Programs

The programs of the Conflict and Development Foundation cover social sciences research, agricultural extension, youth development, wildlife conservation, and development scholarship.  Select priority programs of the Foundation are below.  Click to learn more.

Botswana Ecoexist Program

Conservation in Action

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ghana Center for Conservation Agriculture

Latin AmericaN PROGRAMS

MIDDLE EAST - ANTHONY LAOS MEMORIAL RESEARCH FUND PROGRAM

The Conflict and Development Foundation promotes peace and development through advocacy, supporting reconciliation, and innovative approaches for economic opportunity.  Our programs cover five focus areas: 

Agricultural Development

Conflict and Development Foundation promotes opportunities within rural communities by using science for increasing agricultural productivity.  This includes field production, post-harvest handling, processing, and marketing.   We support development approaches that benefit unstable regions through preventing conflict, sustaining communities during conflict, and helping communities recover from conflict. 

Natural Resources

Conflict and Development Foundation works with partners to reduce conflict over natural resources using advanced innovations, technologies, and approaches. Such conflict management systems could include approaches for community dialogue and regional communications, mapping technologies for land access, and ecotourism management.

Food Security

Conflict and Development Foundation is expanding the adaptation, testing, evaluation, and scaling of conflict resistant enterprises and rural value chains to promote resiliency in conflict-afflicted communities.  We are developing cropping patterns, perennial cropping systems, and multi-component food value chains that are durable during conflict. We are using technologies in conflict-prone regions that were identified by studying coping strategies used by conflict survivors (including pillagers’ behavior during conflict). 

Education and Training

Conflict and Development Foundation is supporting pilot programs and initiatives that promote a better future for youth and young leaders in agriculture.  We are exploring entrepreneurship programs for disadvantaged youth to mitigate conflict.  We are establishing youth agribusiness and environmental centers with services in horticulture, field crops, beef and dairy enterprise, waste management, and nature/eco-guide services.

Local Organizations

Conflict and Development Foundation is working with local organizations sharing program goals and accomplishments for joint learning and understanding.  We are supporting local organizations to drive endogenous leadership for economic and social development. We look to productively align local resources, processes, and values to drive institutional innovation to resilient and robust communities.