The Development Fund (Utviklingsfondet)
Encyclopedia
The Development Fund is a Norwegian non-governmental organization
(NGO) founded in 1978 by Norwegian author, Erik Dammann
.
Utviklingsfondet is an independent environment and development organization. The organization’s mission is “to contribute, with emphasis on long-term measures, to promoting a fairer distribution of the world’s resources, supporting sustainable development
and local participation aimed at promoting democracy and human rights, reducing poverty
and safeguarding the environment.” The Development Fund addresses in particular the challenges of small scale farmers in the South in advancing food security
and make for sustainable agricultural practices when facing the effects of climate change
. Through local partners in Asia (Sri Lanka
, Nepal
), Africa (Ethiopia
, Malawi
) and Latin America (Honduras
, Nicaragua
), The Development Fund works with different development and environment projects related to such as food security, pastoralists in dry-land areas, and agricultural biodiversity
.
. Spire was established in 2003 and has local branches in Oslo
, Ås
and Bergen
. Spire works across party lines with global issues related to trade, development, environment, food and agriculture. Spire is an organization established for the purpose of working across party lines with global issues related to trade, climate and food. This youth group works on collaborative projects in Malawi, Central America and Sri Lanka.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
(NGO) founded in 1978 by Norwegian author, Erik Dammann
Erik Dammann
Erik Dammann is a Norwegian author and environmentalist, educated within advertising. He is mostly known for founding of the Norwegian-based organization, The Future in Our Hands...
.
Utviklingsfondet
Published in 1972, Dammann's book The Future in Our Hands raised social and environmental questions and put them in a much larger perspective than until then had been the norm. Inspired by the interest for this book, in 1974 he initiated The Future in Our Hands (Framtiden i våre hender), today a world wide organisation with thirty partner organisations over the globe. In 1978, that organization established The Development Fund (Utviklingsfondet).Utviklingsfondet is an independent environment and development organization. The organization’s mission is “to contribute, with emphasis on long-term measures, to promoting a fairer distribution of the world’s resources, supporting sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
and local participation aimed at promoting democracy and human rights, reducing poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and safeguarding the environment.” The Development Fund addresses in particular the challenges of small scale farmers in the South in advancing food security
Food security
Food security refers to the availability of food and one's access to it. A household is considered food-secure when its occupants do not live in hunger or fear of starvation. According to the World Resources Institute, global per capita food production has been increasing substantially for the past...
and make for sustainable agricultural practices when facing the effects of climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
. Through local partners in Asia (Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
), Africa (Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
) and Latin America (Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
), The Development Fund works with different development and environment projects related to such as food security, pastoralists in dry-land areas, and agricultural biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
.
Spire
Utviklingsfondet has a related youth group, SpireSpire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
. Spire was established in 2003 and has local branches in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Ås
Ås
Ås is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Follo traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ås...
and Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
. Spire works across party lines with global issues related to trade, development, environment, food and agriculture. Spire is an organization established for the purpose of working across party lines with global issues related to trade, climate and food. This youth group works on collaborative projects in Malawi, Central America and Sri Lanka.