La extensión agraria como herramienta metodológica para el diseño de la Estrategia Participativa de Internacionalización

Abstract

The National Institute of Agricultural Sciences develops an agricultural extension process based on the articulation of social actors, sociocultural and scientific institutions and the State, in order to specify interests and satisfy common needs. During the self-evaluation of the internationalization process of the INTESCUBA project, it was detected that, in order to continue outlining longer-term strategic projections, the institution needs to strengthen its strategic projection. Therefore, it was pertinent to have in the work concept the integration with other processes, and a look towards the extension of all its intercultural and institutional work, as well as managing collaboration at a national and international level, through the indissoluble link of the internationalization process with all the substantive processes of the institute. This research assumed Popular Education as a methodology in tune with Participatory Action Research to lay the foundations of the agricultural extension process, and thus design the Participatory Internationalization Strategy that responds to the demand of the institution. It was determined that both agricultural extension and internationalization, developed as strategic processes of the institute, contribute to the socio-productive, knowledge management, cultural, economic, political and environmental spheres. A Participatory Strategy for the Internationalization of the center was designed based on the methodological tools of the agricultural extension process, with the purpose of achieving a greater projection of this towards the sustainable development of the agricultural sector at a national and international level.