CIGR Newsletter No 64
O T H E R A C T I V I T I E S
11th Conference of the MSAE: "Agricultural Engineering Role in Minimizing Losses and Maximizing Production"
Organized by the MSAE (Misr Society of Agricultural Engineering) and the AENRI (Agricultural Engineering Research Institute) of Egypt, this conference will be held from 16 to 18 October 2003 in the Rice Mechanization Center in Mit El Deeba, Kafr El Sheikh Governorate, Egypt.
Topics:
· Mechanization of field and animal-production operations, machinery performance, operation, maintenance, and repairs
· Modern and improved systems of field irrigation and drainage, conservation of water and soil resources, and enhancement of plant production
· On-farm transportation, handling and processing of agricultural and forage materials, post-harvesting with view on reduction of losses and improved product quality
· Utilization of traditional and renewable energy-resources, and rationalization of energy expenditure in the agricultural sector
· Safety measures and improved rural-life
· Considerations of sustainable development, agricultural environment, recycling of residues, and maximizing of economical returns.
Accompanying Activities
· Presentation of papers, speeches, posters, workshops, and forwarding of "Kishida Prizes"
· Display of modern machinery and equipment, along with agricultural technology
· Field demonstrations
· Field trips
For further information look up http://get.to/msae/ or contact: Prof. Dr. Mohamed Nabil El Awady (Pres. MSAE; Sc. Chairman); e-mail: awady37@yahoo.com or Prof. Dr. Azmy M. El Berry )Dir. AEnRI; Exe. Chairman) ; e-mail: aengri_gov@hotmail.com.
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.
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. Registration Fees are 50 US$ (accompanying person 60 US$) and include the scientific program and a CD-ROM with the papers presented.
For further information please check 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; www.complejopalco.com
2nd International Symposium on Intelligent Information Technology in Agriculture
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, ISIITA 2003 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 in December 2000. More than 100 scientists from 18 countries, including USA, Russia, Canada, England, Japan, Holland, France, Italy, Greece, 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 in oral or poster sessions. All contributions, oral and poster, should be presented in English.
Registration fees are $350, with a fifty percent remission for students (excluding post-PhD. fellows).
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
Agricultural Engineering 2003: “Agricultural Engineering for More Consumer Protection”
Organised by VDI-MEG in cooperation with EurAgEng, the conference “Agricultural Engineering” will take place at the Convention Center (CC) of the Deutsche Messe Hannover, Germany from 7 to 9 November 2003, that is, immediately before the international machinery exhibition AGRITECHNICA 2003 in Hanover.
Following the approved model of conference locations alternating between Universities and the leading agricultural equipment shows, contemporary agricultural topics are presented and discussed within four parallel sections. For the first time a fifth section has been integrated. In this section, “Young Agricultural Engineers from Europe” will get their own platform with a European/International orientation and presentations in English only.
Main topics:
· Tractors: concepts, powertrain, interfaces to implements, tyres, chassis, use and economics
· Mobile hydraulics: control systems and agricultural applications
· Automation technology: electronics, sensor technology, actuators, mechatronics
· Tillage and cultivation: implements, processes, soil conservation
· Precision farming: environmental safety, product quality, customer protection
· Grain harvesting: threshing and separating systems, straw chopping and distribution, post harvest technologies, product quality
· Special crops: cultivation, harvest, post harvest technologies
· Renewable energy sources and industry basic materials
· Landscape maintenance and communal techniques
· Industrial product development, as well as oscillations, noise and legislation
· Marketing, service, sale
Papers for presentations are expected from industry, universities and research institutes as well as out of practical farming.
The conference languages are German and English, with no simultaneous translation available.
For further information, please look up http://vdi.de/vdi/tsv/t_kongresse_details/index.php?ID=1000569 or contact: Max-Eyth-Gesellschaft Agrartechnik im VDI, Postfach 10 11 39, D-40002 Düsseldorf, Germany. Tel: +49 211 6214 522 Fax: +49 211 6214 163, E-Mail: meg@vdi.de
Subtitled "Prospects and Emerging Opportunities for Extrusion technology Applications in Asia and the Pacific," this conference will be held from 2 to 4 December 2003 in the Institute of Food Research and Product Development, Kasetsart University (IFRPD), in Bangkok, Thailand. Scientists, engineers and marketing personnel from Asia, Australia, Pacific, Europe and USA, will present developments in extrusion technology from their unique perspectives. The conference will give participants an insight into extrusion technology application in Asian and Pacific countries. The potential for information exchange will be explored fully, as well as the prospects and challenges for technology transfer and know-how between the participants. The following topics are proposed to be covered among others:
· Advances in extrusion technology to make value added functional foods and ingredients
· Factors affecting the shape and cellular texture of extrudates
· Development of biodegradable packaging using extrusion technology
· Raw material for snack and weaning foods conditioning, formulation and processing
· Development of extrusion technology in Sri Lanka
· Flavour generation and retention in starch-base extrudates
· Technology transfer and end users
· Development of extruded foods in Asian and Pacific countries prospects and challenges
· Advances in twin screw extrusion: trends and functional characteristics
· Development on new functional food using extrusion technology
· Nutritious formulation of extruded foods
· Animal and aqua feeds formation and production
· Dietary fiber enriched extruded snacks
· Applications of Viscosity Analysis
For further information, please contact Dr. Warunee Varanyanond, Director IFRPD, Kasetsart University, 50 Pahonyothin Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand. URL: http://www.ifrpd.ku.ac.th/news/seminar/seminar2003 Tel.: +662 942 8629–35; Fax: +662 940 6455; E-mail: ifrvrb@ku.ac.th
International Training Workshop HydroSalinity Abatement & Advanced Techniques for Sustainable Irrigated Agriculture
This event will take place from 22 to 27 March 2004 at the Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Engineering (CEWRE), Lahore, Pakistan. For information, please contact Dr. M.Mazhar Saeed, Secretary, at mazhar_cewre@yahoo.com or Eng. Sajid Mahmood Azeemi, Co-Secretary, at smahmoodpk@yahoo.com or contact the Workshop Secretriate, Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Engineering, UET-Lahore, Pakistan at center@xcess.net.pk
International Seminar on Salinity Mitigation for Water Resources Management
This seminar will be held from 26 to 28 March 2004 at the Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Engineering (CEWRE), Lahore, Pakistan. For further information, please contact Eng. Sajid Mahmood Azeemi, International Coordinating Secretary, Tel: +92 300 6607 290, smahmoodpk@yahoo.com or e-mail the Seminar Secretariat of CEWRE at center@xcess.net.pk
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
III. "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:
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, Italy, from 10 to 14 May 2004 as a joint global event combining the 13th European Conference on Biomass with the Biomass Conference of the Americas.
Papers are invited for the following topics:
(1) Biomass resources: recovery, production, pre-treatment, supply and logistics for feedstock from forestry, agriculture, animal residues and processing industry
(2) 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)
(3) Demonstration and market implementation of bioenergy in the heat and electricity sector
(4) 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.
(5) 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.
(6) Economics and benefits deriving from biomass process technologies, integration and simultaneous production: identification of most promising bioenergy complexes
(7) 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
(8) 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)
(9) International Co-operation for accelerating the large-scale worldwide deployment of bioenergy
(10) 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.
For further information please use the address: ETA - Renewable Energies; 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.
Interregional Conference "Food Production and Water: Social and Economic Issues of Irrigation and Drainage"
This conference will be held together with the 55th International Executive Council Meeting of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage - ICID in Moscow, Russia, from 1 to 8 September 2004.
The aim of irrigation and drainage in the XXI century is to ensure the food security of population with the saving and economical use of water resources. In addition to this, the sustainable development of agriculture and improvement of soil fertility should be achieved. Justification of irrigation and drainage projects has to be based on the analysis of the regularity of formation of natural processes, dynamics of structural and functional changes in agrolandscapes under the influence of these processes. The important aspect of the problem is the timely warning about adverse environmental effects. Modernization of irrigation and drainage systems, and monitoring of natural environment is of great significance for timely decision making on the matters of agricultural production management. The irrigation and drainage development stipulates the rational use of land and water resources, and improvement of soil fertility. To increase the efficiency of irrigation and drainage projects there is a need to improve the government economic policy in this field at the time of transition to the market relations with due consideration of the social and economic conditions of the regions.
During the Conference, papers will be presented and discussed with regard for two Questions and one Special Session. Contributions will be presented under several sub-questions for each main theme. The topics for the Conference events are:
I: Role of irrigation and drainage in the strategy of development and maintenance of sustainable agrolandscapes
· Landscape adaptive approach to the issues of irrigation and drainage development
· Rational correlation of natural and man-made agrolandscapes (irrigated and rainfed arable lands, meadows, pastures, forests, natural and man-made water bodies)
· Adaptation of irrigation and drainage to economic and environmental conditions of a region
· Issues of social adaptation of irrigation and drainage development projects
· Role of irrigation and drainage in rising the level of population employment and living standards in rural areas
II. Present environmental and economic issues of irrigation and drainage development
· Irrigation and drainage as a means of development and increasing the productivity and sustainability of agrolandscapes
· Issues related to maintaining the environmental sustainability of agrolandscapes in areas of irrigation and drainage development
· Regularities of equilibrium development of natural and production processes during irrigation and drainage construction
· Monitoring of irrigation and drainage systems
· State economic policy (taxes, privileges, subsidies) of supporting private enterprises in the field of irrigation and drainage and economic practice
· Economic principles of irrigation and drainage in the period of transition to market relations
III. Special session Scientific and research problems of irrigation and drainage development in the XXI century
· Urgent research trends in the field of irrigation and drainage
· Dynamics of structural and functional changes in agrolandscapes under the impact of irrigation and drainage
· The theory of processes responsible for the transformation of natural landscapes into highly productive agrolandscapes
· Modelling of structural and functional arrangement of agrolandscapes based on studying the regularities of processes responsible for the transformation of material and energy exchange in agrobiocenoses under the impact of irrigation and drainage
· Methodology of the adaptation landscape approach to the projects of construction and rehabilitation of irrigation systems
· Regularities of natural and human-induced processes under the impact of irrigation and drainage on the landscape components
· The theory and methodology of formation of useful properties of agrolandscapes, choice of irrigation and drainage technologies providing the rational use of the resource-based and assimilative potential of the environment.
Deadlines:
End of early registration: 31 March 2004
The working languages at the Interregional Conference and meetings of the ICID and its working bodies will be English and Russian, including the provision of synchronous translation. The synchronous translation in three languages, i.e. English, French and Russian, will be provided during the official opening and closing of the Interregional Conference and during the session of the International Executive Council of the ICID.
The registration fees (add 50 US $ after 1 June '04) are 600 US$ for participants from ICID member countries and 700 US$ for non-members. Visas to enter Russia are required for the citizens of the majority of countries, except a number of CiS countries. For further information contact: Dr. M.G. Chuelov, Secretary General, Russian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, Russian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, C/o Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Russian Federation, 1/11, Orlikov per., Moscow 107139, Russia. Fax : (7095) 207-8522, E-mail : bubera@wm.west-call.com. For further information such as guidelines for the preparation of papers, please consult the .pdf document at http://www.vniigim.ru/conf/55/prospect.pdf
International Symposium on Food Production and Environmental Conservation in the Face of Global Environmental Deterioration
Organised by the Society of Agricultural Meteorology of Japan and sponsored by JAICAE, this FPEC symposium will be held from September 7 to 11 September 2004 at the Fukuoka International Congress Center, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
With a world population of more than 6.1 billion in 2002, the demands on the global environment, the atmospheric and aquatic environments are very important subjects for the 21st Century. The deterioration of these environments will create a food problem and has already begun to cause international disputes in some parts of the world.
This symposium will evaluate the meteorological environments ranging from the global atmospheric environment to microclimates, and discuss ways to improve and conserve atmospheric environments. To find possibilities to solve the food problem, discussion will focus on individual and/or general environmental problems with the participation of researchers, professors and administrators from around the world.
The symposium is the successor of the symposium on “Food Production and Environmental Improvement under Global Climate Change” held at Ube, Yamaguchi, in 1996. Reflection on the developments that have occurred since should bear significantly on future developments. It is hoped that the future prospect of food production and environmental conservation will be improved by the process of discussion and that the development of research and investigations will be improved.
The main areas of focus for the symposium are global environmental deterioration, aquatic resources deficit, food production problem, climatic or meteorological improvement and environmental conservation:
· Climatic change or climatic variation and abnormal climate or unusual weather
· Global problems of global warming, acid rain, ozone hole, biodiversity etc.
· From aquatic resources to deforestation or desertification and soil or land degradation
· From air pollution or environmental contamination to aeolian dust or yellow sand
· Environmental problems from local climate to micrometeorology
· Micrometeorological evaluation of momentum, heat, gas and vapor fluxes
· From meteorological environmental modification to microclimatic improvement and bio-environmental control
· From desert greening or revegetation to road and roof greenings
· From biometeorology to bio-ecological meteorology
· From controlled ecological life support systems to agricultural high technology
· Evaluation and utilization of meteorological resources (natural, solar, wind energy etc.)
· Mechanism of various agrometeorological disasters and their countermeasure
· Predictions of growth and development of crops, crop production and food production
· Relation between global environment problems and agriculture
· Crop growth environment and agrometeorological environment and food problems
The registration fee is 45,000 yen (40,000 yen before 31 January 2004), 25,000 yen for students. Registration fees include: Attendance at all Sessions of the Symposium, Participation in Mixer and Symposium Banquet, a copy of the Symposium Proceedings. Sightseeing not included.
Deadlines:
Paper applications & advance registration: 31 January 2004
Abstracts: 31 March 2004
Full papers : 8 September 2004
For further information and a downloadable registration form and registration instructions, please check http://www.agr.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp/users/fpec/. All correspondence should be addressed to Prof. Seiji HAYAKAWA, Secretary-General of FPEC, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, JAPAN Phone: +81 83 933 5861 Fax: +81 83 933 5820. E-mail: fpec@agr.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp
2nd WASAE International Conference: “Hunger without Frontiers”
This conference, organised by WASAE (West Africa Society of Agricultural Engineering) and GSAE (Ghana Society of Agricultural Engineering), will be held from 20 to 24 September 2004 at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. The official Language of this conference, which is intended to serve as a forum for experts to deliberate on the issues and provide recommendations for research, development and policy directions, will be English.
Several state-of-the-art papers are expected to be presented to gain a broad up-to-date understanding of the field. Invited papers are expected in the following areas:
· Food Security, Hunger and Malnutrition in West Africa.
· HIV/AIDS and its impact on Agricultural Production
· Power and Machinery Engineering
· Soil and Water Engineering
· Post-harvest Engineering and Biotechnology
· Conservation Agriculture interventions
· Agro-energy Sources and Management
· Rural transport and IMTs
· Environmental Conservation
· Gender, Policy, Training. Extension etc.
Important dates:
Abstract acceptance notice 30 October 2003
Submission of full paper 30 June 2004
The registration fee is US$ 200. Registered members of GSAE and local participants will pay a discounted rate of ¢250,000. The registration fee for the conference will include the cost of proceedings, refreshments, lunch, banquets and a technical and cultural tours.
For further information, please look up http://www.wasae.org/conference.htm or contact: Emmanuel Y.H. Bobobee, Conference Secretary, Agricultural Engineering Department, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana. Tel: +233 51 60242, Fax: +233 51 60137. Email: ebobobee@yahoo.com or wasae2004@yahoo.co.uk.
6th International Symposium on Plant
Responses to Air Pollution and Global Changes: from Molecular Biology to Plant Production and Ecosystem
The 6th APGC Symposium will be held from 19 to 22 October 2004 at the International Congress Center Epocal Tsukuba,
Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. Topics:
I. Impacts of Air Pollution and Global Change
· Molecular biology
· Plant metabolism
· Ecophysiological effects
· Plant oroduction effects
· FACE: Free Air CO2 Enrichment
· Controlled-environment research
· Natural CO2-springs
· Terrestrial ecological effects and forest decline
· Eco-modelling and prediction of global change
· Ultraviolet-B radiation
II. Monitoring and Remediation
· Greenhouse gases and other trace gases
· Flux measurement
· Phytomonitoring
· Phytoremediation
· CELSS
· Nondestructive instrumentation and image sensing
· Remote sensing and GIS
III. Current Asian Environmental Problems
· Air pollution and acid rain
· Global change
· Other global environmental problems
Deadlines and Dates:
Application for a contributed paper: 31 December 2003
Abstracts: 31 March 2004
Advance registration deadline: 31 July 2004
Further information is available on the internet at http://apgc2004.en.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ or from professor Kenji Omasa, Chairman of the International Organizing Committee, aura@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp
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
