The archives of this newsletter
See: http://www.informatique-agricole.org/category/gazette-efita/




PA research project(s)?
I have a quick question for those of you that are somehow involved in Precision Agriculture.
Our national government in The Netherlands has already invested in PA and related research for several years now and they are intending to continue that. However, they were wondering if other European governments were doing the same.
So who has some information on governmental investments/subsidies in other EU countries in the area of research in Precision Agriculture? It doesn’t have to be in detail; just some rough indications are fine.
Contact: Sjaak WOLFERT
E-mail: sjaak.wolfert(a)wur.nl


Hungry City 2012
6 – 7 December 2012 - PARIS
The sustainable development of cities and their people’s food security are some of the fundamental issues of our society. The effectiveness of their treatment will depend on our will and ability to deal with both topics at the same time, despite the complexity of their interactions.
See: http://eng.iufn.org/?p=318


Citizens of mountainous regions and technophobia
June 2013 – ATHENS - a seven-day workshop fully supported by the EU and the Grundtvig programme 2013 (Informatics laboratory of the agricultural university of Athens)

The workshop concerns the use of electronic services (e-services) for the improvement of the daily life of inhabitants of mountainous and disadvantaged regions facing technophobia. It includes issues regarding the secure use of the Internet and the restriction of technophobia in adults. The main activities include: information on Internet security and technophobia, use of e-services for the citizen (e-government, e-banking, e-health, e-learning, e-tourism, e-commerce), case studies, a practical exercise and the creation of a Living Lab for the collaboration of all participants in the workshop. In the context of the workshop a series of educational visits will take place in: the campus of the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) for inducing the learners in the Greek agricultural production; the mountainous region of Trikala in Corinth prefecture for experiencing the mountainous natural and socio-economic environment of Greece; the Greek Museum of Information Technology; and the historical centre of Athens.

Learners can be adults interested in the use of electronic services in the daily life, as well as in technophobia and the reduction of the digital divide. Priority will be given to persons from mountainous and disadvantaged regions and from socially vulnerable groups.

>>> Programme
Day 1
Acquaintance with learners. Presentation of the aim and objectives of the Workshop. Demonstration of the characteristics of EU mountainous regions regarding Information and Communication Technologies. Educational visit in the campus of AUA for inducing the learners in the Greek agricultural production. Projection of educational material at the Agricultural Museum of AUA.

Day 2
Presentation of security issues for browsing and searching the World Wide Web, exchanging electronic mail (spams, malicious messages), chatting and file sharing. Laboratory for the creation of a secure electronic environment.

Day 3
Lecture on issues of technophobia: definition, types, profiles, symptoms, causes, ways of confrontation (education, collaboration, better access in technological infrastructures). Presentation of e-services (e-government, e-banking, e-health, e-learning, e-tourism, e-commerce) for the improvement of daily life for residents of mountainous regions.

Day 4
Guided visit in the mountainous Trikala in Corinth prefecture (http://www.trikala-korinthias.gr/touristikipyli/english/) for experiencing the mountainous natural and socio-economic environment of Greece. Discussion with local people.

Day 5
Demonstration of successful “non technophobian” examples for covering daily needs. Examples for the use of e-services for real life situations. Creation of a Living Lab for the collaboration of all participants after completion of the Workshop.

Day 6:
Visit in the Greek Museum of Information Technology and in the historical centre of Athens. Discussion and evaluation of the Workshop.

>>> Expected results
Learners will be informed on technophobia issues and ways of confronting them, and will be trained in the use of e-services (e-government, e-banking, e-health, e-learning, e-tourism, e-commerce) for real life events of inhabitants of mountainous and disadvantaged areas. In addition, a Living Lab for the collaboration of all participants after the completion of the Workshop will be created. Learners will form an integrated view on issues of the digital divide through life experiences and meetings with inhabitants of the particular areas.

>>> General information
The Informatics Laboratory will organize the workshop and cover all expenses of the selected candidates [including travel (airline and transport tickets), accommodation and three meals-breakfast, lunch and dinner]. The Workshop will take place on the premises of the Informatics Laboratory of AUA, using the necessary technical equipment (PCs, printers, projectors, etc.) that allows individual or group training. The premises meet the necessary conditions regarding health (ventilation, lighting, heating) and safety (accident prevention, fire safety) of the trainees and are accessible by disabled people. The participants’ accommodation will be near the AUA premises with direct connections to subway and urban transportation to the city center and the airport. Participants’ accommodation regards staying in single rooms with breakfast included. Also, lunch and dinner are included daily during the Workshop.

Contacts: A. B. SIDERIDIS or C. COSTPOULOU
E-mail: as(a)aua.gr, tina(a)aua.gr


agriXchange project
After almost three years the agriXchange project is coming to its end. It managed to plant a seed that needs some fostering now to grow. Contributions from readers to this are highly appreciated. There are a number of activities that will be kept up after the end of the project.
Check out for example the agriXchange platform and its aXtool on use cases, interfaces and standards at: http://www.agrixchange.org

You can contribute content by setting up your own account at the platform.
Join discussions on LinkedIn at: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/agriXchange-3807971?trk=myg_ugrp_ovr

Project deliverables are available at: http://www.agrixchange.org/results/deliverables

Contact: Daniel MARTINI
E-mail: d.martini(a)ktbl.de


Post-2015 Development Agenda - Online Consultation on Hunger, Food and Nutrition Security
As the target date for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) approaches, a number of processes have been put in place to seek inputs which will shape the “Post-2015 Development Agenda”. Consultations are being held across the globe, both within and outside of the United Nations system. Within the UN, steps have been taken to support around 100 national dialogues. In addition, eleven Global Thematic Consultations are being held.

With this message, I am pleased to invite you to the online consultation on Hunger, Food and Nutrition security hosted by the FSN forum in the following web link: http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/post2015.
The e-consultation is open until 21st December 2012 and we are aiming for the widest possible participation of stakeholders in reviewing challenges and opportunities, priority actions, as well as possible goals, targets and indicators needed to achieve food and nutrition security, and the eradication of hunger, in a post-2015 world.
Contributions can be sent either via email to fsn-moderator(a)fao.org or by posting them directly on the website http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/post2015.

This initiative is part of a broader thematic consultation process taking place between November 2012 and March 2013 and including a consultation with the stakeholders of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) and a high level consultation in March 2013, hosted by the Government of Spain.
FAO and WFP are co-chairing this thematic consultation process together with the other Rome-based agencies, IFAD and Bioversity International, and with support from the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Food Security and Nutrition. Contributing partners within the UN include UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNIDO, and UNDESA. We anticipate broad participation, among others, from civil society, the private sector and the international development community.

Please feel also free to circulate this invitation among your colleagues and networks.

For further information and to propose collective contributions please contact the consultation team: fsn-moderator(a)fao.org

We are looking forward to your active participation in this important discussion.

The Consultation Team - Max F. BLANCK
E-mail: fsn-moderator(a)fao.org


CIARD Policy Brief: Opening Access to Agricultural Knowledge
Too much valuable research information that can guide decisions and resolve problems within the agricultural domain, is not accessible. What can be done to help institutions to make their data and information more easily accessible to researchers and farmers? The Coherence in Information for Agricultural Research for Development (CIARD [1]) movement explains concisely which solutions are available in its newly issued leaflet 'CIARD Policy Brief: Opening Access to Agricultural Knowledge [2]'.

>>> CIARD approach: policy and practice
The CIARD movement is "a collaborative venture among more than 150 of the world’s leading agricultural agencies based on a collective commitment to improve access to data and information and ensuring that it is used to the best effect, where it really counts – among the poor, particularly the rural poor." To accomplish this CIARD is focussing on encouraging development of appropriate organizational policies and promoting standards for reporting. The leaflet identifies the problem and proposes a solution in the form of a problem-solving strategy covering three broad areas:

1) Policy and practice
2) Organization
3) Technologies

Further information and resources can be found at www.ciard.net [3] and ring.ciard.net [4].

[1] http://www.ciard.net/
[2] http://www.ciard.net/sites/default/files/CIARD%20Policy%20Brief%20EN.pdf
[3] http://www.ciard.net/
[4] http://ring.ciard.net


Is Open Access only for rich countries? What does Open Access mean for the developing world? What can it offer?
A series of debates [1] on these questions is scheduled to start on Tuesday, November 27. Funded by UK's Department for International development (DFID [2]) and hosted on UNESCO’s WSIS Open Access Community Forum [3], the discussion will provide a space to discuss different perspectives.
In order to participate in the online discussions and post comments, you only have to register [4]on the WSIS Open Access Knowledge Communities and then log-in.

>>> Scholarly research in the developing country context
The first topic of debate will be "The production, publication and consumption of scholarly knowledge and OA". It will focus on the greater concern of scholarly research in the developing country context debating the questions:

* What does OA imply and offer the developing world in terms of production, publication and consumption of academic materials and research activities?
* What are the specific challenges and opportunities for access to knowledge in developing countries?

You can comment on this message in any of the six languages used on AIMS at
http://aims.fao.org/news/series-debates-meaning-open-access-developing-world

[1] http://www.wsis-community.org/pg/forum/topic/586392/is-open-access-only-for-rich-countries-participate-now-in-an-online-dialogue-on-open-access-and-the-developing-world/
[2] http://www.dfid.gov.uk/
[3] http://www.wsis-community.org/pg/forum/topic/586392/is-open-access-only-for-rich-countries-participate-now-in-an-online-dialogue-on-open-access-and-the-developing-world/
[4] http://www.wsis-community.org/pg/register/


Africa: Involving Local Farmers Is Key to Success of Foreign Investment
See: http://mask-africa.com/?p=67831&goback=.gde_2472142_member_185367768


The young gunfighter
A young cowboy sitting in a saloon one Saturday night recognized an elderly man standing at the bar who, in his day, had been the fastest gun in the West.

The cowboy took a place next to the old-timer, bought him a drink and told him of his great ambition to be a great shot... 'Could you give me some tips?' he asked. The old man said, 'Well, for one thing, you're wearing your gun too high - tie the holster a little lower down on your leg.'

'Will that make me a better gunfighter?'

'Sure will 'The young man did as he was told, stood up, whipped out his .44 and shot the bow tie off the piano player.

'That's terrific!' said the cowboy. 'Got any more tips?' 'Yep,' said the old man. 'Cut a notch out of your holster where the hammer hits it - that'll give you a smoother draw'

'Will that make me a better gunfighter?' asked the young man.

'You bet it will,' said the old-timer.

The young man took out his knife, cut the notch, stood up, drew his gun in a blur, and then shot a cufflink off the piano player. 'Wow!' exclaimed the cowboy 'I'm learnin' somethin' here. Got any more tips?'

The old man pointed to a large can in a corner of the saloon. 'See that axle grease over there? Coat your gun with it.'

The young man smeared some of the grease on the barrel of his gun. 'No,' said the old-timer, 'I mean smear it all over the gun, handle and all.'
'Will that make me a better gunfighter?' asked the young man. '

'No,' said the old-timer, 'but when Wyatt Earp gets done playing the piano, he's gonna shove that gun up your arse, and it won't hurt as much.'

…Moral of this joke is "Know your audience"

Contact: Mick HARKIN
E-mail: harkin(a)iol.ie


21 Reasons Why You Should Never Date An Economist

1. Economists may be dangerous. Watch out for the invisible hands!

2. It won’t matter what you supply, they will always demand more.

3. They consider selfish behavior the most natural thing in the world.

4. They prefer doing it with models and dummies.

5. Economists habitually deflate everything.

6. They like their love lives like they like their markets: free and open.

7. On average they are pretty mean.

8. And definitely too trendy.

9. They will never be happy with you as you are, they will always want you to grow.

10. They require a lot of stimulus in order to expand.

11. They will spend their lives trying to predict your behavior.

12. They consider you perfectly substitutable.

13. They’ll only like you if you have plenty of elasticity.

14. They will always think that there is an acceptable level of unemployment.

15. As soon as you are happy in the relationship they’ll burst your bubble.

16. They’ll only be into you if you have plenty of boom and bust.

17. They’ll never say “I Love you” only that “You optimise my utility”.

18. They will rate your kids’ advancement into a Human Development Index.

19. They will establish very clear household property rights to avoid the tragedy of the commons.

20. If you ever get depressed, they’ll lower their interest rate to zero.

21. They might collect a stratified household survey of family and friends, run regression and cluster analyses and check for heteroskedasticity before deciding to commit to you. (On the plus side you might get to see what your love looks like as a formula).

See: http://inesad.edu.bo/
developmentroast/2012/10/21-reasons-why-you-should-never-date-an-economist/


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