IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
1
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org IAAS is an international non-governmental organisation, completely student driven, non-profit making and independent from other organisations, from religion and/or political affiliations. It is the largest one targeting the field of life sciences gathering students in general agriculture, plant and animal production, agricultural economics, agribusiness, food sciences, forestry, landscape architecture, environmental sciences and biotechnology are all associated with IAAS.
Which are our main activities? Annual World Congress: consisting of a General Assembly and seminar, is the yearly meeting of the governing body of IAAS. This meeting attracts our members from all over the world, and is usually organized in July-August and lasts for three weeks. Director’s Meetings and Regional Meetings: IAAS member countries are divided into different regions. Within these regions, meetings with different educational topics are held every year. Director’s meetings usually last longer and deal with important issues, Regional Meetings are more informal gatherings. Seminars and conferences: held by our local committees around the world to facilitate learning on a certain educational topic. You can even earn credits by attending some of our high-quality seminars – read more in this Annual Review! Exchange Program: has for years been the backbone of IAAS: it enables students to get practical experience by taking part in a traineeship or a farm, in an organization or in a company in another country. Broaden your horizons and complete your compulsory internship abroad – or gain priceless experience by learning more about life sciences in another country! Exchange weeks: are an excellent way for an IAAS committee to learn more about another country. The method is simple: two or more countries express their interest towards having an exchange week – the rest is up to the countries: a theme is chosen, and usually the participants only pay travel costs and sometimes a small participation fee. Art Festival: is a new concept developed by IAAS-Turkey and has now been hosted twice. It is an event that combines agriculture and arts in a very interactive way.
IAAS Headquarters: Faculty of Bioscience Engineering. Kasteelpark Arenberg 20 B-3001 Heverlee (Leuven). Belgium This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication (communication) reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
EDITOR IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW Hello IAAS Annual Review 2008/2009 readers!, it´s a pleasure to me to edit again this magazine, which is getting a tradition in our association. It was a great pleasure to be part of this community during five years; during this time we saw IAAS under different situations, a crisis and a renewal after the 50 years of the association. Many have been the learnings, experiences and an endless number of anecdotes around the world. World constantly changes and as international group IAAS has stayed for more than 50 years acomplishing cylces, determined by the vision, activities and dreams of generations. For some of us is time to move on and continue a professional life that will be clearly marked by the values we learned during our years in IAAS, but there´s no doubt that as IAAS Alumnis we will continue making changes, trying to improve and giving new energy to our field. Carlos Avendaño M. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you2 didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Mark Twain
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
I
am pleased to present this, the
WeIcome to IAAS
2008/09 Annual Review of the International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences, as the newly-elected president of this organization. In an increasingly globalized world and within the fields of agricultural and related sciences which cannot deny a large role in the process of globalization, I find it more important that we, as the future agricultural leaders of this globalized world, to have cross-cultural experience and understanding of our discipline. There are a multitude of problems facing our generation as we enter adulthood: food insecurity, environmental degradation, and a weaker global economy. Whether you are brand new to IAAS or you are going to attend your 100th IAAS event, I hope you enjoy this publication and see what a world IAAS can open you up to. IAAS can enhance your education, help you build friendships and find future colleagues all around the world, and change the way you see agriculture if you choose to become an active member, at not only the international, but most importantly, the local level. A strong IAAS starts from the ground up, and I hope that you get the opportunity to experience your local, national, and international committee’s work this year. During this term, the new Executive and Control Committee’s are here to help you build a stronger IAAS. Please contact us whenever you are looking for information or support. Our goals to improve IAAS at the international level this year include:
! Revitalization of struggling IAAS National Committees ! Increasing participation in the Exchange Program ! Finding new public and private partners to provide 3
opportunities to IAAS Members ! Utilizing more grant opportunities by increasing special projects May I remind you to live the IAAS mission, not only in your IAAS activities, but when you go out into your world, whether it’s as small as your university or across an ocean from your home. “ To p r o m o t e t h e e x c h a n g e o f experience, knowledge, and ideas. To improve the mutual understanding between students in the fields of agriculture and related sciences all over the world.”
Yours in the IAAS Spirit,
Emma Flemmig IAAS President 2009/10
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
One year after...
2
IAAS Map
5
The new IAAS team
6
A real Finnish Experience
8
African Directors Meeting 2009
11
Directors Meeting of the Americas
13
European Directors Meeting
14
“From Field to Fork , contrasts in German Agriculture”
15
South European regional meeting, Sardinia 2009
17
International Youth Conference
18
‘Fiat Panis’ - Let there be bread
19
IAAS Art Festival 2009 Nature, Art & Wine
21
Report of the 13th IROICA Conference
22
25th to 28th June 2009
22
Health Sensitisation in Rural Areas: How to do it?
25
Regional meeting “Sustainable farming”
26
Hosting the EDM Portugal 2009/2010
28
2009 World Conference on Higher Education
29
IT WAS THE SUMMER OF 2009
33
1
Picture: IAAS WoCo 2009 Mexico
At José Cuervo agave production fields
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
To the memory of Sebastian Oltmanns 19 8 3- 200 9 Friend, leader and motiv ator IAAS World president 2008-2009
O n e y e a r a f t e r. . . 12 months after, former Executive and Control Committee give you their impressions after this working IAAS year.
IIAAS term 2008/2009 showed to be the most troubled year of IAAS history. I will never forget the sad event which shocked a lot of people around the world and still remains in my mind. First, already in April the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico, led a massive cancelations of participants to the 52nd IAAS world congress in Mexico. Then, IAAS Executive Committee (EC) and all IAAS family were deeply affected by the death of IAAS President passed away in a traffic accident. In June 2009 I was appointed as IAAS President by Interim. It was not an easy situation, but with the support of all the IAAS members, I achieved the entire expected task. Despite all these difficulties, IAAS has accomplished many great activities. As an example, there are the unforgettable EDM in Serbia, the wonderful ADM in Ghana, the amazing and fantastic DMA in US, EU grants IAAS received, and a successful and memorable IAAS world congress in Mexico. However, I should admit that there is still room for improvement, particularly in order to raise our activity level, to ease the difficulties of IAAS members’ movement to attend the meetings, and to create more opportunities through the IAAS exchange program for countries with less possibility to join meetings and discover other culture. Finally, I will like thank EC, CC and all IAAS members for their unfailing support and contributions. You are really great, IAAS! It confirmed again that IAAS is a place where all the members are strongly linked by an unbroken spirit to promote the exchange of ideas and to create the best framework for cultural mutual understanding. I express also my gratitude to all IAAS partners and sponsors, particularly EU who has awarded a grant under Action 4.1 “support for bodies actives at European level in the field of youth” to IAAS. All IAAS is very thankful for the support. Vive IAAS
What a year – both positive and negative! But most of all interesting and fruitful and I don’t regret a second taking on this position as Vice-President of Finances. We have certainly learned a lot and it has been a privilege to work so closely with members of IAAS all over the world. The Executive Committee and Control Committee has been a great team which has also proven when we managed together the situation of Sebastian’s passing away. That was also the one negative part of the whole term and he will leave a hole in all of our hearts. In regard to the finances, the position hasn’t been an easy one to start with. We didn’t have a bookkeeping system, we didn’t have clear sponsorship strategies or grant application strategies and we didn’t have any money on our accounts. I believe we (EC and CC) solved many of these problems and have built up some pillars for the future. We have received the EU Grant of Youth in Action; we have produced sponsorship documents which are spread all over the world as we speak. We have an awesome bookkeeping system and a Finance Board, Western Union account, paypal account, credit cards and many things more. In closing, the position has been a great experience. I would like to thank my fellow team mates of the EC and CC and all you guys out there who have been supporting us. My successor will be Darko Karakolevski from Macedonia and I wish him from the bottom of my heart a fruitful and absolutely awesome year. There is no doubt in my mind that the great IAAS spirit will continue with the next EC and CC. Bye guys!
Matthias Haeni, former VP of Finances 2
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
My Term as IAAS Vice-President of Partnership 2009/10 in Five Key Experiences Has one year really already passed since I was writing my introductory words for the IAAS Annual Review 2008 at the beginning of my term as Vice-President of Partnership? It feels like time has rushed by, but the moment has now come to reflect on my year within the IAAS Executive Committee. I would like to do this by illustrating five key experiences lived within our organization. Writing of the application for the European Commission's Youth in Action 4.1 grant
This year, I had the privilege to continue working for IAAS as a Control Committee member together with Michal and Pepita. We had a great team of people this yearI want to thank everyone: the EC, my CC colleagues, the national and local IAAS committees, the organizers of this years World Congress... you kept and keep IAAS alive and thriving! The year has been a very successful one. Not only did we witness the hard work of the EC and a successful grant submission to the European Commission, but we witnessed a team of individuals with amazing talent and when they came together, it was magical! A lot of this had to do with our beloved President Sebastian Oltmanns who passed away in May. This was the single most difficult challenge in our teamwork, words cannot express how much we miss him. But even at these tough times, I felt an amazing team spirit where everyone wanted to help each other as much as they could. !It is now time for me to move on in life: I will graduate as a Master of Science next summer and hoping to get a job after that. Surely, IAAS has been the best school I've ever had and I know this experience is also priceless in the job markets. I am so honored to have been a part of this, and looking forward to seeing everybody at alumni meetings around the world. Peace and love, Laura Kihlstrom
At the beginning of our terms, it was the task of the Executive Committee to write the application for this important grant for IAAS. Being a large-scale administrative grant, the application requires a considerable amount of information and paperwork. Novices in our positions, the Executive Committee and Control Committee members worked very hard on the application for several months – it was tiring, painstaking work. However, I will always remember how the teamwork and strong will of the people involved made the positive response from the European Commission possible! Working with the IAAS Partnership Board One of my tasks during my term was to coordinate the IAAS Partnership Board. It has always impressed me that with very few tools, namely the internet and their own motivation, young people from five continents could discuss and collaborate with the aim of improving the relations their association has with other bodies. However, what particularly struck me was how effectively a student organization such as IAAS could take part in important meetings and conferences all over the world, as we were able to access a global network of interested students willing to represent IAAS. IFISO Meetings The Informal Forum of International Student Organizations (IFISO) gathers representatives of international student associations twice a year. At these meetings, the participants discuss to share their experience and best practices among each other. Apart from the willingness to collaborate and to help one another out, I was amazed by the amount and quality of knowledge and expertise present within student associations. It has shown me that where there is a common goal and the motivation to work towards it, success can be achieved, even if the people involved are all young volunteers committed to leading their association in addition to their studies. From the sheep farm in the Belgian Ardennes to the FAO Council Thanks to my work as Vice-President of Partnership, I had the opportunity to attend many different meetings and events. To name only two examples, I took part in the Rural Diversity Seminar organized by IAAS Belgium in October 2008 and the FAO Council session in November. During the IAAS Seminar, we visited a small cheese-producing sheep farm in the Ardennes. This made me aware of the wide range of learning opportunities our association offers: Even though the experiences couldn't be more different, I felt there was as much to learn from an experienced sheep farmer and his family willing to share their knowledge with young students, as from a council of national delegations sent by governments all over the globe!
ICA/CEDIA Conference In June 2009, I was invited by the Association for European Life Science Universities (ICA) to participate in their General Assembly and conference held in Leuven. There were rather few student representatives present among the Deans and International Liaison Officers from many universities. However, whenever students were speaking, the audience was always
g a 3 ople by creatin e p g n u o y s r e w o IAAS emp
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
listening and interested to learn from our point of view. I believe we, students, must become more aware of the fact that others are interested to hear what we have to say, and become more active in decision-making processes on local, regional and international level! Finally, I must mention that I have learned many lessons during my term in the IAAS Executive Committee that can not be summarized in a single experience. Apart from valuable skills which will be useful for many years to come in my future profession, I have above all learned a lot about myself – about how much I can reach if I really want to and what motivates me, about my role in a team, about my strengths and how to use them and, last but not least, about my weaknesses and how to overcome or compensate them.
Stephanie Klaedtke, former VP of Partnership 2009, without a doubt a year that gave us many lessons, not an easy year but after 12 months of serving with my fellows of the Executive Committee I can say that it was also very rewarding. The time we spent working for our appreciated organization was a mix of situations. As all my coworkers mention, the early departure from Sebastian was the point where everything came together, we saw an amazing and unique spirit from all over the world, like in the old times, reminding us that as any organization, IAAS is made of individuals and its potential and success depends on everyone of us who have the opportunity to live this experience. I remember that monday when we got the news, without a doubt that was one of the most difficult moments; the team had to act fast and give the devastating news to our community... Some of the priorities during last year was to improve the feedback from our members, to really know how often EC and committees can be really in contact, to use an effective and establish a useful mailing list prepared to include Alumnis and to contribute to the improvement of IAAS image through promotional materials. Also with my team the base for a new website was set, project which will continue with my successor. Was a great experiences to be in touch with the IAAS community worldwide, first with the last Annual review edition and newsletters distributed within members, universities and some Alumni; and now is again my pleasure to design this material (AR) for IAAS again as part of my tasks. Among all the challenges we faced and that IAAS still has to face, 2009 showed us that as association we need a deep re-invention, a new approach to every agricultural student, institutions and universities. As part of IAAS for many years, members, alumni and the new board have to take the serious commitment to make IAAS to transcend, each one from our field of action. After all, IAAS is attractive as an opportunity to develop individuals potential, make networks, learning and exchanging ideas. After all, as a wallpaper we distributed due Earth day, our part of the deal is to empower young minds towards agricultural development: We´ve got to find a way...
Carlos Avendaño M., former VP of Communication
Typical dancing at ITESM campus Queretaro
at José Cuervo distillery
avocado plantation, Uruapan Michoacán
Among
“jimando” at José Cuervo agave fields
Joris Heylen during his presentation “Nursing the environment”
many a ctiviti
at Fundación Mazahua, Atlacomulco
es
Highlights WoCo 2009
4 itiatives n i e k a t o t m e h t r platform fo
! ! ! ! !
Americas Canada Chile Guatemala Mexico United States
IAAS Map
www.iaasworld.org IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
we enhance young p e o p le ´ s c ri ti c a l u n d e rs ta n d in g ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Africa Benin Ghana Nigeria Rwanda Togo Uganda Zimbabwe
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Lithuania Macedonia Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Serbia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine
Asia
India Indonesia Georgia Thailand Tajikistan Uzbekistan
Europe Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Italy
! ! ! ! ! !
5
in rur al are as. ges llen of cha IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009 presiden t@iaasw orld.org
www.iaasworld.org
The new IAAS team
First of all, I want to thank everyone at the World Congress in Mexico who supported me in the election, encouraged me beforehand, and are continuing to support me now that the term has started. This is an amazing opportunity for me to work with all of you who were or were not in Mexico to strengthen and grow IAAS in the world. I am really looking forward to taking advantage of this opportunity to bridge the gap between the Americas region and the others, and utilizing organizations and resource in the United States for the benefit of IAAS World. About myself, I have just started my 5th year as a double degree seeker in Agronomy and Biology at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, U.S.A. My emphases are international agriculture and plant Emma Flemmig breeding. I currently conduct research in maize breeding in Iowa on low-input agricultural systems and am doing an analysis of fatty acid content in high quality protein maize grown in organic and conventional production systems. As I finish up my undergraduate studies, I am currently looking for graduate school program for plant breeding research in Latin America. In regards to IAAS, I am already devoting time to working on the new EU grant application, the current EU grant report, with the former EC, and coordinating the new EC activities, meetings and plans for the year. Again, I cannot express my complete excitement about being able to serve IAAS World this year! I am here to work with all of you, so please contact me with any questions, concerns, ideas, or suggestions that you have about IAAS World at anytime!
g Hello everyone from IAAS, rld.or aswo ia @ just so you get to know tion unica m m o a little about me I am vpc 23 years old and currently studying Agronomy; I started at the ITESM I want to thank you to all IAAS members for! in Mexico and just transferred to giving me your trust and support! This summer at GA !in Mexico I was honored to Olia Khaliukova The University of Laval in be elected as a Vice President of Exchange Quebec Canada. I love outdoor for the year 2009 - 2010. Guillaume Minero sports and activities such as rock climbing, trekking, and !!!!!!!!!My name is Olga Khaliukova and I am the third year student camping. As most of IAASers of National University of Life and Environmental Sciences ! of traveling is one of my favorite hobbies and the exchange Ukraine, Department of Agricultural Management. Recently Closing of experiences and culture is part of this. I’m always ceremony of Rural Health Sensitisation training (RHS) took place in interested in knowing what other people think therefore I Kiev, Ukraine. This training for youth volunteers to promote !health am a very good listener. What motivated me to become in rural areas, to improve knowledge and skills of young people in VP of Communications was that during the 2009 World the field of reproductiv health including HIV and AIDS was Congress I got to meet so many of IAAS members and organized by IAAS and medical students of IFMSA (International realized what a good opportunity this could be to better Federation of Medical Students` Associations). Partners of this the interaction between our members and the IAAS project were EMSA (European Medical Students` Association), IAAS network from within. I know we need keep up with and IFMSA. Project was supported by ! European Commition! worldwide technology use, something we are lacking on a under ! ‘Youth in Action’ program. As a leader of organzing global perspective. Through the creation of an updated committee, I can ensure IAAS members that it was succesful IAAS world website and database I believe we could training and coommon projects with others students` strengthen links between our local committees and better organiozations !is one of my leading priorites for the next year. the quality of our events. This will not only increase the amount of IAAS members but also the number of ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !Please, remember that I am always open participants in our events. We will be in touch and you for your questions, ideas and r e q u e s t s! vpe xch will have me contacting most of you through e-mail and related !to Exchange Program. ang e@ iaas will be glad to answer any questions or to hear any wo rld.o suggestions regarding IAAS. rg Warm greetings to all WoCo 2009 participants and I hope to meet those of you who didn’t assist!
6
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
Hey there everyone!!! I’m honored to present myself in front of you amazing people!!! My name is Darko Karakolevski, and I’m the new Vice-president of finance!!! I come from Skopje, Macedonia and I’m 21 years old. I hope that faculty has started for all of you IAASers around the world!? I expect that every one of you is working hard already! For me these past few months since I’m in the new Executive Committee have been amazing, full of work, some travel and a lot of interesting activities. I’m an undergrad student at the “Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food” in Skopje, Macedonia, Darko my major is Food Science, and this year is packed of a lot of interesting activities for me at the faculty also!!!
Karakolevski
For my term in the EC I’ll be concentrating on three main goals: Ensuring clean and neat book keeping! Concentrating on important grant applications!
vpfinance@iaasworld.org
Either way, I’m always finding the way to combine the academic obligations with those that the position of Vicepresident of Finance has. It’s amazing to be a part of the EC!
Fundraising trough corporate partners and insuring a secure pipeline of financial flow. I don’t know how familiar are you with the financial situation of IAAS, but last year, thanks to the previous board we got the “Youth In Action” EU grant, thus providing growth and prosperity of IAAS worldwide! So this year one of the main goals, as mentioned above, is this particular grant!
My extrapolation for the second quarter of this term is that we will be as successful as the previous board, or even trying to provide more stabile sponsors and more financial flow for IAAS worldwide. And last but not least, enjoy whilst being a member in one of world’s greatest organizations, be proud to be a part of the IAAS family, I know that I am!!! Warmest regards from Macedonia,
vppa rtners hip @ ia aswo rld.or g
This last quarter of my term I’ve been concentrating on making some important contacts, along with the overlap process that is a common thing for all of the new EC members!!!
Nikola has recently graduated from University of Belgrade / Department for Food Technology. Currently working on one year project with beer yeast at the Institute for Biotechnology in Montreal ,Canada. An active IAAS member since 2003. His Partnership goals are:
Nikola Jovic
To extend the network of partners by establishing relations with professional NGO from the area of Agriculuture and Food Science . Starting new project with existing partners as big intergovermental associations as FAO,UNESCO,UNEP.... Establishing long-lasting corporate partnerships with Agricultural and Food industry and bringing together dozens of thousants of students from area of Agriculture ,Food Science Environmental Sciences on one side and major Agricultural and Food companies on the other side and all of that for mutual benefit. 7
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
A real Finnish Experience IAAS Exchange program Laura Tovar is a 24 years old Mexican girl from Querétaro, a medium size industrial and tourist city in the centre of the Mexico. Laura was studying Food Science Engineering at the ITESM Campus Querétaro, and finished her studies in May 2008. After a challenging working period in a Mars Company as a packaging developer., she got the opportunity to have an extreme exchange in the other side of the world, when IAAS Finland exchange coordinator offer her an archimedes place in Finland. She decided to change the sun of Mexico to the ice cold Finland in the middle of the winter! ”Finland? All I knew about Finland is that is very cold up there, but how cold? In my bag I put the warmest clothes I had, but of course is never enought when the Mexican coldest winter is +3°C. I knew only about the geography and weather in Finland, nothing about culture, society, economy… nothing like that”, tells Laura.
Working in Finland Lauras workplace, Valio, is the biggest dairy company in Finland, owned by Finnish dairy farmers. Valio secures milk production in Finland. Valio is also an influential company in finnish nutrition and an international pioneer of functional dairy products. Valio produces a wide range of dairy products known for high quality and purity in 60 countries all over the world. “By coming knowledge
to Finland, I wanted to acquire professional experience in a food science company, learn and share about the different processes and systems used in order to obtain safety and quality products, as well as sharing ideas to create new or different products”, says Laura about her ambitions.
“By coming to Finland, I wanted to acquire professional experience in a food science company, learn and share knowledge about the different processes and systems used in order to obtain safety and quality products, as well as sharing ideas to create new or different products”
The job fulfilled Laura’s expectations. At Valio she started working at the sliced cheese line, but after few days, the company saw her capacity to do more challenging jobs. Her previous working experience in the Mars Company as a packing developer benefited her a lot. She began to make analysis for packaging and product scraps in order to identify opportunity areas which are useful to save money. Later she was working for both things when needed. ”My job was very exciting! I was making a project about line balancing and times and movements related to costs, it was a very interesting and challenging project. I was learning a lot about this product administration and the cheese process”, tells Laura about her job.
Finnish people and the culture Outside the work, Finland at the beginning was hard for Laura; weather, winter, darkness, people, culture, everything was very different.
”In Mexico we have a very strong familiar life, most of the things are focused on family and we spend lot of time together, sharing spaces, things and thoughts. Finish culture is focused on an independent way of life. People like to have space and property by their own. And since they acquire capacity to maintain themselves, they look for this independence.” Laura said. “The first thing I n o t i c e was that people in Finland is so shy and serious, they don’t like to speak too much and are hard to get to know. It was so hard for me because in Mexico we speak to everybody all the time, at work, bus, streets, everywhere. So it is easy to know people and make friends”, says Laura. Culture differences caused some funny episodes as well: “Once I smiled to someone in the 8
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
metro and she got so scared of me, like if I could hurt her, and I was so surprised about that”, Laura express smiling. “But maybe this situation makes Mexican to have many “occasional” friends and few “real” friends, and I think that finnish have a better idea of what a real friend is, because they concentrate to know people better...” she analyzes. Finally she started to understand why everybody are speaking and expecting for summer and summer activities and the reason of the smiles on shiny days. Finland is such northern country that during the winter time, the sun only stays up few hours a day. ”At first I didn’t understand why summer can be so important for all Finnish people, for me it was “just summer”. In Mexico the sun shines every day of the year and now I can say that is true that we don’t give value to the things that we have whenever we want…. but after staying winter in dark north, I’m also waiting for summer time!!” laughs Laura. She also learned how to coexist with shy people everywhere.
Final thoughts about the experience Most memorial moments Laura spent in very north of Finland: ”I spent my Easter holiday in Lapland, the greatest trip in my life!” In Lapland Laura had a chance to stay over night in a hotel made of ice, she visited a ”kota”, home of traditional Saame people who are aboriginals of Lapland, and she was doing ski, slalom and sled hill in a ski center. She had a great holiday and the chance to enjoy an unique north nature. The exchange experience was very rewarding in the professional and personal way for Laura. She thinks that also unpleasant moments are part of the personal growing that she had in Finland. “This exchange is providing me of a huge personal experience, from which I’m learning about me, about different people, different cultures, and different ways of thinking. This not only makes me a better person, but also is helping me to develop skills that will be useful for the rest of my life”, says Laura. “I think, if you want something in your life, you just have to be constant and congruent in order to get it, and sooner or later in the best moment for you, this will come true. And never be afraid of the opportunities that come to you. Try to see your life as holidays, because in holidays you will always turn things into positive … life is a vacation time so try to enjoy and learn from every moments”, she philosophizes. This is something we all could learn from her experience.
Terhi Suvilehto / Exchange coordinator Finland 2008
IAAS Togo ...one of the most formidable for IAAS Togo: “the visit of IAAS world president”. We welcomed this event as a prestigious honor because it is the first time for us to meet personally IAAS World President. This gave us an exciting and unforgettable moment because of the valuable advice received from him. IAAS-Togo was therefore more dynamic this year with organization and participation of activities, in national and international level. Nationally we organized during the cultural week at University of Lome some activities such as: i) The sale of agricultural products at the academic fair, ii) the organization of conference whose theme is "LMD, what future for the student? iii) Monitoring of the film "IAAS WORLD MOVIE" and to close the week in beauty, iv) "a dance of fire" was organized with the participation of our illustrious host Sebastian Oltmans. Do you Internationally, IAAS Togo participated at ADM 2009 in Ghana and WOCO2009 in Mexico. In terms of cultural mixing, IAAS Togo received in exchange program students from Europe. We take this opportunity to extend an invitation to the entire world community of IAAS, there still places for those who want to have exchange program at Togo. What we found most shocking was the death of our beloved and regretted Sebastian, we will never stop crying...
Sebastian and Adabe, 2009
9 The main values IAAS represent are: equality, active
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
TIMELESS EXCHANGE FABULOUS ATMOSPHERE CONTINENTS UNIVERSITIES COOL ATTITUDE TRAVEL DEVELOP MAKE SUPER VALUE CHANGE REVEAL LOOK FEEL RESPONSIBLE WORLD BE WORK IT DONE INSPIRE REACT TRY ACT WORDS SEE USE THINK EXPRESSION DO RIGHT CLASSIC BELIEVE SPECIAL CULTURE KEEP NEW MIND CREATE TEAM UNIQUE
IAAS
MEETINGS
IMPRESSIONS
10
ue citi zen shi p, sus tai nab ilit y and int erc ult ura l dia log
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
African Directors Meeting 2009
- Olutusin Adenike coming from Nigeria as a Secretary and - Komlan Edem olivier from Togo as a Secretary too.
Report from IAAS Africa ADM 2009 / Kwame Nkrumah University of Sciences and Technology KNUST/Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Kumassi/ Ghana. !"#$%&'(&)*+,-./'0#*%#/+,%1/2#.1,
At the following session, each country presented its national report. Then we moved on the working group which was done during the rest of the ADM.
3+&*%1,&(4,5+&*%16,
Working group 1
May , 24-29 2009
Enhance Communication within IAAS. Communication is one of the important things to improve the exchange between IAASers, as a tool that must be used by members to keep in touch with each other, to exchange informations.
The African Directors Meeting (ADM) 2009 held in Ghana; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology was a very great exchange moment for all African IAASers. Four countries were represented with a hundred participants. Debating on “Sustainable Agriculture through health and wealth” during five days agricultural students analyzed the topics and it was said that the main goal of students in our field should be to work with a vision of helping to improve food productivity.
Creation of data of all local IAASers and share it with all other local/ national directors. Working Group 2: How to promote Ex.Pro between African countries and the world. By FRED KUKUBOR. The group discussion commenced at 10:50 pm with Mr. Fred from Ghana as presenter.
Moreover, some touristic sites were visited by the participants: Manhia palace in Kumassi, Kakum National park in Cape coast among others.
Working group 3 We sincerely thank the OC, especially Bismark Asamoah. Let’s also congratulate and thank Taiwo Akorede, former IAAS Africa Director for his effort. All this haven´t been possible if African IAASers were not available; a great thanks to all participants.
Life after Graduation by Tegba Toi. ...”As a graduate student in agronomy or agriculture; we should not go for the government before starting our production in any agriculture activity because during our formation we acquired the entire capacities.
Finally, we dedicate this ADM 09 to Sebastian Oltmanns, who did an important job by boosting IAAS Africa and helped to organize the event.
Before all this conception, you need or we need to fill some condition as making a good quality CV and the resume of your academic and professional life. We need finally to discuss with many financial enterprises or society as banks to obtain subvention before start.
May his soul rest in peace. Rostaing Sessi Akoha IAAS Africa Director
Finally let’s recognize that even if agronomist is working as employee he must create job by doing his own business...”
During the opening ceremony, the African director in person of Mr Taiwo Akorede delivered a speech written by the EC (Letter for ADM). The presentation of Executive Committee Report and all the other presentation from vice president exchange and vice president partnership were made. The participants at the ADM were interested by all the presentation particularly about the Exchange program.
Some of the outputs of the working groups held in ADM are: There are many opportunities that can be explored in Africa ,let us have solid ground here so that as we wish to go to European countries for exchange program, member over there would also look forward coming to Africa.
At the beginning of all activities, we elected the chairman and secretaries for the plenary which are:
For those who have gone and those still intending to ,let us all come back and put to practice things we learn wherever we go, this would not only improve us ,it will gladden the heart of those we visited and this would make them want to come to explore what we have.
- Johnson Paul .O from Nigeria as the Chairman - Frejus Thoto from Benin as the Vice chairman
11
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
Helping one another as regard issuing /getting of visa.
Finance
Linking up with agriculture related organization that can help with sponsoring of the exchange programs.
Concerning finance, no sponsorships was found for the event. All the money came from the participants fees.
Seeking for information via the web and passing /spreading the information through poster and other possible media. There were also some debates with topic such as: Problem of Agriculture in Africa. By Quaque Samuel Noble, Lack of funding, Poor resources management, Lack of storage facilities, Getting a job after graduation, Entrepreuneur, Hello!!
Elected staff: African Director: Rostaing Sessi Akoha"
I’m Lauriane Yehouenou
(Benin)
Vice President of Finance and funds raising
Email:" rostaingakoha@yahoo.com
Benin/University of Abomey-Calavi, General agrics
What can IAAS do for Africa? Well, it’s not easy to say. IAAS can bring a lot to African IAASers. All depend on the way we manage things. The most important thing is to simply be working to improve experiences exchange Let’s give our best!!!IAAS is for all of us, so join me and let’s improve it.
My vision for IAAS AFRICA: We will do our best to sort out IAAS. E. Mail: yehouelaury@yahoo.fr Romary Monhouanou
In the spirit of IAAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vice President of Communication
University of Abomey Calavi
Benin/University of Parakou, General agrics
West African Director: Komlan Edem Olivier E.Mail:" amidolive@yahoo.fr
IAAS Africa is for a very great opportunity for all of us . We got to be involved. Experiences gaining is not an easy task so I want to catch this .Contact me, it will be great!
University of Lome Oh yes, you might be wordering where i’am! !! I wear a black Africa clothes, right side of the picture.
Mail: tourmon29@gmail.com
I’m Frejus Thoto, Vice President of Partnership
Marx Abidji
Bénin, University of Abomey Calavi, Agris economy
Vice President of Exchange Benin/University of Abomey Calavi, Agricultural economics
It’s a great pleasure to me to be an IAASer and member of the African committee. My vision is to see IAAS Africa get strong; increase communication and exchange between its members. World is moving! Let’s IAAS Africa move with it! Mobile: +22996386015
IAAS experiences: - West African Director of IAAS (2007-2009); ADM 2005, ADM 2007, ADM, 2009. Best trip in IAAS: Visit of KAKUM National Park (Ghana)
E.Mail: firstzouk3@yahoo.fr
E.Mail: marxwill@yahoo.fr
12
www.iaasworld.org
Directors Meeting of the Americas
Sin ce 19 57 , IAA S ha s be en ext rao rdi na ry pla tfo rm for stu de nt mo bil ity ,
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
Many thanks to the fantastic OC of Emily Eggleston, Rachael Cox, Nicholas Leete, Emma Flemmig, Vivian Bernau, Leslie Freehill and Mary Tiedeman for putting together such a spectacular meeting. Their leadership and dedication to IAAS is continuously inspiring!
A group of seven Iowa State University students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences hosted the Directors Meeting of Americas from March 18-24, 2009 in San Francisco, California. The 35 students attending the meeting represented nine different universities and eight nationalities including Guatemalan, Mexican, and Croatian.
Claire Wandro IAAS USA
The meeting's theme was "Harvesting Hunger: Linking Agriculture and Social Justice" and the group visited institutions that conduct research and policy reviews related to hunger. California Food Policy Advocates met with students to discuss hunger & nutrition in low-income urban areas while Food First hosted a discussion on empowering l o c a l farming
The next DMA... Chile will amaze IAAS students with a wonderful location for 2010 DMA. Mark your calendars, March 26th to April 5th
communities a n d providing more urban access to fresh foods.
The students also had the opportunity to explore the city of San Francisco as well as different aspects of California's agriculture including a fruit & nut farm. A tour of the Kunde Vineyard allowed students to examine soils and attend a wine tasting. Faculty from the University of California-Davis led a discussion on water issues and the Sonoma County Farm Bureau hosted a beautiful barbeque where students met with local farmers.
Highlights WoCo 2009 Dr. Marko Petek from Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb during his lecture at ITESM Campus Queretaro
Plenaries took place in Mariposa, California where we attended to "official" IAAS business, explored expanding IAAS-USA and elected our new regional director, Itiel Seriol of IAAS Mexico. The meeting ended with a day spent in Yosemite National Park where many participants experienced snow for the first time and the IAAS mission truly came to life as the group formed friendships and "exchanged knowledge, information and ideas among students, and improved the mutual understanding between countries and cultures." 13
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
European Directors Meeting Serbia 2008/2009 by Nikola Jovic and Bosko Tomic
IAAS Belgrade organized the latest EDM 2008-09 in Serbia. When we started to work in February 2008 we wished that there would be a lot of participants. During ten months of intensive work we encountered many problems. But our team didn’t lose hope. And results of our work were obvious in December. There were about 150 participants from more than 30 countries. Participants were from IAAS and also there were participants from other students’ organizations. Besides IAAS students, there were participants from FISEC, but also there were representatives of ESTEC and AEGEE. IAAS Belgrade had successful cooperation with Government sector in this project, but also with business sector, and media sector. Our event was supported by Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Science, Ministry of Education and ministry of Youth and Sports. Many companies, which work in field of agriculture and food industry supported to this event. Many sponsors were interested for this seminar as they recognized themselves within the subjects that were covered.! The topic of EDM was “Safety in the food chain”. There were two part of this seminar. First part was in Belgrade. There were lectures on Safety Standards both in Agricultural production and Food Processing Industry followed by presentations of companies . Lecturers were mainly professors from Belgrade University but there were also lecturers from agriculture and food industry companies. As well there was one international lecturer from Netherlands (Ms Irena Sholten ).There were following lectures: Organic fruit production, Benefit of HACCP/ISO 22000, Renewable energy sources for security of cold chain energy supply and food safety sustainability, Longitudinal & Integrated approach in the food chain, Meat Safety – Future Challenges, European Food Law. Second part was in Serbian mountains of Divcibare. We had Workshops and meetings there. But also we have lot of time to relaxing, we found! many activates for participants like free Ski elevator, swimming poll and very reach cultural program. The event had the cooperation of Agrifaculty of Belgrade, University of Belgrade, USAID agribusiness project, AEGEE Belgrade, Esteec Belgrade, among others. The cooperation was in different ways, for example, University has given us support by offering us their facilities at no charge, this has also included one bus during all 7 days and other student organizations representatives have participated actively as work shop leaders. The event was financed through corporate (20%) and institutional (non-government) partnership 10 %, government institutions & agencies (30 %), University support 20 % ,participation fee 20 %
giv e non for ma l edu cat ion and a val uab le res our ce to 14
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
Seminar in Bonn From October 25th to November 1st IAAS Bonn welcomed 19 participants to the seminar named “From Field to Fork - Contrasts in German Agriculture”. We were most happy to meet people from Poland, Czech Republic, Belarus, Spain, Greece and Belgium. The seminar took place in Bonn and Münster and gave the participants an introduction into a diverse range of practices and systems in German agriculture. We decided to have our main focus on the comparison of conventional to organic agriculture. Not only comparing but also checking both systems on economic, ecological and social sustainability was what we had in mind. For the processing chain we were concentrating on the products of beet (sugar and carrot) and meat production. We had a closer look to the pork meat production. Luckily the farm of the Federal State NRW is sampling both systems, the organic and conventional way of swine husbandry. Great! We could compare them directly; see the differences of the inputs and management. Afterwards we collected impressions and had a discussion about preferences for one or the other system.
The next day we had the chance to visit a huge slaughter house called “Tönnies”. We were surprised how close we could get to the production lines and pigs. They were hanging right next to us! We get an inside to the processing chain; the arrival of the pigs alive, getting killed and cut and finally packed to get ready for the supermarkets. Some of us didn´t like the bloody parts too much, but still it was interesting and we had a lot of questions to the guide afterwards.
students practical experience in their field.
“From Field to Fork , contrasts in German Agriculture”
With the different beets we tried to follow their way to the consumer. From the farmer we went to a producer cooperative. For sugar beets we even had the chance to see the processing from beet to sugar. The brown sugar, sugar in cubes, flavoured sugar, sugar in all shapes and texture which is sold and exported to almost all countries of our participants.
During each day we had sessions to evaluate and compare our impressions and final discuss our opinions, especially regarding to industrial, smallholder or organic farming. Of course each country had its personal view on each system. Some preferred the 15
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
industrial production due to economical advantages, others the organic management, thinking more of environmental benefits and animal welfare. We hope we could give some impulses about managing a farm in a more sustainable way and think critically about current developments in agriculture. We think farming does not only mean to serve food; it also means to think of our resources, soils, our environment, and many many more. We feel that it is our responsibility to be able to produce healthy food for us and our future generations. In the course of the week we got a great and very special input of opinions. It was exciting to see how the discussions kept on even after a lecture. We were happy to present our alternatives currently discussed in Germany and contribute to the international knowledge transfer. We hope we could make some sparks fly over to our participants!
In the name of the OC Bonn, Susanne Ziegler
IAAS Turkiye report INTERNATIONAL EVENTS Sharing Rural Diversity Project (5 – 13 /10/ 2008) IAAS Turkiye had participated to an exchange week between IAAS Belgium, IAAS Poland & IAAS Germany. This exchange week was planned within the project of Youth in Action. Event was hosted by IAAS Belgium committee in Belgium. Purpose of the event was for IAAS members; To learn how the rural life is To experience the rural diversity in related areas in Belgium To determine the problems and for producing solution to them together in a harmony To be a team & to have a better communication skills It has been planning to make 3 more chapters in other countries in further years. European Directors Meeting (27/12/2008 – 03/01/2009): IAAS Turkiye members attended to EDM in Serbia. Regional Meeting (21 - 28 /05/ 2009): IAAS Turkiye was represented in Southern Europe Regional Meeting in Italy. NATIONAL EVENTS Seminar: What do we know about European Union? (18 - 22 /05/ 2009) IAAS Turkiye organized an seminar for their members and also Faculty students to inform more about EU by inviting EU Experts of Ministry of Agriculture. During the event, some of the topics were: EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Plant Health in EU Countries Animal Health & Welfare in EU Countries Rural Policy Food Safety and Security Environmental Pollution 16
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
South European regional meeting, Sardinia 2009 This meeting was organized by the local committee “IAAS ASA Sassari” and took place in Sardinia from the 21th of may till the 28th of May. There were IAASers from the South Europe: Portugal, Spain, G r e e c e , Macedonia, Tu r k e y ; a n d some host IAASers from Poland, Slovenia, Serbia, Germany, our friendly VP Matthias from Switzerland and last but not least Students from the Universities of Perugia and Florence.
Sassari that “Desertification, loss of was so biodiversity and renewable cooperative and generous. energies, finding the way to go” Among others, our gratitude to the little village of Collinas that was so hospitable with all the participants. As National Director, I would like to say that the meeting was a good chance to involve new people and for sure IAAS Italy will look forward to welcome new IAAS commettes in Florence and Perugia. Finally I must say to all the O.C. a big big “thank you” for the time, the energies, all the sacrifices and the work put in this meeting, hoping that it can be the first evident step for the re-birth of IAAS Italy.
We attended to one lecture for each subject (energy, loss of biodiversity and the desertification) and during the third one “ Desertification and land degradation, strategies and activities” IAASers from Greece, Turkey and Spain showed their national experience about the themes; local massmedia gave it good visibility. The partecipants had the opportunity to see the tipical “Cavalcata Sarda” in Sassari, to visit the Museum of the of peasant technology in Santu Lussurgiu, the Museum “Sa Corona Arrubia” (sardinian naturalistic exposure and palaeontological exhibition of the Russian Academy of Science) and a traditional sardinian home in Collinas; in the same village IAAS Portugal showed to the others the program of the next EDM in Portugal, IAAS Macedonia updated us about the third IAAS Art Festival in Skopje and the association “Eureka”, from the University of Sassari presented their photo exhibition about sardinian endemic species.
Giuseppe Spada IAAS Italy ND
...we would like to express our sincere thanks to the whole OC. Due to your commitment, professionalism, international body language and creativity this meeting was so successful! You form a great team which can do magic!!! We are sure that even mission impossible is not difficult for you... Aritmetikos sisters, IAAS Poland
Moreover we had an interesting excursion in the Mount Pisanu's forest, that finished in the monumental manor of B.H. Piercy and some transiet visits to the beaches of la Pelosa, lu Bagnu and Balai. Highlights of the meetings were the traditional IAAS trade fair and the party “Folklorando”, that ASA organized with the collaboration of all the Students’ associations of the Universuty of Sassari and dealt with the Sardinian culture. First of all thanks to all the IAASers who were here, to all the sponsors that helped us in our activities, especially to the Facoltà di Agraria dell’Università degli Studi di 17
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
International Yo u t h C o n f e r e n c e
Education for Middle East and Islamic Studies, University of Indonesia. In the line of IAAS mission to promote the mutual understanding between student in the field of agriculture, both of the representatives from IAAS Indonesia argued that Exchange Programmes are the important means of promoting intercultural understanding, should be encouraged through public-private partnership so as to ensure sustainability. Young people benefitting from such exchange program will need to provide regular feedback on the positive impacts of their endeavours.
by Titis Apdini, IASA Indonesia The United Nations Educational. Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in collaboration with the State of Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Indonesia and The National Comission of Indonesia to UNESCO of The Ministry of National Educalion, together with the Local Government of Banten and West Java Provinces, organized an International Youth Conference on “The Role of Youth to Establish Peace: Towards a Future World without Violent Radicalization”.
Promoting exchange programmes was one of many recommendations from each line which compiled into “The Banten Declaration on The Role of Youth to Establish Peace Towards a Future without Violence Radicalization”. Those declaration would be delivered by UNESCO globally through International Conference in Paris on last October.
This Conference brought together government officials, political, religious, and civil society leaders as well as 150 talented young people - all representatives of youth organizations or institutions – from throughout the globe who have a genuine interest in fostering a culture of peace and dialogue among civilizations in order to establsh a creative and enabling space to share experiences, and understandings of how peace can be established through concrete and sustained actions. The conference held from September 29th till 30th 2009 in Banten and West Java Provinces, Indonesia. There were two members of IAAS Indonesia who acquired opportunity as representative participants in International Youth Conference namely Femmy Nur Basri from IAAS Local Committee of Padjadjaran University and Titis A. P. Apdini from IAAS Local Committee of Bogor Agricultural University. During two days of conference the organizing committee arranged plennary session and also working group discussion which divided into four themes : The Role of Education in The Establishment of Peace Through Sustainable Development. Speaker : Prof. Retno S. Sudibyo, Natinal Coordinator of Education for Sustainable Development Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia. Empowering Youth through the Arts and Sports for PeaceBuilding. Speaker : Kim Maxam, Director of International Child Art Foundation (ICAF), USA. The Power of Media and ICTs in the Contrinution of Peace in The Mind of Youth. Speaker : Dr. Yang Hye Ran, Chief, Research, and Development, UNESCO-APCEIU, South Korea. The Contribution of Community Development I Fostering Peace. Speaker : Dr. Yon Mahmudi, Research Director,
18
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
Food Security. Having formal status with FAO, IAAS was present at the Sessions as one of 30 International NGOs invited to participate as observers.
‘Fiat Panis’ - Let there be bread
After the session was opened by chairperson and appointed drafting committee, we had a brief overview of ‘The State of food Insecurity (SOFI) 2009’ provided by Mr Hafez Ghanem, Assistant Director-General, Economic and Social Development Department. SOFI was co- published between FAO and World Food Program (WFP) It is worth to mention that IAASer had a unique opportunity to participate in online seminar on Food Insecurity, held in late September. We are most grateful to Mr Panagiotis Karfakis, FAO expert who made this seminar happen.
FAO and its Committee on Food security,by Tijana Stancic
Highlights from SOFI 2009 include
The Committee for World Food Security (CFS) is the United Nations’ forum. It is part of Food and A g r i c u l t u r e organization of United Nations (FAO). The main tasks of CFS are to review and follow up the policies for food security and to examine issues, which affect the world food situation. It was established in 1974 after the food crisis.
even before the recent food and economic crises, hunger was on the rise, highlighting the chronic and structural nature of the problem;
From 14-17 October 2009,
a right to food approach can play an important role in eradicating food insecurity (source: www.fao.org)
at FAO Headquarters in Rome, 35th Session of CFS was held. It was one of 3 important events that prepared the ground for the World Summit on
Before the plenary started and during the opening part- we were welcomed by Mr.!Jacques Diouf, Director-General who made a speech. He pointed out that we are gathering at a crucial time...’ Unfortunately, FAO’s most recent data on world hunger and malnutrition indicate a situation that is even more worrying than in 1996. In the last three years, food insecurity has risen throughout the world, mainly on account of the global crisis of 2007-2008, triggered by soaring food prices and exacerbated by the financial and economic crisis that has shaken the world for more than a year. Thus the
estimates show that 1.02 billion people are undernourished worldwide in 2009; sharp increases since 2007 are mainly due to the food and financial crises;
to cope with crises, poor people reduce the amount and diversity of their diet and spending on education and health care; a healthy agriculture sector can provide an economic and employment buffer in times of crisis; safety nets must address the short-term impacts and should be combined with long-term support to productive sectors especially agriculture;
19
FAO defines food insecurity as: A www.iaasworld.org situation that exists when people lack secure access to sufficient ammounts of safe and nutritious food for normal growth, development and an active and healthy life.
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
number of people suffering from chronic hunger and poverty in 2009 has risen by 105 million since last year, bringing the total number of undernourished people to over one billion, in other words one out of every six inhabitants of the world. Virtually all of these people live in the developing countries: 642 million in Asia and the Pacific; 265 million in sub-Saharan Africa; 53 million in Latin America and the Caribbean; and 42 million in the Near East and North Africa. In July, thirty countries were in a state of serious food crisis requiring emergency aid. They included twenty countries in Africa and ten in Asia and the Near East ... (Mr. J.Diouf )’ According to Mr Diouf, the vision of a world free from hunger is feasible and it is not the challenge of insufficient knowledge or resources available. He underlined that we should aim to keep agriculture and food security at the top of the international agenda for the eradication of hunger and malnutrition. Also, we have to fully understand the factors that affect world food security and to ensure close links between technical expertise and policy making. Investment in agriculture and rural development are needed as well as mobilizing the funding to ensure the food security of local population. ... One of the main issues for discussing was reform of the CFS. It was presented by chairperson and finally adopted by member states present at 35th Session. The reform was needed so that CFS can fully play its vital role in the area of food security and thus, coordinate internationally. Newly reformed CFS remains as central component of the evolving Global Partnership for Agriculture, Food Security and nutrition. The CFS will strive for a world free from hunger. Ms! Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) said that we stand at a critical crossroads with-related over a billion hungry people – which is a record number. disease ‘...One out of every six people on earth wakes up every morning not knowing whether they will have enough food to eat. Today the hunger MDG is the most threatened, and we face losing much of a generation of children to severe malnutrition...’
unger
Stating that this is a human tragedy and a collective moral failing, Ms Sheeran called to turn talk into action and actions into solutions ...’ so every parent can have dignity of feeding their family, every small holder farmer can take pride in feeding their community and every leader can be assured of providing sustenance for their people.’
!"#$%&'()%)#%"*+,)-% !"#$%$&'($%)")&$%*& +,-$&./$,"0123$4& 566'&72%(82,& 7299"((::;& 8:<8:=:%("%-&566'& $(&>6+&?@;&A29:
every year, the number of children permanently blinded due A vitamin deficiency is more than 250 000
each year, health problems related to hunger, cost to developing countries the equivalent of US $30 billion
every year, the number of infants born with irreversible brain damage because their mothers lacked iodine before and during pregnancy, is more than 100 000
more than 850 million people worldwide are undernourished
She believes that this battle of achieving adequate food and nutrition for all is ‘one we can – and must – win...’
20
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
IAAS Art Festival 2009 Nature, Art & Wine The Art Festival is a rather new activity within IAAS; the first one being held in Ankara in 2007. The second one was organized by the IAAS committees in the USA in the spring of 2008. We are proud to say that we continued the tradition by successfully organizing the 3rd IAAS Art Festival in Macedonia. Members of IAAS Macedonia worked very hard to make the this an unforgettable experience. The concept of the festival was to give value to our cultural heritage and diversity within all our different member countries and rural areas.... many times, culture actually evolved out of customs practised in the rural areas and have evolved ever since. Knowing this, we wanted to give the space to this part of your background and share the diversity that lives amongst us. It is a festival of joy, happiness and exchange. Held at the beginning of October the participants had the opportunity to experience autumn in Macedonia, get to know the history of the country through city tours of Skopje, Kratovo and Dojran, see natural beauties such as the Stone Dolls near Kratovo, the Koleshino Waterfalls and the Dojran Lake the 3rd largest natural lake in Macedonia, all that while tasting Macedonian wine from 10 different wineries. While touring the city of Kratovo the participants were lucky because at the same time as the tour there was a traditional wedding which they were able to see. The main events were held in the city of Dojran where at the main Cultural Exchange night we were able to see Turkish Traditional Folk dances, Belgian belly dances, a small concert by IAAS Croatia and hear a folk song with a small performance by IAAS Banja Luka and IAAS Serbia. Also there were workshops about belly dancing, cooking, painting, jewellery. The traditional IAAS Trade Fair was also held in Dojran where everybody presented their counties delights. We hope that through this festival we gave students a platform to express their culture and knowledge trough out art, whilst they learned about and explored Macedonia,! Macedonian culture and!the Macedonian!agricultural system.!
Ivan Kirovski
WoCo 2009
Left: Students exchanging universities information during the days of the seminar Down: During the minute ofdiversity in memory of Sebastian
21
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
Institut Polytechnique LaSalle, Beauvais, France IROICA is the association of International Relations Officers of European Life Sciences Universities. As National Exchange Coordinator of IAAS in Belgium I was given the opportunity to represent IAAS on IROICAs annual meeting. Prior to the dinner Philippe Caron, head of the LaSalle IR office, introduced me to some 4th year students in agriculture. We shortly discussed about the possibility of launching an IAAS committee at the LaSalle Institute and arranged to meet at the students bar later on. Dinner was served outside and we ate delicious Moroccan specialties. This was due to close research cooperation with the Hassan II University of Agadir. They organize student exchange weeks every year and the Moroccan delegation happened to spend that week in France. During dinner, I met a group of 4th year landscape architects from the Hassan II University in Agadir. IAAS, being an organization by students for students, is completely new to them, but they really liked the idea of discovering the world this way, sharing their knowledge and I guess their research on irrigation especially certainly is interesting for other students as well. After dinner we went to the LaSalle student bar. The Beauvais campus is rather far off which results in remarkably engaged and organized students and lots of student associations. Furthermore students are traditionally obliged and motivated to gain practical experience, such as provided by the IAAS exchange program. That evening I also came to know how similar the tasks of volunteering IAAS Exchange Coordinators and International Relation Officer are. E.g. the organization and guidance of exchange students, communicating therefore with all kind of different partners, facing cultural differences, bureaucratic visa quests. And most of all to make the exchange a success, they are also depending and trusting on their colleagues at the other universities, just as we are.
Report of the 13th IROICA Conference
Thursday 25th June 2009. After arriving at the LaSalle campus, I went to the welcome reception and immediately got to know quite a number of people from all over Europe. To my surprise I realized I was the only student officially attending the conference, but I soon discovered that a familiar and open atmosphere characterized this conference, everyone speaking to one another. I was explained that most International Relation Officers and Erasmus Coordinators look forward to the IROICA Annual Meeting, because it is one of the few opportunities to meet their colleagues from abroad... by Lara Emde, IAAS Belgium Exchange Coordinator
25th to 28th June 2009
Report of the 13th IROICA Conference 25th to 28th June 2009
Friday 26th On the second day we were welcomed again by Margerita Calderon, ICA President and Philippe Cardon. We enjoyed different presentations on the added value of International Mobility:
Pascal Barrier of LaSalle, Pierre Autissier of the French Ministry of Agriculture, Education department and Chris Wells from the Picardie Region Council. This Council is very concerned in getting their students and pupils out of Picardie and promoting academical and professional exchanges. According to Mr. Wells more than half of all ‘Picardiens’ never leave Picardie all their life. Assuming majorities in Council don’t change radically during coming elections, Picardie Region will continue to provide serious grants.
22
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
The second round dealt with internship experiences, where Frank Cullen from the Dublin Institute spoke about the process, progress and problems faced by students and guiding staff during internships. I myself introduced the work of IAAS and focused merely on the Exchange Program, providing opportunities to exchange not only agricultural experience and knowledge, but also culture, art, food and so much more. Finally Christophe Burdin, working for ISAGRI, introduced this growing French company in farm management systems always looking for graduated students to start as interns.
After lunch, Margerita Calderon presented ICTAS which is an Intercultural Training program for Administrative Staff. The ICTAS program doesn’t only serves IROs, it also cooperates with staff of libraries, admission office, housing office, secretaries, research offices, … They already had several meetings, where they evaluated their administrative procedures for incoming and outgoing students and staff and developed a best practice manual, which will be presented at the closing conference LIFE, 27th-28th Oct. 09 at Copenhagen, Denmark. This is a unique, enriching opportunity to professionalize IAAS Exchange Coordinators. After discussing with Magarita personally, I launched the idea of involving IAAS Exchange Coordinators during the GA of IROICA the next morning and they would welcome a IAAS representative in Copenhagen. I think we can learn a lot of their best practices and should keep involved in ICTAS and ready to participate in similar projects in the future. Thereafter Jeanine Gregersen-Hermans who is Marketing and communication consultant at Maastricht University, lectured on the intercultural dimension of exchange experiences. At the end ErasmusMundus application procedures and latest European legislation were presented by Martine Friedrich of the Executive Agency of Vienna; followed by discussions on double degree programs with Selim Kermasha from the Canadian McGill University and Marcela Rios presenting the students point of view on double degrees. After this long day of presentations a small number of us went to visit Beauvais. We spent most of our time in the medieval cathedral, amazed by what is told to be the highest church ceiling on earth and the immense mosaic windows. Dinner passed, a good band performed and the evening ended in some serious rock’n’roll !
Next morning at General Assembly, new members were elected and the next conference was discussed. As mentioned above already it was agreed to involve IAAS in the closing conference on the ICTAS Program in Copenhagen. Conclusion This conference certainly was success to me. Although I didn’t met an awful lot of students, as exchange coordinator I learned tremendously much. The majority of all IROs I met where enthusiastic about IAAS way of working and ideas and I am sure that, now they know IAAS better, they can be a great support and partner to local committees.
Highlights WoCo 2009 During the Trade Fair, Queretaro, Mexico.
23
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
I m p r e s s i o n s o f E S T I E M ’s C o u n c i l Meeting by Darko Karakolevski Hey there IAAS-ers! I have an interesting experience that I’m going to share with you! As some of you may know, I was invited to be a guest at the annual Council Meeting of ESTIEM, by our beloved friend Jan Knutzen who at the same time was the chairman of the Council Meeting. As I took the first step of the train on to the platform, I was amazed by the cleanliness of the rail station itself. Maybe it was me, not being used to this kind of environment? Or was Switzerland just amazingly clean and neat? Later on I found out that my assumptions were right... The CM was to take place at the ETH Zurich, since that university is the home of ESTIEM’s students. And before I arrived to Zurich I was eager to see the “conditions” offered by the organizers, I’m referring to the preparation document, which said: The accommodation will be in two bunkers. Bunkers? I asked myself? Wasn’t Switzerland over five century’s war free? But this was just the beginning of the story… As I approached the entrance of one of the bunkers, a.k.a “The Sleeping Bunker”, I was greeted by the warm smile of one of the organizers, beautiful blonde girl speaking French, sounded magical to me. I finished up the procedures of signing up, got my name tag and I was ready to go! But it was 10 AM and the program was to start in the afternoon! So I quickly got online, and on the news feed wall on my Face Book account I saw: Carlos is with Dr. Schatzman in Zurich! Quickly got in touch with them and arranged a meeting. The never ending friendliness of our friends Schatzman and Carlos, was the best impression of the city of Zurich, we wondered around the old part of the town in the city centre, packed with “Haute Couture” boutiques starting from Armani and ending up with Donna Karan, cafés, extravagant restaurants, well dressed people, beautiful women…and all that spiced up with the all time favorite Swiss accuracy. I was in love with the people and the city already. It was time for me to accommodate myself in the “Party Bunker”, I came just a few hours before the first party…the party went well. The morning brought new challenges. I was constantly asking myself: -“How do this guys work, how do they keep up?” The ESTIEM-ers, are basically living up one of their favorite quotes: “Work hard, play hard”. The program offered interesting lectures, but was really interesting to see how they work, everything was well organized. Every person from the OC knew their responsibility. And everything was going as planned. ESTIEM has the reputation of being one of the student NGO’s with “serious” approach, but they are all young people like us, living what they believe in. Their social level is quite high, accompanied with their enchanting singing. On the last day of the CM, I held a presentation about IAAS. The response was unexpectedly high! Everyone was interested in IAAS, I was asked and I answered many questions, which made me happy and proud to be a member of the greatest student association in the world, IAAS.
This kind of cooperation between two student NGO’s is a good example of sharing ideas end experiences between students around the world.
24
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
Health Sensitisation in Rural Areas: How to do it? A training course for youth volunteers!” by Olga Khaliukova
27 August – 3 September 2009 Kiev – Lvov, Ukraine
Have you ever heard about Y-Peer education?
Ukraine – Kiev City, and continued in ancient Lvov, that is a city of sleeping lions which today remains one of the most charming and mysterious beauties of Eastern Europe. It is the only Ukrainian "Ensemble of the Historic Centre" included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
“The Peer Education Program is a model of training that supports participants to develop and then deliver information workshops to their peers. Training is group based, challenging and fun, allowing a range of communication skills to be developed, as well as building self-confidence and self-esteem.
From 27th of August to 3 September 2009 volunteers from 15 countries, from different students organizations (IAAS, IFMSA, HelMSIC and SCORA, EMSA, AEGEE, Belarusian Red Cross Society, Medical Students` Society In Bucharest, Association of Med Students in Bulgaria (AMSB), Youth Centre of Netishyn, Serbian Group of Youth) were working together to improve their knowledge on Reproductive health including HIV/AIDS, to pass skills and experience, explore problems, obstacles, opportunities and challenges of young people in rural areas. Besides lectures and workshops, participants got familiar with Ukrainian traditions and customs, tried tasty national dishes, and learnt national dances and songs. During the project we could follow an intercultural dialogue and growing understanding between young participants with diverse backgrounds, friendship and “love” were born here.
The Program is the result of a partnership between Thames Reach Bondway (a London-based homelessness charity) and City Lit (an adult education college based in Central London). “ The “Rural Health Sensitisation” (RHS) training was organized by IAAS and medical students of IFMSA1 and EMSA2 with the support of European Commission under “Youth in Action”3 program. This training aimed to train and inspire future trainers of young peer-educators, for initiatives in rural areas that counter-fight the severe HIV epidemic in Central and Eastern Europe. An idea was born during Summer Leadership School in Turkey, in summer 2008. Officials from organizations mentioned above came to idea to organize common projects every year and IAAS took the initiative this time. The project was first presented in Tunisia at IFMSA General Assembly and submitted afterwards in Serbia during IAAS European Directors Meeting in January 2009.
RHS project is not just a 6 days training based on Y peer education, but is a first step in promotion cooperation in the field of youth for HIV-related peereducation initiatives in rural areas. Now when the training is over and young volunteers became trainers, they can organize own small workshops or 2 days training at local high schools, Collages or Universities. First step was maid by Ukrainian trainers at National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of
The training started in busy and marvelous capital of
25
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
Ukraine, 1 day workshop “Health above all” took place on 20th of September 2009.
rural areas of Central and Eastern Europe!
I want to express my special gratitude to Core Committe, Organizing Committee, Advisers, Trainers and of course participants for their commitment and valuable contribution to RHS project, health and gender issues in
B5>C'6D&5%(:8%$("2%$,&>:*:8$("2%&2E&C:*")$,&'(0*:%(=F&6==2)"$("2%=
GGG4"E9=$428HIC'6D&I082<:$%&C:*")$,&'(0*:%(=J&6==2)"$("2% GGG4:9=$K:082<:428LMN20(/&"%&6)("2%O /((<DPP:)4:082<$4:0PQ20(/P"%*:RS:%4/(9
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Regional meeting “Sustainable farming” From 17th to September 26th “SLU”, Sweden, Uppsala Regional Meeting of North Eastern Region took place. The topic of the meeting was “Sustainable farming”. Initially participating list consist of more than 40 people from different countries in our region, but the number of real members was unfortunately only 12 from Belarus, Russia plus dear OC from Sweden. BUT, We want to say BIG THANKS to very good organizations and plenty of activities. Sweden OC divided the event in 2 parts: pre-seminar (since 17th till 20th) and regular seminar (since 20th – 26th). Pre-seminar camping passed in beautiful National Park of Sweden on the bank 1 of the longest Scandinavian rivers which runs 300 kilometers from the sea. Our days were filled completely there was not any time for wasting. We made lots of activities: paddling a canoe, picking up mushrooms and berries, sport competition and walking on slits. Contemplating vivid landscape we had lunch near the fire and talk to each other. This nice time initiate a great warm relationships amount all members of this event. Regular seminar was on the territory of the Sweden Agricultural University campus. We had a pretty nice house for ourselves. The central heating making warm our floor and running water made our accommodation like we have vacations in 5 stars hotel. The aim of the meeting was to invite students from different countries and show them farming system in this area and discuss the problem of sustainable development of agriculture in the world. It must be said, do not pay attention on the number of participants, everything was realized. The program of the meeting included education part: modern equipment, the number mixed farms, we discussed the present and the future perspectives in industry in Sweden. Also some excursions were organized to “SLU” university, showed all departments. There is agriculture, landscape design, and veterinary are studied. So each student could see old and modern
26
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
species of plants and even we could try to find proper lawn. We heard some lectures by university professors and they were fantastic indeed. The education program was added by culture program. All together we went by foot through the centre of Uppsala (the 4th biggest city in Sweden). Our desire to visit to Stockholm was rising very rapidly and we set out. In two days we got to excursion to the capital of Sweden. We had great Trade Fair and had really good evening. There were national songs, dancing, games tasty food and good spirits. It was my first trip to IAAS event, and I really like, this small, home made IAAS world, thank you very much to our region, and I would be glad to see at list 50 people at next RM 2010! Denis Kushkin, Russia THANK YOU IAAS!!!!!!
2009 USA National Summit Think Global, Think Local: Globalizations Effect on Agriculture Vivian Bernau, IAAS-ISU Vice President On 9-13 October, the Iowa State University IAAS committee hosted their national summit in Ames, Iowa. The theme for the event was “Think Global, Think Local: Globalization’s Effect on Agriculture.” The goal of the summit was to reach out to agriculture students from universities across the nation and grow the USA national committee. The event included participants from five new USA universities, and included more than 20 first-year members. With a total of 40 students in attendance, including two participants from IAAS-Mexico, the 2009 USA National Summit was a huge success! Participants visited a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm, and the World Food Festival, which takes place each year in downtown Des Moines, Iowa in conjunction with the World Food Prize ceremonies. A visit was also made to IAASISU member, Vivian Bernau’s family chemical- and pesticide-free fruit and vegetable garden. At the Bernau’s participants enjoyed a local meal and ISU professor, Mary Wiedenhoeft, led a discussion on local foods. A day was spent on the campus of Iowa State University exchanging ideas, building a stronger national IAAS network, revising our constitution, and electing new officers. The event also included a visit to the Monsanto Seed Factory in Grinnell, Iowa where former IAAS-University of Illinois member, Paul Kirbach, is now a manager, and a discussion with two ISU professors on globalization’s effect on agriculture. The even concluded with a lecture by the 2009 World Food Prize Laureate, Gebisa Ejeta on revitalizing the agricultural sciences around the world. While we might not have fixed business in the traditional IAAS way, but we expanded to five universities: Iowa State University, University of Georgia, University of Illinois, University of Tennessee, and Pennsylvania State University. We are also excited to have many new members involved. We look forward to the next USA National Summit, which will be hosted by our new USA National Director, Kayla Calhoun from the University of Georgia. Sam Bird, IAAS-ISU president, was elected the USA Partnership Coordinator and IAAS-ISU member, Rachael 27 Farhat, was elected USA Exchange Coordinator.
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
Hosting the EDM Portugal 2009/2010 We gladly inform you that after almost 20 years Portugal will host again the EDM. It’s a great opportunity to visit our small but beautiful country and have a great time here with us!
The OC is working hard to arrange an unforgettable EDM, but to achieve our goals we are counting with the participation and enthusiasm of all IAASers! As you might know already, it will take place from December 28th to January 4th, in Lisbon. The subject of our seminar will be “Sustainable Development” and we will have some lectures and visits like at “Companhia das Lezirias”. We will show you also our faculty and city, and proportionate you a lot funny moments with parties, activities, the traditional Trade Fair and New Year party!!! We hope you join us in this unique meeting that gathers the best people of agriculture and related sciences in Europe! You can start sending you’re application forms. Join us too in the “IAAS EDM Portugal” group in facebook to keep you updated of the latest’s news!
See you very soon...Yours,OC
JoãoJoao Vasco Vasco Helena Sánchez
Fátima FátimaHenriques Henriques
Helena
Cátia Catia Valadares Valadares
Carla Marques
PORTUGAL IAAS EDM 2009/2010 28
Miguel Cabral
Miguel Cabral
Antonio Stott
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
2009 World Conference on Higher Education
www.iaasworld.org
!"#$!%$&!'()*+,-.!/0!1,2#$3!456-*7,/)!*)5! 8$.$*3-#!0/3!9/-,$7*:!;#*)2$!*)5! '$<$:/=+$)7!
Starting with a philosophical quote: “Education makes us into what we are.” she stressed that it is not only about the money. Taking the Erasmus and Erasmus mundus project as a main example she presented that HE is also important for stability & peace since it leads to a better understanding of people’s cultures and religions. This is the importance of UNESCO. People are enriched and enlightened by studying abroad. Aiming for a knowledge-based global society, the acceptance of diversity and bringing respect must be considered in employability, governance and funding of HE.
>%49;?@!A*3,.@!B!C!D!E6:(!FGGH!
Dr Jill Biden, Educator, wife of Vice-President Joe Biden, USA
Report by Magda Janiszek and Joris Heylen, representing the International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences.
With her experience in educating English to immigrants in the USA, she put the focus on the importance of community colleges and thus public funding of education.
Opening ceremony
Not parents, students nor teachers are responsible for the learning process but all of them
Opening address by the DirectorG e n e r a l o f U N E S C O , K o ï c h i ro Matsuura.
together have a combined impact on the result. Quoting president Obama: “HE is critical in
Adoption of the agenda, organisation of work
stabilizing the current situation.” she does claim that HE leads towards a more enlightened world.
Sunday, 5th of July 2009
The agenda was adopted; India intervened to make sure that observers also had the right to speak in the drafting session. The proposal was accepted by general applause.
H.E. Mr Nahas Angula, Prime Minister of Namibia
As could be expected, the OECD sees HE in an economic context. Key words were rate of return, trade & investment. Employment of the young with or without diploma’s was stressed.
Mr Angula tried to make a wake up call for leaders in HE to move out of the 20th century, into the 21st. He started with talking about the evolution of UNESCO’s work on the subject, first drafted in the post world war II period, moving towards the current global challenges: “We have to put the focus on technologies addressing Global change, climate change, poverty, excessive population growth, eradication of ocean life… To centre quality of life that yields global consistency.”
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External
H.E. Dame Pearlette Louisy, Governor General of Saint Lucia
Relations & Neighbourhood Policy, European Union.
Dame Louisy focused on equity, especially in case of the size of the country (since Saint
H i g h e r e d u c a t i o n ’s r o l e i n addressing major global challenges Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of the OECD
29
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
Lucia is a small island state).
Since the debate was wrapped, some quotes: The World Bank is currently (in opposition to before) supporting HE as a strong necessity for development.
H.E. Mr. Danilo Türk, President of Slovenia
Mr. Türk, being a University professor himself gave a very Education International, the global teachers union, stresses enlightening speech. Starting with that education is rewarded too low and that there is too little stating that HE is critical in development, he went deeper into freedom for teachers. Too much emphasis is still on the subject of academic freedom, being on one hand the economic outcome of education, a stubborn obstacle in our freedom from outside influence on the academic institutions failing global system. Rather than using the argument of the so that on the other hand this freedom is important for the economic crisis to reduce the quality of education, we should relevance and quality of HE. HE should exercise human talent put the human being central in our system so that education and generate human genius; therefore the investment in can take us out of the crisis in a sustainable and respectful quality is the overarching purpose of academic freedom. At way. this time in history the rewarding of research work is too poorly, there is no adequate prestige for all branches of Ligia Deca, chairperson representing the ESU, backed by science. E.g. the tradition of Greek and Arab sciences in Education International was by far the stakeholder most applauded for. She stressed the need for more public funding history, in particular philosophy is the cultural heritage of in stead of private and the need for more access, equity and Europe today, it is what Europeans make Europeans. Not all quality: HE: not for the few, but for all. She depicted the evolution in UNESCO’s work on HE as a hopeful one and these branches of science are rewarded equally today. asks governments all over the world to focus more on the This is also reflected by the fact that accomplishing the UNESCO action plan on HE. Millennium Development Goals is currently under threat due The contribution of HE, Research and Innovation systems to the mere focus on the financial aspect of the global crisis. to a sustainable future Chair: Karen MacGregor (University World News)
Stakeholders’ Panel: Responses
Rapporteur: Heather Eggins (United Kingdom) The stakeholders Panel was initiated by a quite long speech by Ji Zhou, Minister of Education, China: Speakers: Interesting in his speech were the following points:
Ulrich Teichler (Germany)
Higher education is directly related to economic development. The current crisis will invoke a global revolution.
Lynn Meek (Australia)
Education is a process that forges the human spirit.
Mala Singh (South Africa) Miguel Nussbaum (Chile)
HE is important in fulfilment, creating teacher skills, rate of return
Jaana Puukka (OECD/IMHE) Merle Jacob (Sweden & Trinidad and Tobago)
We can see this in the fact that China is mostly educating The lectures were a combination of several topics, there was engineers (Bèta sciences), but in lesser extend other scientific too little time for all questions and an open debate. Following: disciplines (Alfa sciences). Where brain drain is a consequence of living conditions at the locations the graduates flee from, it was stated that out of the Due to a delay of 45 minutes in the schedule, the debate was box thinking does provide maximum innovation at research limited to the statements of the different panel members: institutes. Being students, we wanted to remark that out of the box thinking can be stimulated by increasing student participation, this is also put forward to the drafting: "To Joy Phumaphi, Vice-President, World Bank assure active student participation in academic, political, Juan Ramon de la Fuente, President, International social and cultural life; and to provide adequate student services" Association of Universities Irene Duncan-Adanusa, Vice-President, Education We strongly believe that if students are allowed to have a positive impact on their home society, they would be less International likely to leave it after they graduate. Ligia Deca, Chairperson, European Students’ Union On the other hand, the OECD representative had a quite Odile Quintin, Director-General for Education and Culture, unrealistic remark: while quoting Marx, she mentioned that change is needed. Yet she proposes that investment in European Commission existing industries will do the job. 30
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
In our perspective, investing in existing industries is business as usual; true change addressing the real challenges of our globe would be to invest our brains in high employment, first in low input agriculture since it extracts carbon, reduces hunger and provides society with a sound primary economic sector which is a necessity for development into secondary economic sectors.
Seeding Innovation... Nourishing Hope During the 52nd IAAS World Congress in Mexico, IAAS students had the opportunity to visit the International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYTs, for it spanish name), part of CGIAR network. This was a great chance to see the important work and research done at CIMMYT facilities at El Batan, Texcoco. Students were received by scientists who kindly gave an explanation of their job. After the field visit students attended a wrap up session with all the scientists, our special thanks to: Mr. Scott Ferguson, Dr. Peter Kosina, Mr. Mike Listman, Dr. Thomas Payne, Mr. Victor Chavez, Dr. Maria Zaharieva, Dr. Phillipe Monneveux, Dr. Bram Govaerts, Dr. Kevin Pixley and Dr. Javier Pe単a. Also our thanks to Vanessa Prigge, German Mingramm who were part of IAAS (in Germany and Mexico respectively), CIMMYT staff, Karitina Venado for making the IAAS visit to CIMMYT a special moment for the 52nd World Congress.
31
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
Diversification “Food Diversification Based on Indonesia’s Local Resources to Enhance Quality of Life”; 2) Food Security “Sustainable Development of Local Resources The 53rd World Congress of IAAS in Indonesia to Support Food Security” will have as topic “The Power of Local Resources to Support Energy Seminar will be held on IAAS LC Padjadjaran food, energy, and Trade: Food Security, renewable Energy, and University in Bandung, consisted of two sessions: 1) Free Trade”. The objectives of this event are; 1) Develop and Bio- Energy “The Power of Local Resources to enhance Indonesia’s good image in the international world; 2) As Support Bio-Energy”; 2) “Bio-Energy to Support a place and medium to build communication and networking technical Industry”. Trade Seminar will be held on IAAS LC Haloleo University, Kendari. This seminar upon IAAS members (national and international scope) with will has some activities, they are a discussion on the several institutions such as government, NGO´s and current topics of trade, a site visit to see the actual stakeholders in Indonesia; 3) As a place to share ideas and condition of trade based on the local resources, and experiences upon IAAS members (national and international a visit to agricultural land, trading industries, and t r a d i t i o n a l level), and 4) Enrich Indonesian student’s knowledge on markets. international agricultural issue. " The 53rd World Congress of IAAS will be placed in 6 universities, located in 6 different cities. They are members of IAAS Indonesia. Te universities are: Institut Pertanian Bogor (Bogor Agricultural University) in Bogor, West Java Province; Padjadjaran University in Bandung, West Java Province; Diponegoro University in Semarang, Central Java Province; Sebelas Maret University in Solo, Central Java Province; Brawijaya University in Malang, East Java Province; and Haluoleo University in Kendari, South East Sulawesi Province. The event will be held from July, 11th until August, 5th 2010."There will be about 60 participants of all over IAAS National Committees member in the world, invited guests, and organizing committee, that coming from non IAAS members and observers are also kindly welcome. The main activities that we will have is General Assembly and a Seminar.General Assembly (GA) is the highest assembly which new policy being discuss and also decide a new executive committees of IAAS World. On 53rd IAAS World Congress, GA will be hosted by Brawijaya University in Malang, East Java Province. Besides the plenary sessions, the IAAS General Assembly also hold a number of working groups, which go from association issues to personal development activities. After this first part, there will be a trip around Malang City and Mount Bromo, where will be a share culture such as International Trade event, International Evening, and Tombola in Brawijaya University.
The second activity is the Seminar. Government, lecturers, professionals, or other respective organizations or associations are welcome to share ideas, knowledge, experience, vision, and view on certain topics to give different perspective to participants about local resources to support food, energy, and trade. We want a dialogue among the participants, or perhaps some problem solving related to local resources to support food, energy, and trade. The seminar will be divided into three: food seminar, energy seminar, and trade seminar. Food Seminar will be held on IAAS LC Bogor Agricultural University in Bogor and consisted of two sessions: 1) Food 32
T h e excursion will be arranged in all IAAS Local Committee. The participant can enjoy agriculture, nature, food, and culture of Indonesia. They also can learn about Indonesian local resources in food, energy, and trade during this trip. The excursion will be held after general assembly and seminar in each local committee. Find and enjoy this a m a z i n g experience, especially in Indonesia. Thank you.
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
IT WAS THE SUMMER OF 2009 From maize origins to the future, from rock climbing in the desert to waterfalls in the rainforest, from tacos with spicy salsa to spiced salsa dancing lessons, from pyramids in cities over 2200 meters above sea level to crystalline water beaches in the Pacific Ocean, from high tech greenhouses to cactus fruits, from Mexican time to Mexican human warmness, and from 5 stars hotels to nights in factory. The 52th IAAS World Congress was hosted successfully by Mexico, with topic “Biodiversity Now, Food for Tomorrow.” We think that the name chosen for the congress was the perfect for Mexico, but we are going to let you judge it...
=:*-$! ,)! /63! .-#//:_! "$-! 5$! O/)7$33$(! ,)! 7#$! -,7(! /0! "#$!0,3.7! =*37!/0! 7#$!2$)$3*:!*..$+I:(! JKLM! 7//N! =:*-$!,)! `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a!! *I/67!7#$,3!3$.$*3-#!&/3N@!7#$!2$3+=:*.+!I*)N!*)5!*::!7#$! 5$-/3*7,/)!&*.!*.!2//5!*.!&$::Q!O$P,-/!7*I:$!&*.!* !I600$7! :*I/3! 7#*7! 7#,.!,+=/37*)7! -$)7$3! 5/$.!7/&*35.! ,+=3/<,)2! /0! :/-*:! 5,.#$.! *)5! E/.$! ;6$3</! "$b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c! /0! 6.! #*5! F! :$07! 0$$7@! I67! &$! .7,::! N$$=!/)!=3*-7,-,)2!./+$!*)-$.73*:!73*5,7,/).Q!W$0/3$!2/,)2! &*)7$5! 7/! #*<$! +/3$! .$..,/).Q! K//5! #$! )$<$3! .*&! 7/!7#$!)$P7!-,7(! 0/3! 7#$!KL@!&$!+*5$!* !<,.,7!7/! )/=*:$.![! %$+*)\*!5*)-,)2!W*)5*QQQ./33(d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
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
"#$!:*.7!&$$N!&$!0/-6.$5!-/+=:$7$:(!,)!#*<,)2! <,.,7.!7#*7! $ < $ 3 (! . # / 7! / 0! 7 $ b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i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ef*! ?32g),-*! *)5! O/).*)7/M@! ,)! *! &*(! &#$3$! 7#$! .765$)7!+*N$.!,7.!/&)!N)/&:$52$!*)5!-3,7$3,*Q "*:N,)2! *I/67! ./+$7#,)2! 3$=3$.$)7*7,<$!/0! O$P,-/@! ,7! &*.! ,+=/..,I:$! )/7! #*<,)2! *! 73,=! 7/! "$b6,:*Q! L.! 0$&! /)$.!N)/&@!"$b6,:*!J.=,3,7M!-/+$.!03/+!"$b6,:*!7/&)!,)! E*:,.-/@!O$P,-/a!!-/6=:$!/0!#/63.!03/+!K6*5*:*\*3*!-,7(Q! L67#$)7,-!"$b6,:*!I$!/):(!=3/56-$5!,)!7#,.!3$2,/)!*)5! 0$&! /7#$3.@! 6)5$3! 7#$! =3/7$-7,/)! /0! 7#$! /3,2,)! 5$)/+,)*7,/)!7+A#'*&Q!!R$!#*5!7#$!I$.7!"$b6,:*!7/63!,)! 7#$! E/.$!;6$3</! *2*<$!0,$:5.@! Z*!8/\$h* !5,.7,::$3(@!*)5! E/.$!;6$3</! #*-,$)5*Q! R$! :$*3)$5! 03/+! 7#$!23/&,)2! *)5! #*3<$.7,)2! /0! *2*<$! =:*)7.@! 7/! #/&! ,.!7#$!=3/-$..! /0! +*N,)2! 7#$! 5,00$3$)7! 7(=$.! /0! 7#,. ! O$P,-*)! .=,3,7Q! TLL9! 3 $ - $ , < $ 5! 7 # $! =3,<,:$2$! /0! 2/,)2! 7/!7#$! 0*+,:(! ;*<*@! * ) 5! 7 * . 7 $! 7#$! .=$-,*:! 0 * + , : (! 3 $ . $ 3 < $! 7 $ b 6 , : * @! &#,-#!,.!)/7! 0/3! .*:$!*)5! /):(! 2,<$)!
I$-/+$! *)! ,+=/37*)7! 7/63,.7,-! -$)7$3! /0! O$P,-/@! I67! .6--$..06::(! =3$.$3<$.! 7#$! I$*67(! /0! ,7.! )*763$Q! "#$! :*.7! <,.,7!/0! 7#$!;/)23$..!&*.!,)! *!&,:5:,0$!-/).$3<*7,/)!-$)7$3! -*::$5_! 4:! 8$062,/! 5$! A/7/.fQ! "#,.! =:*-$! ,. ! &/3N,)2! 7/! ,)-3$*.$! 7#$! *&*3$)$..! *)5! *==3$-,*7,/)! /0! 7#$! I,/5,<$3.,7(!/0!7#,.!3$2,/)!/0!O$P,-/Q
T)! 7$3+. ! /0! W,/5,<$3.,7(@! O$P,-/! ,.! \6.7! 7#$! B7#! 3*)N$5! -/6)73(! ,)! )6+I$3! /0! .=$-,$.@! I67! /63! 2$/23*=#(@! )*763$@! #,.7/3(@! +6.,-@! 0//5! *)5! =$/=:$! +*N$.! O$P,-/! 6),b6$! *)5! 6)0/32$77*I:$! 5$.7,)*7,/)Q!"#$!7,+$!.=$)7!#$3$!&*.!)/7! /):(! 0/3!:$*3),)2! *)5! &/3N,)2Q!"#$! +/.7! ,+=/37*)7!&*.!7#$!7#,)2.!&$!.#*3$5!*)5! 7#$!06)!&$!#*5@!7/!+$$7!)$&!03,$)5.!*)5! *.! *!2,07! ! 7/! 7/!.$$!7#$!/:5$3!/)$.!*2*,)Q! <$3(! .=$-,*:! ! O$P,-/_! :*)5! /0! -/)73*.7! *)5!-#*3+@! ! ,7! =$3./).Q!!R$! &*.!23$*7!7/!#*<$!(/6!#$3$!*)5!&$!&*,7! & $ 3 $! &,7#!/=$)!*3+.!(/63!3$763)Q! * + * V $ 5! I$-*6.$! /0! T<*3!O*3*<,::* * : :! 7 # $! #,.7/3(! *)5! 9/.&('B'(., 02CC'%%++, &(4, D--", E+F'02, :/+$'4+(%, 4#/'(., - 6 : 7 6 3 $! I $ # , ) 5! %1+,GH(4,52/*4,I2(./+$$ 34
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
The organizing committee
Francisco Bonfil
Dení Mahetsi Pérez
Ivar Maravilla
Rafael Martínez
Guillaume F. Minero
Paulo Ocampo
Carlos Avendaño
Patty Saldaña
Cristina Chávez
Itiel Valera
Special thanks to:
35
Juan Deguetau
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
Our special thanks to the Convention and visitors bureau of Mexico city, Queretaro, Guadalajara and Ixtapa Zihuatanejo. To all the people and insitutions who believed in this project; to Espinosa family, specialy to Mr. Miguel Espinosa and son who received us in Uruapan; Rafael Mariscal in Zamora; to Via Orgånica and all the people we met during this amazing experience. Also to the ones who didn´t believe in this project we showed that as agricultural students of ITESM Campus Queretaro we accomplished our objective. 36
IAAS ANNUAL REVIEW 2008-2009
www.iaasworld.org
37