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The Urban Poverty and Environment Program Initiative (UPE) of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) has selected three cities in the Focus Cities Research Initiative in North Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean for innovative projects linking urban poverty alleviation, environmental management, and natural resource use for food, water, and income security.

During the next four years, City Teams will each receive funding of up to CA $1.2 million to advance awareness, policy options, and best practices for the reduction of environmental burdens in urban slums through in-depth participatory research with multistakeholder city teams involving local government authorities, research institutions, and community organizations.

• Urban solid waste in the city of Cochabamba (Bolivia). A source of environmental pollution and a means of survival and organization for the poor, the marginalized and migrants.
• Integrated and participatory research aimed at reducing vulnerability, poverty, and environmental burdens in a critical urban area: “The left bank of the Rimac River -- Cercado de Lima (Peru).
• Improving Soci-economic conditions for integrated water and soil management for urban agriculture in poor neighbourhoods of Ariana-Soukra (Tunisia).

Updates on all eight Focus City Teams are posted on the UPE Focus City Website on a regular basis. 
    

2007-01-31

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