Paris, 22 June 2009


EFITA newsletter / 416 / European Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture, Food and the Environment


Field Robot Junior 2009
13 June 2009 - OSNABRUECK, Germany
In 2008 a Field Robot Junior for schools was a part of the Field Robot Event. Due to the high interest and number of teams an initiative has been started to organize a yearly “Field Robot Junior” in the region Osnabrück. The event is supported by the region, companies and the new “research center for schools” (http://www.sfz-os.de/) and can feed the Field Robot Event itself (http://www.fieldrobot.com/ ; http://www.fieldrobotevent2010.de/) and increase the interest for technology and agriculture in schools.
See: http://www.fieldrobotjunior.de
Contact: Arno RUCKELSHAUSEN
E-mail: a.ruckelshausen(a)fhos.de


Scientific and Technical Information and Rural Development: Highlights of Innovative Practices
IAALD XIIIth World Congress organized by Agropolis International
26 - 29 April 2010 – MONTPELLIER - France
The renewed worldwide interest in agriculture and questions dealing with food crises increase the need for quality information for actors in rural development. Bringing their knowledge and Know-how, the Scientific and Technical Information Specialists can contribute to providing quality information.
The congress organised by IAALD and Agropolis International will ensure fruitful exchanges between information specialists and actors of rural development facing these key challenges in agriculture.
See: http://iaald2010.agropolis.fr/
E-mail: iaald2010(a)agropolis.fr


Sunflower breeding on resistance to diseases & pests - Symposium co-organised by ISA and VNIIMK
23 - 24 June 2010 - KRASNODAR, Russia
See: http://www.isa.cetiom.fr/firstannouncementkrasnodar.pdf
Contact: Laurencine LOT
Mél : lot(a)cetiom.fr


For the uninitiated, what is C@R? (cf. last newsletter)
Contact: John OLDHAM
E-mail: john.oldham(a)sac.ac.uk


Answer by Ian HOUSEMAN: Basically it is a large scale integrated project funded by the EU. C@R = Collaboration@Rural - its aim is to develop user centric IT systems for rural people and businesses and its website is at www.c-rural.eu where you can find lots more information.
See: http://www.efita.net?d=6470
E-mail: ian.houseman(a)btconnect.com


Portale Italiano della fertirrigazione
Vedere: http://www.fertirrigazione.it/


Transportation Research: Hydrogen Cars: Fad or the Future?
See: http://science-mag.aaas.org/cgi/content/summary/324/5932/1257


New research into children’s experiences of risks on the internet
Professor Sonia Livingstone (London School of Economics and Political Science ) will spend two years conducting original empirical research into online safety issues experienced by thousands of children aged 9-16 and their parents in up to 25 EU countries (EU grant: 2.5 million euro).

Online risks include exposure to inappropriate content, such as pornography, unwelcome contact, such as sexual grooming, and inappropriate conduct by children themselves, including bullying.

“At last, Europe's children are to be asked directly what they see as the opportunities and risks of the internet,” said Professor Livingstone, a professor of social psychology in the LSE’s department of media and communications.

“To inform public policy, and to counter the media panics, this new project will examine the nature, extent and consequences of youthful experiences of online risk, as reported to the researchers by a thousand 9-16 year olds in each of twenty or more European countries.

“At the same time, their parents will be asked how they see the risks and what they do to try to minimise them.

“By next summer, EU Kids Online will present comparable findings for each country, pinpointing for which children in which countries the various kinds of online risk are greatest.”

This is the second project undertaken by the EU Kids Online network comprising around 70 academics across Europe. The first evaluated the findings of nearly 400 studies of children’s experiences of online risk across 21 countries.

Key findings from the first project, to be published on Thursday (June 11th), include the discovery that giving out personal information is the most common risky behaviour, while meeting an online contact offline is much less common although it remains the most dangerous risk.

It also found that children from lower status homes are more exposed to risk online. Across countries, there is a link between use and risk: Northern European countries tend to be ‘high use, high risk’; Southern European countries tend to be ‘low use, low risk’; and Eastern European countries tend to be ‘new use, new risk.’

The report makes policy recommendations to minimise risks. These include strengthening regulatory frameworks, more industry self-regulation and more awareness-raising initiatives. Evidence suggests that awareness-raising should now focus on children new to the internet, on young children, and on disadvantaged children.

The research adds that making the internet safer for children is made difficult because those experiencing more risks are often those who take up more opportunities – reducing the risks may also reduce the opportunities. More positively, EU Kids Online found that as many parents as children are now online across Europe, so they can play an active role in helping keep children safe.
See: http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/EUKidsOnline/Default.htm


You Gotta Love the Irish
Gallagher opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read in the obituary column that he had died. He quickly phoned his best friend, Finney.

"Did you see the paper?" asked Gallagher. "They say I died!!"

"Yes, I saw it!" replied Finney "Where are ye callin' from?"


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