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The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Australia’s first tropical and subtropical agricultural research institute, celebrated several achievements during its first Annual Research Meeting in Brisbane’s Sunshine Coast on 20-21 July 2011. The annual research meeting convened senior scientists, agri-political representatives and QAAFI researchers to reflect on the establishment of the research institute and its first few months of operation.
During his opening speech at the event, Professor Max Lu, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research of the University of Queensland (UQ), said that in just a short time, the QAAFI is proving to be an invaluable asset in terms of the calibre of research it produces.
Aside from research outputs, Prof. Lu said that the QAAFI has also forged several multi-million dollar research agreements, international research programs and announced several research developments under its umbrella.
Working closely with international research partners, the QAAFI can now be associated with the following significant research/discoveries: the link between the structure of glycogen in our liver and diabetes; Australia’s first glyphosate resistant broadleaf weed; the use of nanotechnology for the efficient delivery of vaccines to animals; and the much sought-after antibacterial properties of honey.
Also present during the annual meeting were Professor Beth Woods, the Chief Scientific Officer of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) and a key person in QAAFI’s formation, and Professor Robert Henry, QAAFI Director. The latter said that research groups and institutes from Australia and abroad have expressed interest in the evolution of QAAFI, which envisions itself to become a world leader in tropical and subtropical agricultural and food research and development.
The QAAFI was set up in September 2009 through an alliance between UQ and the Queensland Government’s DEEDI.
Source: University of Queensland
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The German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) is launching a photo contest in connection with this year’s “Mabuhay Germany” exposition. Now on its fourth year, Mabuhay Germany will once again showcase German quality, technology and tradition to the public on 7-9 October 2011 at the Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.This flagship event of the GCCPI has become very popular and attracts more exhibitors and visitors every year. Working closely with German institutions here in the Philippines, GCCPI invites visitors of Mabuhay Germany to learn more about the country through its businesses, its people and its culture.One of the highlights for this year’s expois the photo contest entitled “Winning Moments”.
Open to the public, the contest invites individuals to submit photos which express their personal interpretation of a winning moment whether it is in sports, business, politics, technology, and other areas.Each participant is allowed to submit three entries. Photo entries should be sent through e-mail by 31 August 2011. All entries will be posted in the GPCCI - Mabuhay Germany Facebook Fanpage where users can vote for their favourite photo by “liking” it. The photos with the most number of Likes will be awarded with a Canon Powershot SX 210 Digital Camera and one-day workshop with Canon. Prizes will also be given to the second and third placers. The top ten (10) most liked pictures will also be featured in a special exhibit from September 27 - October 9, 2011. For more details, please see the attached flyer or log on to http://gpcci.org/home/.
Click here for the more details
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Research on improving food security in the Andean region has been given a boost thanks to the $3.4 M investment given by the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF), a collaborative program between Canada’s International Development Research Center(IDRC) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The additional funding is part of the CA$62M CIFSRF - a key component of the Government of Canada’s Food Security Strategy. Projects funded by the CIFSRF are 42 months in duration and range from CA$1 to 5 million in value each.
The interdisciplinary study will primarily involve smallholder farmers and indigenous people in two regions of the Peruvian Andes. These two regions are known for their biodiversity and active farmers’ associations. It will examine organizational links, gender, policy, advocacy, access to markets for organic produce, and issues such as guaranteed minimum earnings in the region. It also aims to increase food security by improving sustainable, organic agriculture with focus on staple crops such as potatoes and small Andean crops.
The research team for the study is composed of UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems Profs. Andrew Riseman, Eduardo Jovel, and Judy McLean, along with Manuel Ruiz, Peruvian Society for Environmental Law and Roberto Ugás, Universidad NacionalAgraria La Molina, and other stakeholders.
“Our goal is to enhance local farmers’ knowledge, innovations and practices regarding native crop management, improvement and selection to increase yields,” says Assoc. Prof.Riseman, who studies plant genetics and efficient use of nutrients and intercrop interaction for sustainable development.
Assoc. Prof.Jovel, an ethnobiologistand head of the UBC Aboriginal Health and Natural Products Chemistry Lab, emphasized the importance of the contributions of indigenous peoples to agriculture and food security. He further added,“The Andean region is a repository of traditional knowledge and anasset for the development of sustainable strategies for farmers.” Sophisticated Andean agricultural practices have domesticated species of plants and fruits, such as potato, corn, beans, peppers, and tomato among others. These crops make up one third of the food we eat today.
About the CIFSRF
The CIFSRF contributes to the development of more productive and sustainable agricultural techniques for women and smallholder farmers through investments in applied and interdisciplinary research. Its ultimate goal is to ensure food security for poor people in developing countries.
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23Jaime Manalo IV, a Filipino scholar of the Australian Leadership Awards, said that his Master in Communication (Communication for Social Change) degree at the University of Queensland opened a lot of doors for him. Prior to his acceptance at UQ, Mr. Manalo has never been overseas. A year after applying for the said degree, Mr. Manalo was travelling to different parts of the world. He was able to go to London to present his research paper on e-readiness assessment of five top rice-producing provinces of the Philippines at the International Conference on Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D).There, he had the rare opportunity to meet his hero, Tim Berners-Lee, creator of the World Wide Web.
His paper, “Theorising ICT4D in Philippine Agriculture: Deriving from trends, setting directions”, was a finalist in the Best Paper competition during the 24th National Rice Research and Development Conference in the Philippines. The same paper was also highly commended when it was presented in the “Regional Conference on New Media for ASEAN Development” held at the Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University in Thailand.
His degree at the UQ also enabled him to go to Central Vietnam to conduct his practicum with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. According to Mr. Manalo, the internship in Vietnam was very challenging but he has learned so much from it. It gave him new perspectives and skills in cross cultural communication and every assignment challenged him to learn and grow.
Mr. Manalo, who is now working at the Philippine Rice Research Institute, returned to Brisbane on 20 July for his graduation. He plans to complete his PhD at UQ so he can attain his dream of teaching at the University of the Philippines.
The Master of Communication (Communication for Social Change) is convened by the Centre for Communication and Social Change, the only centre in Australia that specializes in Communication for Social Change through collaborative research, postgraduate programs, consultancies, professional development courses, and an annual award.
Source: University of Queensland
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Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) inaugurated 1530 graduates on 8 August 2011. Among the outstanding graduates in the commencement exercises were Berthin Saragih of Mechanical Engineering Study Program, Faculty of Engineering who was recognized for completing the course in just three years and seven months; Elisabeth Adina Utami of the Doctor of Education Study Program, Faculty of Medicine who is the youngest graduate at the age of 19 years 7 months 14 days old; and YanuarKurniawan of Accounting Study Program, Faculty of Economics and Business who got the highest Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.99.
UGM Rector, Prof.Dr. Ir. Sudjarwadi in his message reminded the graduates to always give significant contribution to society by striving to become leading scientists. "All it takes for this nation is a leading scientist who is able to create jobs and work successfully," said the Rector. In building a civilization, the Rector identified three vital elements, namely faith, science, and culture.
"Always continue the lifelong learning to apply and develop science, to give benefit and happiness," he conveys.
Source: UGM News | 22 August 2011
