Sharing Solutions Across the Global South
A farming method that works in one country may help farmers in another—but only if it fits the new place. Rainfall, soil, costs, and local knowledge all matter. When countries share ideas and adapt them together, they take part in a process called South-South cooperation.
The United Nations observes the International Day for South-South Cooperation on September 12. The day recognizes cooperation among developing countries in areas such as farming, health, education, technology, and trade. According to the UN observance page, these exchanges can involve sharing knowledge, skills, resources, or practical experience.
What does “Global South” mean?
The Global South is a broad term often used for developing countries, many of which are in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It is not a precise line on a map. Some countries commonly included in the Global South are north of the equator, and countries within the group have different histories, economies, and political systems.
Nor do all communities within a country face the same conditions. A crowded coastal city and a rural mountain village may need very different approaches to water or transportation. South-South cooperation does not mean that countries have identical problems or that one solution will work everywhere. It means they can exchange experiences and decide together what might be useful.
- adapt:
- To change something so it fits a different situation or need.
- precise:
- Exact and clearly defined.
- rural:
- Related to the countryside rather than a city.
- varieties:
- Different types of the same kind of thing.
- reliable:
- Dependable; working or happening as expected.
- alleviation:
- The act of making a problem or hardship less severe.
- upkeep:
- The work and cost of keeping something in good condition.
- observance:
- An event or practice that marks and recognizes something important.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
Analyze what the author aims to do and how choices serve audience and purpose.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Vocabulary
Practice words from the passage with a printable worksheet.
Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
Fix the Sentence
Practice editing sentences drawn from this passage with a printable worksheet.
Ready to use this passage in class?
Start free with the Mixed worksheet and 3 PDF downloads each week. Focused skill sets depend on plan.
Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why does the passage warn against treating the Global South as a precise geographic region?
- 2How does the comparison between a coastal city and a mountain village support the passage's explanation of cooperation?
You Might Also Like
About this explanatory article passage for Middle School
“Sharing Solutions Across the Global South” is a explanatory article reading passage about South-South cooperation, written for Middle School. It takes about 6 minutes to read (919 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.