aspects of health-related activities, including identifying problems, doing assessment and analysis, and developing their own action
    9. Organize public movements such as "Healthy Farmers - Healthy Villages",
    10. Socially minded health care providers to support individuals and communities in their efforts to improve their health
    11. health-oriented curriculum in medical schools to prepare providers to understand community-based primary health care and how they can promote and facilitate it
    12. identify medical schools using such a curriculum
    13. consultation to design a curriculum (based on experience)
    14. select schools to try new curriculum
    15. encourage membership in IAAMRH for support, networking and training.
  2. NETWORK INDIVIDUALS & ORGANIZATIONS INTERESTED IN SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT FOR INFORMATION SHARING, TRAINING, RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, ETC.
    1. Network of individuals & organizations
    2. identify concerned individuals and departments within UN organizations such as Global Form for Health Research, Department of Health in Sustainable Development (HSD), Poverty & Health Policies (POV) of WHO.
    3. identify other like minded international NGOs such as WONCA, EURIPA, The NETWORK, Netherlands and strengthen ties.
    4. use information technology
    5. e-group of IAAMRH members
    6. e-group of officers and commissions for planning, discussion & follow up
    7. IAAMRH website - linked to member organizations and to related UN, government agencies and NGOs
    8. address issues & problems
    9. database on sources of information, individuals & organizations with expertise.
    10. design need-based, action-oriented research programmes.
    11. discussion & action on issues, such as: agro-climatic areas, biotechnology, ergonomics, primary health care, appropriate technology, integrated and intersectoral systems of medicine, community-based rehabilitation, reforms in medical education & training.
    12. establish an International Institute of Biotechnology, in collaboration with interested universities and NGOs, for research and advocacy, e.g. to promote cost-effective medicines, biodegradable herbal pesticides and insecticides.
  3. HEALTH POLICY RESEARCH TO INFLUENCE NATIONAL POLICIES
    To advocate for national policies and programmes that promote health in rural areas, especially related to international agreements, in the health as well as other sectors.
  4. establish an International Institute of Rural Health Policy Research & Management in collaboration with interested NGOs.
  5. partner with other organizations, including: government policy makers, multilateral organizations (UN agencies), bilateral aid donors (government aid agencies), international foundations, national and international NGOs, women's organizations, interested research institute, relevant private sector companies.
  6. ROLE OF FARMERS IN HEALTH
    1. Nutrition - encourage farmers to produce more nutritious food (livestock and crops), especially for use by their communities.
    2. Economics - encourage and assist farmers to use more efficient farming methods to increase their income and to provide employment to landless people in their communities. Improved economic status of the community will improve health through more resources for other sectors, such as education, health, housing, water, sanitation.
    3. Environment - encourage and assist farmers to use methods and products that reduce pollutants and improve the environment - air, land, water - such as tree planting, crop rotation, reducing soil erosion, including watershed development in dry areas.
  7. AGRICULTURAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
    1. Safety
      develop standards to test, monitor and certify the safety of agricultural equipment and instruments.
    2. Health
    3. promote healthy farming practices.
    4. promote healthy livestock and crops, encouraging organic and natural methods and practices.
      5.
    5. Safety & Health
    6. develop information materials and training programmes for farmers.
    7. establish an International Institute of Agricultural Safety & Health.
  8. COMPREHENSIVE REHABILITATION OF RURAL PEOPLE
  9. develop policy guidelines and framework for action for wholistic (physical, mental, social, economic, etc.) rehabilitation in their own communities.
  10. coordinate with interested national and international organizations.
  11. DOCUMENTATION
  12. improve the official journal and publish regularly following professional approach
  13. the official journal be made available on IAAMRH web site
  14. each special Commission should produce one technical paper a year and present it in the Executive Bureau meeting for discussion
  15. encourage regional/country chapters and individual institutional members to publish technical reports on various topics/issues periodically and also support such ventures of other International agencies such as WHO, ILO, FAO, WONCA, National Institute of Environmental Sciences, Japan etc.
  16. publish other information, technical series, and put them on the website