C/O NUFFIC

Kortenaerkade 11 2518 AX Den Haag
Tel	:	070 - 426 03 31
Fax	:	070 - 426 03 29
Email	:	rawoosec@rawoo.nl
Web	:	www.rawoo.nl

 
The Netherlands Development Assistance Research Council (RAWOO) was established by the Dutch government through the Minister for Development Cooperation, also on behalf of the Minister of Education, Culture and Science, and the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. Its job is to issue recommendations regarding how research that is funded by the Dutch government for the purpose of fostering development can best be attuned to the needs of developing countries. RAWOO's principal tasks are:

• to issue recommendations regarding research priorities and to put forward proposals for long-term research programmes,
and
• to foster communication among the various parties involved in research for development: researchers, policy-makers and end users, both in the South and in the North.

The Council's field of activity is described as 'research that is of relevance to the developing world'. Research can be in any field. The only requirement is that it is relevant and useful to the developing countries. RAWOO has formulated a number of policy principles which it strives to apply in its activities.

RAWOO's Council Members are from the research community, government departments, and organizations representing civil society. RAWOO has 15 full Council Members. Six of them are from developing countries. They are appointed for periods of three years and may be reappointed once. The Council has three advisory Council Members, one appointed by each of the Ministers involved.

RAWOO organized an Expert Group Meeting dedicated to the issue of North-South research partnerships. Researchers from the South who had concrete experience with North South research co-operation were invited to Trivandrum in India. The Kerala Research Programme on Local Level Development at the Center for Development Studies hosted the meeting. Some of the conclusions of the Expert Group Meeting are presented here.

One of the reports published by RAWOO is "Research capacity for sustainable development. Report of a field study in Ghana, Kenya and Kerala (India).