Paris, 9 April 2007


EFITA newsletter / 304 / European Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture, Food and the Environment


Happy Easter - Pessah was on 2 April...


Next AgriMMedia seminar
15 May – PARIS
New web tools: blog, RSS, wiki, podcast, video on the Internet, web TV, web conference… (in French).
See: http://www.acta-informatique.fr?d=6752


Q.: So will ”live as you learn” and have your seminar on May 15th available live over the Internet?
Contact: Thomas Norrby
E-mail: thomas.norrby(a)sol.slu.se

A.: You should be able to participate in our seminar at www.sati.tv! But it is not sure since our specialists are prefering non real time broadcast...


Information systems in agriculture and forestry conference - Themed  Living Labs
15 -16 May 2007 - Prague
> Conference topics
- scientific opportunities and directions in the European Union
- implementation of i2010 iniciative
- information and communication technologies for rural areas
- applications for agriculture and forestry
- eLearning for rural areas
- human aspect of information society development
- food safety and tracebility
- Rural SDI

> Supporting program
- Information day eContent (Prague, 15th May 2007)
- INSPIRE infoday (Prague, 16th May 2007)
- Workshop of C@R, Humboldt and NaturNet projects (Chotěboř, 17th May 2007)

> Call for papers
All papers that correspond to the above stated conference topics can be sent to conference organisers. The contents of conference papers must meet the requirements on a scientific and professional publication. Every registered paper will be evaluated by experts; an opponent is chosen by the conference programme committee.
Contributions will be published in full version in the conference proceedings and also on CD. A contribution must follow defined styles and can be written in Czech or English. If you decide to write in Czech, there must be a Czech as well as English abstract and key words.

> Important dates
- Deadline for submitting conference papers 25th March 2007
- Confirmation of accepting the conference paper 31st March 2007
- Deadline for preferential registration 20th April 2007
- Conference 15th and 16th May 2007
See: http://www.isaf.cz/
Contact: Karel CHARVAT
E-mail: charvat(a)lesprojekt.cz


Rural Living Lab Award 2007
Challenge of the Award: Selection of the best RLL solution supporting an ICT-based collaborative principle with respect to sustainable regional development and rural Knowledge Society building.
Call Deadline: 15th April 2007
See: http://www.isaf.cz/
Contact: Karel CHARVAT
E-mail: charvat(a)lesprojekt.cz


Geo-Application Award 2007 - Joan Blaeu @ Prize
Challenge of the Prize: The best SDI realization using UNSDI and INSPIRE principles with respect to sustainable regional development and rural knowledge society building. The best three applications will be awarded by certificate and trophy. Information about all eligible applications will be published on CDs, about awarded applications also on Conference pages, EFITA and UNSDI and INSPIRE pages.
See: http://www.isaf.cz/
See: http://www.unsdi.cz
Contact: Karel CHARVAT
E-mail: charvat(a)lesprojekt.cz


e-Agriculture should focus on Information over Technology - say respondents in recent global survey
A recent global online survey, conducted as a follow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), indicates that improving information and communication processes should be the top priority in furthering global discussions and related actions in e-Agriculture. The survey identified ways to enhance sustainable agricultural development and food security by improving the use of information and communication technologies in the sector.

Almost half of stakeholders working in agriculture identified e-Agriculture with improvements in processes such as information dissemination, access, and exchange; and communication, participation, and network/community-building activities amongst rural stakeholders. In contrast, only a third mentioned technological tools, such as mobile phones, computers, or the internet.

The survey, conducted in late 2006 by the WSIS e-Agriculture Working Group, gauged stakeholders’ opinions relating to e-Agriculture, including: familiarity with and definitions for the term; benefits and challenges of e-Agriculture; and priorities to be addressed in an international forum. The survey, which is being used to determine further action to implement e-Agriculture, received responses from over 3400 participants in more than 135 countries.

Stakeholders clearly indicated a range of important technical subjects to be addressed through e-Agriculture, including farming techniques and practices, market/food chains, and research. The survey results will guide efforts in addressing the concerns of stakeholders and bringing their views to the attention of the international community.

Dr. Anton Mangstl, Director of the Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Building Division within the Knowledge and Communication Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) states, “E-Agriculture was seen to be more than just new ways of using technology but a contributing factor in the achievement of broader development goals. We are encouraged by the response we received in this global survey, and the interest in furthering e-Agriculture on a global scale. ”

A more detailed report on the e-Agriculture survey is available on the WSIS official website. A purpose-built interactive e-Agriculture website will be launched in 2007, and will feature a user forum, resources, tools, and other content chosen by global stakeholders and based on respondent’s contributions to the survey.
See: http://www.itu.int/wsis/c7/e-agriculture/index.html

Contact: Charlotte MASIELLO-RIOME
E-mail: charlotte.masiello(a)fao.org


Farm Holidays in Wales?
>> Rural tourism in Wales
See: http://istresults.cordis.europa.eu/index.cfm/section/news/tpl/article/BrowsingType/Features/ID/61398/highlights/BEASTS
See: http://www.iqmwales.co.uk/
See: http://www.twigs.ie/ParticipantBenefits/
See: http://www.ecodyfi.org.uk/tga.htm
See: http://www.irs.aber.ac.uk/profile/ray.shtml
See: http://www.walesontheweb.org/cayw/index/en/338/4791

>> General Welsh tourism sites
See: http://www.visitwales.co.uk/
See: http://www.tourismalliance.org.uk/who.html
See: http://www.farmbreaks.org.uk/wales-tourism.cfm
See: http://www.farmstaywales.co.uk/whyChooseFarmStay.asp?saction=organisation

>> Welsh individual, local, sub regional initiatives
See: http://www.clynefarm.com/
See: http://www.welshholidaycottages.com/
See: http://www.cottages-wales.com/
See: http://www.britainexpress.com/great_british_sites/wales-dyfed.htm
See: http://www.gonorthwales.co.uk/
See: http://www.carmarthenshirefarms.com/
See: http://www.organigparc.co.uk/eco-holiday-wales.aspx

Contact: Jenny HUGHES
E-mail: jenhughes(a)mac.com


Europe’s leading agricultural event – Agritechnica – will be bigger than ever this year
13- 17 November - HANOVER
* 20% more exhibitors + larger area = more visitors
* Expansion reflects diversity and buoyancy in agriculture
* Focus on key areas of innovations, soil and climate issues, bio-energy and used machinery trade
 
Agritechnica 2007 all-time highs:
 
1800 exhibitors (500 new)
40% international exhibitors
35% bigger area – three extra halls takes total to 16, covering 28ha (70acres)
Over 250,000 visitors expected
 
The world’s largest exhibition of agricultural machinery has recorded its highest number of exhibitors since it started 22 years ago.
See: http://www.dlg.org/en/press/press_office.html?struts=publicArtikelDetail.do&artikelId=1057&spracheId=2&kategorieId=1&bereich=News
Contact: M. CONLONG
E-mail: m.conlong(a)dlg.org


Third International Conference on "Coexistence between Genetically Modified (GM) and non-GM based Agricultural Supply Chains” (GMCC-07)
20 - 21 November 2007 - Seville (Spain)
The GMCC-07 Conference will gather the multidisciplinary scientific community involved in researching how agricultural supply chains can adapt to novel regulatory and market-driven coexistence requirements world-wide. It will also serve policy-makers to access the latest scientific results and identify future research needs with policy relevance.
See: http://gmcc-07.intbase.com


Call for sites with videos (1)
We are rebuilding Defra's Online Portal for Genetic Resources used in Food and Agriculture (www.grfa.org.uk). The new site will include a 20 minute video on animal genetics.
The site is due to go live in the middle of April.
Contact: Nigel HUDSON
E-mail: Nigel.Hudson(a)adas.co.uk

 
Call for sites with videos (2) - Here’s some UK web sites
> FACE with all sorts on for education in UK including Country Channel TV (middle of home page).  I’d like to think that FACE is on your mailing list but if not…
See: http://www.face-online.org.uk/

> UKagri. blog on agriculture plus lots of bits - UK agriculture, farming, food, the countryside
See: http://www.ukagriculture.com/
 
> iSeek in the US has loads of career related clips
See: http://www.iseek.org/sv/12000.jsp?code=01

> Safety ones from the UK’s Health and Safety Executive
See: http://www.hse.gov.uk/campaigns/worksmart/videos/index.htm#agriculture

> Comic strip science from Rothamsted Research
See: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/life/comic/browser.htm
Contact: Dave TINKER - GenSec - EurAgEng
E-mail: d.tinker(a)ntlworld.com


Life is now explained to you... (une blague que notre collègue Luc Fricot m'avait passée en français il y a bien des années)
When God created the Dog, He said: "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life-span of twenty years.". The Dog said: "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten ?".
So God agreed.
Next, God created the Monkey and said: "Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty year life span."
The monkey said: "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?" And God agreed.
God then created the Cow and said: "You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life-span of sixty years."
The Cow said: "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?" And God agreed again.
Finally, God created Man and said: "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years." But Man said: "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the Cow gave back, the ten the Monkey gave back, and the ten the Dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?" "Okay," said God, "You asked for it."
So that is why the first twenty years, we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years, we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years, we do monkey tricks to entertain the grand-children. And for the last ten years, we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.
Life has now been explained to you!
Contact: Bernard AUXENFANS
E-mail: bauxenfans(a)krsearch.net



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