Paris, 5 January 2004


EFITA newsletter / 141 / European Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture, Food and the Environment


Happy New Year!


ACTA Informatique newsletter (in French) > 20000 subscribers
The weekly newsletter edited by ACTA Informatique has now more than 20000 subscribers. We started this newsletter in 1997 within the framework of the EU project called AGRIMMEDIA, that enede in 2000.
Contact: Guy WAKSMAN
mailto:waksman@acta-informatique.fr


Wanted: Information about e-Commerce in Agriculture
Do you have an idea about the increase of farm input ordered through the Internet?
Contact: Guy WAKSMAN
mailto:waksman@acta-informatique.fr


WAICENT Portal
The improved WAICENT Portal gives users access to over two hundred selected sites across 15 agricultural and development categories. Clicking on a site link takes the user to a page showing sub-categories where the search can be narrowed using Google.
See: http://www.fao.org/waicent/
Contact: Anton MANGSTL (GILD)
mailto:anton.mangstl@fao.org


Library and Documentation Systems Division (GIL)
The Library and Documentation Systems Division (GIL) Web site is covering the main activities of the Division and offering up-to-date information on GIL-related news and events. The site contains links to the Division's main areas of work.
See: http://www.fao.org/gil/


Information Management Resource Kit (IMARK)
This is a partnership-based e-learning initiative to provide continuous capacity building and on-the-job training for agricultural information management professionals.
See: http://www.fao.org/gil/


Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture (AGORA)
Students, researchers and academics in some of the world's poorest countries will gain free or low-cost access to a wealth of scientific literature under a new initiative announced this year by FAO and a range of public and private sector partners.
See: http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/news/2003/23019-en.html


FAO Country Profiles and Mapping Information System
The FAO Country Profiles and Mapping Information System is a pioneering information retrieval tool which groups the organization's vast archive of information on its global activities in agriculture and development in a single area and catalogues it exclusively by country.
See: http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/


Bridging the Rural Digital Divide
FAO recognises that knowledge and access to information are essential for combating hunger and poverty effectively. Bridging the Rural Digital Divide was the main message the Organization presented at this year's World Summit on the Information Society held in Geneva 10-12 December 2003. FAO and its partners are working to bridge the rural digital divide by strengthening human and institutional capacities to harness information and knowledge more effectively.
See: http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/news/2003/26167-en.html


Consultation on Agricultural Information Management (COAIM)
The Consultation on Agricultural Information Management (COAIM) is a biennial intergovernmental process for FAO´s member countries to discuss and set policies related to management of and access to agricultural information.
See: http://www.fao.org/gil/coaim/


Online presentations of Akuter e-learning tools
See: http://www.akuter.com/
Contact: Didier BOURGEOT
mailto:dbourgeot@akuter.com


(After) Christmas Story
The teacher, Mrs. Jones, decided to ask her students how they celebrated Christmas.

She called first on young Patrick Murphy.
"Tell me, Patrick, what do you do at Christmas time?"

Patrick addressed the class: "Me and my twelve brothers and sisters go to midnight Mass and we sing hymns. Then we come home very late and eat mince pies and hang up our stockings. Then we go to bed and wait for Father Christmas to come with all our toys.

"Very nice, Patrick", said Mrs Jones "Now, Jimmy Brown, what do you do at Christmas?"

"Me and my sister also go to church with Mum and Dad, and we sing carols. When we get home, we put cookies and milk by the chimney and hang up our stockings. We hardly sleep waiting for Santa Claus to bring our toys".

"That's also very nice, Jimmy", she said.
 
Realizing that there was a Jewish boy in the class and not wanting to leave him out of the discussion, she decided to ask him the same question.
 
"Now, Isaac Cohen, what do you do at Christmas?"
"Well, we also sing carols", Isaac responded.

Surprised, Mrs. Jones questioned further.
"Tell us what you sing".

"Well, it's the same thing every year. Dad comes home from the office. We all pile into the Rolls Royce and drive to his toy factory. When we get inside, we look at all the empty shelves and sing:
"What a friend we have in Jesus".

Then we all go to the Bahamas!!

Contact: Mick HARKIN
mailto:harkin@iol.ie


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