MANILA, Philippines — A Philippine project that addresses global poverty through improving sanitation, food security, and biodiversity won first prize in the 2011 Raanan Weitz International Competition on Integrated Development Projects in Israel. Two Filipinos – Elmer V. Sayre and Jed Christian Z. Sayre – of the Water, Agroforestry, Nutrition, and Development (WAND) Foundation in the Philippines, received the award at the Weitz Center for Development Studies in Rehovot, Israel, on December 19, 2011, for their project, “Using the Rehovot Approach to Close the Loop Between Sanitation, Food Security, and Biodiversity Improvement as a Means to Alleviate Extreme Poverty: The WAND Foundation Experience.”

The project was a product of study and research taking into account available technologies in Israel and linking or combining it with Philippine approach and experience. The project focused on ecological sanitation and the prevention of the spread of diseases, the conservation of water, minimizing pollution, and conservation of valuable fertilizer.” The Department of Foreign Affairs said: “Winning this award is a testament that Filipino intelligence is indeed being recognized around the world, and this time, in Israel.”

The competition was organized by the Weitz Centre for Development Studies in memory of its founder, the late Professor Raanan Weitz. A non-profit organization, the Weitz Centre for Development Studies was founded in 1963 in Rehovot, Israel, to pursue activities in urban and rural development in Israel and in developing countries. It was established by Professor Weitz, one of the leading figures in the development of rural Israel since its independence until the 1990’s.

The Weitz Centre formulated the “Rehovot Approach” which promotes integrated socio-economic development at regional and local levels. The Rehovot approach is based on three assumptions: Agricultural growth is the key to rural development; the development of agriculture requires concomitant development of secondary and tertiary sectors; and social forces play an important role in agricultural development.

We congratulate the Water, Agroforestry, Nutrition, and Development Foundation in the Philippines, and its Filipino project proponents – Elmer V. Sayre and Jed Christian Z. Sayre – for winning first prize in the 2011 Raanan Weitz International Competition on Integrated Devel-opment Projects in Israel. We wish them the best and success in all endeavors. CONGRATULATIONS!