CIGR Newsletter No 62
O T H E R A C T I V I T I E S
Conference Cancellation:
ISAE 2003 International Conference
The ISAE 2003 international conference on 20 May 2003 in Tel Aviv, Israel has been cancelled. Cf. http://www.agri.gov.il/AGEN/ISAE/ISAE2003callforpapers.pdf
5th International Symposium on Water
The 5th International Symposium on Water will take place in Cannes, France, from Monday, 23 June to Friday, 27 June 2003.
Topics:
I. Water and environment
- Water transfer
- Water and risks
- New purification techniques
- Hydrometry
- Young innovators
- Water and health
- NGO- donor meeting over project finance
- Satellite based monitoring of water risks
- Water and great lakes
II. Capacity building
- Meeting of public-private partnerships, donors and advisory bodies
- Water: education and training for environment
- Water and law
- Water: development of continents
III. Kyoto: First Assessment
- Preparation of the Cannes Statement on Water
- Case study based meetings decision-makers
- Plenary session
- Appointments with international delegations
To register for an invitation, which is required for participation, send your details to the organisers. Participation is free of charge. Lodging, lunches, evening of Official reception in Carlton Palace in Cannes, participation in the Schools of Training, and other optional services are the responsibility of the participants.
Please direct scientific enquiries to Professor Raoul Caruba, IRIM Université de Nice, Sophia Antipolis, Parc Valrose, 06103 Nice Cedex 02, France; cannes2003@unice.fr http://www.unice.fr/H2O/ . The organisation contact is: Symposium international de l'Eau, Tel./Fax: +33 (0) 492090273; E-mail: water-cannes-symposium @wanadoo.fr. See http://www.symposium-H2O.com/ for more information as well as registration forms etc.
International ISHS Symposium on
"Managing Greenhouse Crops in Saline Environment"
The International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), the Commission of Protected Cultivation, and the University of Pisa will hold this symposium in Pisa,Italy, from 9 to 12July 2003.
In many regions protected horticultural crops have to cope with increasing salinisation of irrigation water. High salinity of the supply water has detrimental effects on soil fertility and reduces crop growth and yield. Nevertheless, moderate salt concentration in the root zone may improve the quality of horticultural products; in some areas, salinity is not a constraint, but has become a tool to increase the economic profitability of some horticultural crops.
The symposium aims to foster the exchange of scientific and technological information regarding the management of greenhouse crops in regions affected by salinity of soil and/or irrigation water. This knowledge is essential to develop proper cropping techniques and effective marketing strategies to run sustainable greenhouse horticulture in the presence of irrigation water of poor quality. In particular, the following themes will be addressed:
- Crop ecophysiology
- Water and nutrient management
- Soilless culture
- Climate control
- Water treatment technology
- Environmental implications
- Economics
The symposium will consist of a plenary lecture, invited papers, oral and poster presentations, a technical visit, and social events. The official language will be English. Presented papers will be published in Acta Horticulturae before the beginning of the Symposium.
For further information, contact the conference Secretariat: Prof. Alberto Pardossi - ISHS Symposium, Dipartimento di Biologia delle Piante Agrarie, Viale delle Piagge, 23 I-56124 Pisa, Italy; Tel. +39 (0)50 945500; Fax: -524; E-mail: ISHS.Pisa2003@agr.unipi.it
"Water Use Conflicts in the Euromediterranean Region"
AFEID, the French National Committee of ICID, organises the 54th Executive Council of ICID and the 20th European Regional Conference in Montpellier,France from 14 to 19 September 2003 . The two main themes of the Conference, the "origin of water use conflicts" and "methods of conflict resolution" will cover the following subjects:
- The role of agro-business and consumer demand
- Demographic growth and urban uses
- Environmental awareness
- Conflict perception and the role of the media
- The role of basin / aquifer organisations
- The role of service providers and economic instruments, with due consideration of poverty alleviation
Further information is available on the internet at http://afeid.montpellier.cemagref.fr/conf2003.htm , or from Dr. Alain Vidal, BP 5035, 34032 Montpellier Cedex 1, France; Tel: +33 (0)4 6761 4495 Fax: +33 (0)4 6761 5693 E-mail: alain.vidal@cirad.fr
II World Congress on Conservation Agriculture
This congress will be held from 11 to 15 August 2003 at Iguassu Falls, in the state of Parana, Brazil . The organisers expect the participation of representatives of many national and international sectors for an ample discussion on the state of the art in research and development in the field of conservation agriculture. They hope to bring together about 1200 researchers, technicians, professors, farmers, students, environmentalists and other people interested to exchange experiences on Conservation Agriculture - their benefits and perspectives for the sustainable development in different countries.
The congress, whose official languages are Portuguese and English (with simultaneous translation), should provide an opportunity to discuss aspects related to conservation agriculture on a broader scale and also the tendencies for the next years, to promote debates, scientific presentations and exchange of practical experiences about world advances in Conservation Agriculture, and to enhance the 'no-tillage system' as an efficient conservation agriculture mode.
The program will address technical questions, environmental benefits, and the political and economical outcomes related to the subject.
I. Socio-economic and Policy Perspectives
- Economic aspects of conservation agriculture – a global review of the profitability, risks and dynamics from the farmers perspectives
- Conservation agriculture as a tool to promote the sustainable development: political aspects
- Lessons from the ever-increasing adoption of 'no-tillage' in Latin America
- Political and socio-economic aspects of agriculture conversion models
- Key elements to promote no-tillage among small farmers.
- CO2 mitigation, environmental exchanges and conservation agriculture - policies and perspectives at global level
- Green label certification for no-tillage
- The role of commercial companies on promoting conservation agriculture
- The role of international cooperation networks to promote conservation agriculture
- Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg and after – natural resources policies and management towards sustainable future
II. Environmental Impacts
- Environmental impacts of conservation agriculture on soil, water and air quality
- Potential of forestry and agro-forestry for natural resources preservation
- Increasing soil biodiversity through Conservation Agriculture
- The role of biodiversity corridors on ecosystems
- Environmental and socio-economic impacts of no-tillage on Brazilian Savannah
- Forestry bordering rivers as a strategy for water preservation and its use at the farm level
- No-tillage and soil management at watershed level
III. Technology Innovations
- Strategies for minimum soil disturbance on no-tillage
- Soil compaction in long-term no-tillage
- No-tillage to prevent desertification
- Integrated pests management in no-tillage
- No-till equipment availability and adaptations for tractor, animal and hand drawn
- Alternatives for weed control without herbicides
- Soil moisture retention in dry lands with no-tillage
- Crop rotation and cover crop on no-tillage
- Conservation Agriculture with and without agrochemicals use
- Experiences with crop-livestock integration under no-tillage
- Conservation Agriculture adapted to specific conditions: flooded, steep slopes and semi-arid regions
IV. Experience Reports
- No-tillage at small farms
- Alternative cover crops for Savannah regions
- Tomatoes and onion production under no-tillage in Santa Catarina State, Brazil.
- Farmer organisations for conservation agriculture in Africa
- Impacts and challenges for conservation agriculture adoption in Africa
- The Land Friends Club experiences in Brazil
- No-tillage on rice-forage cropping systems by small farmers in Southeast Asia
- How are SAAG and farmers promoting Conservation Agriculture in Pakistan?
- A Brazilian model for no-tillage cotton production adapted to Southwest USA
- Conservation agriculture experiences in Chile
- Brazilian experiences with organic soybeans production
IV. Field tour
Participants are invited to submit abstracts (as attached files) to febrapdp@uol.com.br for poster presentations in two Poster Sessions. There is space for up to 120 posters in each of these sessions.
Deadlines and Dates:
Abstracts 30 April 2003
Notificaton of Acceptance 31 May 2003
For further information and extended instructions for the submission of abstracts, consult the internet at http://www.febrapdp.org.br/event.htm
3rd Asia-Pacific Drying Conference / ADC '03
ADC'03 will be held from 1 to 3 September 2003, in Bangkok,Thailand . It will be organised and hosted by the Processing Technology Program, School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD) at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. It will focus on exploring new frontiers in drying technology through innovation in processes and equipment, product quality enhancement, energy-efficient and environmental-friendly operations. In particular, the topics of the conference will be:
- Drying theory and modelling
- Industrial drying and control of dryer
- Conventional drying processes
- Alternative drying technologies
- Drying of food and bio-products
- Drying of non-food products
- Product quality enhancement
- Innovation in drying technology
- Research and development needs
- Energy efficiency and environment aspects
Original contributions, process applications, case histories, state-of-the-art papers and commercial information on these topics are invited by the organisers.
Deadlines:
Submission of full text 30 April 2003
Final notice of acceptance 30 May 2003
The registration fee is US$ 300 (after 30 May 2003: US$ 350), US$ 100 for students, and US$ 150 for accompanying persons.
Registration forms and updated information are available at http://www.serd.ait.ac.th/adc.htm or from the organisers: Correspondence Address: Khun Tasana Sa-id, ADC 2003 Secretariat, Processing Technology Program, School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD), Asian Institute of Technology, PO Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; Phone: (66-2) 524 5488 Fax: (66-2) 524 6200 E-mail: phfpe@ait.ac.th
International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage: Cuba-Irrigation 2003
Sponsored by the Irrigation and Drainage Research Institute (IDRI), this congress will be held at the Conference Palace in Havana, Cuba, from 20 to 24 October 2003 . Outstanding scientists, specialists, technicians and growers from all over the world will gather to exchange, discuss, and debate the most remarkable advances of the last years.
The Topics of the conference, which will be held in English and Spanish, fall into three main areas:
I. Irrigation and Drainage Technologies
- Water needs of crops
- Water physical of irrigation water
- Agroeconomical surveys
- Pressurised irrigation
- Surface irrigation
- Agricultural drainage
- Pumping stations
- Chemigation
- Mathematical modelling and simulation
- Technologies for intensive production on cover crops
II. Modernising & Maintenance of Irrigation and Drainage System
- Equipment for maintenance of irrigation and drainage systems
- Use of laser technology
- Management and organisation system for irrigation
- Automation
- Application of precision agriculture techniques
- Informatics
III. Environmental and Social Impact of Irrigation and Drainage
- Water quality for irrigation
- Treatment and re-use of irrigation water
- Improvement of saline soil
- Soil management
- Alternative sources of energy
- Climatic changes
- Knowledge management
- Training program for professional and technical development
These topics will be discussed in lecture, panel, and round table sessions. Abstracts should not exceed 250 words including title, author(s), institution, country, telephone, and e-mail. Full papers not exceeding 15 pages should adhere to the following structure: Introduction, Objectives, Materials and Methods, Results, Conclusions and Bibliographical References. The audio-visual means required for the presentation of papers, should be asked to the Scientific Committee before the date limit.
Deadlines:
Submission of abstracts 15 June 2003
Notification of acceptance 15 July 2003
Full Paper 15 August 2003
Registration Fees are $ 250.00 USD (accompanying person $ 60.00 USD) and include the scientific program and a CD-ROM with the papers presented. Accommodation is available at different hotels with prices ranging from 45.00 USD (single) to 115.00 USD (double) per day.
For further information please check http://www.loseventos.cu/Eventos/datosevents.asp?cod=10891 , contact Dr. A. Reinaldo Rey García, President of the Organising Committee, P.O.B: 6090, Havana, Cuba. Tel: (537) 911038 Fax: (537) 917595 e-mail: iird@ceniai.inf.cu or MSc. Octavio Pérez Marrero, Professional Organiser of Events, P.O.B: 16046, Havana , Cuba. Telef. (537) 208 7541/ 202 6011-19 Fax: (537) 208 7996/ 208 347/ 202 8382 e-mail: octavio@palco.cu; http://www.complejopalco.com
2nd International Symposium on Intelligent Information Technology in Agriculture ISIITA2003
Sponsored by the Expert Group for Computer Software and Hardware of National Hi-Tech R&D Program of China and the National Engineering Research Centre for Information Technology in agriculture, the Second International Symposium on Intelligent Information Technology in Agriculture (ISIITA) will be held in Beijing, China, from 29 October to 1 November 2003 in the Beijing Friendship Hotel. The First International Symposium on Intelligent Information Technology in Agriculture (ISIITA) was held in Beijing under the support of Ministry of Science and Technology of China from Dec. 1 to Dec. 4 of 2000 . More than 100 scientists from 18 countries, including USA, Russia, Canada, England, Japan, Holland, France, Italy, Greece and so on, attended the meeting.
The ISIITA is to provide a forum for scientists and engineers to master new progress, and explore future directions in research and application of a variety of information technologies in agriculture. The major subjects will include research and application of agricultural expert systems, agricultural decision support systems, artificial intelligence in agriculture, GPS, GIS and RS in agriculture, software and hardware development, virtual reality technologies in agriculture, intelligent monitor and control of agriculture environment, establishment of information service networks in rural area and practices in reducing digital divide, status and developmental strategies of information technologies in agriculture, and other topics related to intelligent information technology in agriculture.
With the aims of strengthening the Application of information Technology in Agriculture and of Reducing the Digital Divide, the following topics are suggested for discussion:
- Research and application of agricultural expert systems
- Research and application of agricultural decision support systems
- Applications of artificial intelligence in agriculture
- Software and hardware development
- Applications of virtual reality technologies in agriculture
- Intelligent monitor and control of agriculture environment
- Applications of GPS/GIS/RS in agriculture
- Establishment of information service networks in rural area and practices in reducing the digital divide
- Status and developmental strategies related to IT in agriculture
- Other topics related to intelligent information technology in agriculture
A number of plenary invited talks will highlight areas of current interest. Contributed papers, selected by the Program Committee will be presented either in oral or poster sessions. All contributions, oral and poster, should be presented in English. Authors are invited to submit one A4-page abstract (Title, Author's Names, principal author/presenter capitalised, Author's Affiliation) plus one optional page with up to 4 figures allowing for a one-inch margin all round the page. All abstracts should be sent to Prof. Chunjiang Zhao (sunzg@nercita.org.cn nercita@public2.bta.net.cn) with an attached electronic document. For other methods of submission, one original and 8 copies of the abstract are to be sent to: Chunjiang Zhao Zhigui Sun; Program Committee of ISIITA; National Engineering Research Centre for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences; Address: P.O.Box 2449#26, Beijing 100089, China; Tel: +86-10-88443457; Fax:+86-10-88436741.
Participants wishing to participate in this conference are kindly requested to fill out the registration form available on the conference web page and send it to the Conference Secretariat by July 15, 2003. Registration fees are US$300 (US$350 after 15 July 2003), with a fifty percent remission for students (excluding post-PhD. D. fellows).
Deadlines:
Detailed paper abstracts 15 July 2003
Paper acceptance 15 August 2003
Complete paper submission 1 October 2003
Early registration 1 September 2003
For more information, a detailed programme, and registration forms, please consult the conference web page at http://www.conference.ac.cn/isiait.html or contact Ms. Cuiling LAN; ISIAIT Secretariat; Centre for International Scientific Exchanges, CAS; 52 Sanlihe Rd., Beijing 100864, China; Tel: +86 10 68597750 or 68597751, Fax: +86-10-68597748; email:cllan@cashq.ac.cn
7th International Symposium Technology Application in Horticulture & Viticulture
Jointly organised by ATW and DWV and subtitled "Quality Management in Horticulture & Viticulture", this symposium will be held from 9 to 11 May 2004 in Stuttgart, Germany, as part of the international technology trade fair for wine, fruit and fruit juice "Intervitis Interfructa". The conference languages will be German, English and French (simultaneous translation provided).
Scientists and experts are invited to submit their propositions for papers (15 minutes talk + 5 minutes discussion) on the following suggested topics:
I. Technology & Physiology
- Canopy systems & yield regulation
- Soil water management
- Soil management systems
- Harvest technology
II. Plant Protection
- Target-oriented application technology
- Dosage- and guidance-technology
- Environmental sustainability concepts
II. "Precision Systems" in grape and fruit production
- Holistic concepts
- Data bases & mapping systems (i.e. GIS, GPS)
- Data management in companies and joint-ventures
- Mechatronic systems
Abstracts (in German, English or French) should not exceed 300 words. Please also provide the following information when submitting the abstract: Title, First name, surname; Company / institution / organisation; Address with phone and fax number; E-mail address. Speakers will be exempt from paying the conference fees.
Dates and deadlines:
Paper proposals 15 June 2003
Notification of Acceptance September 2003
Full Paper submission 1 February 2004
For further information: Dipl. Ing. Catharina Ries, Deutscher Weinbauverband, Heussallee 26, D-53113 Bonn, Germany. E-mail: cries@dwv-online.de Tel: +49 (0)228 94932515, Fax: +49 (0)228 94932523
2nd World Conference and Technology Exhibition on Biomass for Energy, Industry and Climate Protection
The 2nd World Conference and Exhibition on Biomass will be held in Rome from 10 to 14 May 2004 as a joint global event of the 13th European Conference on Biomass and the Biomass Conference of the Americas.
papers are invited for the following topics:
- Biomass resources: recovery, production, pre-treatment, supply and logistics for feedstock from forestry, agriculture, animal residues and processing industry
- Research and development of bioenergy conversion technology systems: combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, biological conversion and biofuels production (biodiesel, ethanol, bio-methanol, bio-synthetic-fuels, bio-hydrogen, direct/indirect liquefaction)
- Demonstration and market implementation of bioenergy in the heat and electricity sector
- Demonstration and market implementation of bioenergy in the transportation sector: private vehicles sector, public bus transport, hybrid systems for ships and trains, ecological cars, jet-biofuel, etc.
- Combined application of biomass for energy, industrial products for climate protection: biofuels, chemicals, timber, board & panels, pulp for paper, animal-feed, activated-charcoal, drinking water, organic fertilisers, bio-refinery, etc.
- Economics and benefits deriving from biomass process technologies, integration and simultaneous production: identification of most promising bioenergy complexes
- International biofuels trade: benefits from Clean Development Mechanism projects implementation, green certificates trading, carbon trading for forestation, international CO2 Trade Off programmes. Project financing schemes, international and national banking facilities mechanisms
- Strategy and policy issues: challenges and opportunities to support the EU Policies and Directives, the Kyoto Protocol, certificates, national and local regulations, globalisation and liberalisation, industry policies, security of energy supply, socio-economic impact (new jobs, education & training)
- International Co-operation for accelerating the large-scale worldwide deployment of bioenergy
- Biomass in the developing world: sustainable biomass use, poverty alleviation, rural development education and local manufacturing capacity building
Papers will be presented in oral and poster presentations and published in the conference proceedings.
Abstracts not exceeding one page (size A4), single-spaced and in English, should include: subject number (1 to 10: cf. above), full title, full name and address of one author for all correspondence, full name of each author and co-author (and affiliation, address, phone/fax/e-mail), purpose of the work, approach, scientific innovation and relevance, results, conclusions. In addition, authors may add up to 3 explanatory pages to facilitate the reviewers' assessment.
Deadlines:
Abstract submission 10 October 2003
For further information or for abstract submission please use the address: ETA - Renewable Energies; (add: "Attn Ing. Gianluca Tondi" for abstract submissions) Piazza Savonarola,10; 50132 Florence, Italy; Tel +39-055-5002174 Fax +39 055 573425 email: biomass.conf@etaflorence.it. See also http://www.conference-biomass.com/ for extensive information. A preliminary call for papers with information on registration and paper preparation is available for download at Call_for_papers_2nd_World_Biomass_Conference_2004.pdf
Agroenviron 2004:
"The Role of Multi-Purpose Agriculture in Sustaining Global Environment"
Organised by the University of Udine, Italy, the fourth international symposium of the Agroenviron series will be held from 20 to 24 October 2004.
The organisers of this event hope that the series will continue in the future and provide an instrument for involving more and more scientists, engineers, planners, institutions, and countries in agro-environmental issues for sustaining the environment of this globe. The symposium will give scientists an insight into today's burning issues related to agriculture, and it should help to choose the right directions for the future in sustainable agriculture in this millennium.
The topics proposed for presentations in Udine include:
- Land, water, and air pollution in agricultural areas
- Precision agriculture and yield forecasting
- Landscape ecology
- Forestry and range land management
- Climate changes and global agricultural environment
- Biotechnology and agricultural biodiversity
- Desertification and land degradation control
- Agricultural waste reuse and field management
- Wetland and coastal ecology in humid environment
- RS/GIS techniques in agriculture
- Current advances in restoration of rural areas for sustainability
Participants are invited to submit papers or posters coherent with the above objectives and topics that will be published in the proceedings. Please submit your 250-word summaries (no figures or references) by November 30, 2003 to: Prof. Dr. Giuseppe ZERBI, Symposium Secretary General, University of Udine, Udine/ITALY (E-mail: zerbi@dpvta.uniud.it ) or Eng. Sajid MAHMOOD(Azeemi), International Co-ordinator, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. E-mail: smahmoodpk@yahoo.com

