European Group of the
IFSA International Farming Systems Association

6th European Symposium on
Farming and Rural Systems Research and Extension
Vila Real, Portugal, 3-8 April, 2004

European Farming and Society in search of a new social contract
Learning to manage change

Welcome .. Background .. Program .. To participate .. To contact .. Useful links

Preparation

Steering Committee Meeting

Steering Committee Meeting,Vila Real, 12-15 December 2002

Minutes

Agenda:
Evaluation of Florence Symposium
European and International Symposiums 2004
General plan of European Symposium
Major decisions: date, general topic, workshop topics and coordinators, scientific committeee, paralel sessions, study tours, publicity, deadlines.
Other questions

Participants:
Artur Cristovão, Milan Slavik, Loes Heuff, Rebecka Milestad, Kirsten Heiden, Sri Sriskandarajah, Jacques Brossier, Luigi Zorini, Hans Langeveld

Evaluation of Florence Symposium:
The Committee members shared a highly positive feeling. Luigi gave information about final accounts and stressed that the proceedings will be ready by Easter 2003 (900 pages, 400 copies, to sell at about 50 Euros).

International symposium 2004:
Outcome of international symposium in Florida was discussed. The fact that next international symposium is to be held in Europe is generally accepted. It is decided that the European symposium will be held in april 2004 in Vila Real. Hans en Artur (Vila Real) will collaborate with Clive Lightfoot to find the best location for the next international symposium. There are some worries that a candidate may not be found. In order to improve communication with the international association Clive Lightfoot will be offered a seat in the European 2004 steering committee.

European symposium 2004:
It will be held between April 3(arrival) and 8 (departure), 2004, in Vila Real, starting on sunday with plenary sessions, followed by excursions on monday, and paralel sessions on tuesday and wednesday. Closing sessions on wednesday.

The Committee meembers agreed that that the excursions should be well articulate with the workshop issues and papers, involve farmers and local institutions, and use a “walk and talk” approach. It was also stressed that people from the fiels should be invited to participate in the workshps. Information about excursion places should be sent in advance to participants and/or included in the Symposium web page.

The general theme is the redefinition of the social contract between agriculture and society. For the time being it is formulated as: ‘‘European Farming and Society in search for a new contract; learning to manage change’’. Artur Cristóvão wil write a brief statement about the theme. Workshop topics will be:
I: Food systems (food safety, ecosystems and health, chain management) (Rebecka, Sri)
II: Resilience of small scale farms, management of change, coping mechanisms (Jacques and Luigi)
III: Natural resources management and farm functions (landscape) (Hans)
IV: Learning networks, knowledge transfer (Milan)
V: New approaches to user oriented farmind systems management (DSS, multi-users) (Kirsten)

The indicated Committee members were assigned to make contacts with the possiblle coordinators. Each Workshop coordinator will define the final title and write a brief statement about the Workshop content. Rebecka and Hans will write a proposal of “Worshop Guidelines”.

Opening session: besides some “cultural start” and welcome adresses (Rector, Artur), Niels Röling and Clive Lightfoot will be asked to give short presentation on the history and the spirit of IFSA. Two speakers will be invited, one from Portugal. Names suggested: Vicky Chick, Pieter Vereyken, Bertrand Hervieu, Gé Bachus, Manuel Belo Moreira.

Special sessions may be held on: the definition of the social contract between farming and society (Hans and Artur will articulate to organize the session), ‘labour, training and skilss for multidimensional farming’ (INRA researchers will be invited to organize; Jacques will make contacts), or experiences of new accession countries to the EU that will actually enter EU weeks after the Symposium.

Closing session: the conclusions of Workshop debates will be presented. Each presenter will be asked to report specifically on the implications for the “social contract” and “management of change”.

Symposiom dinner: suggestions were made to include some cultural activity.

Symposium evaluation: develop a form to evaluate the event and ask suggestions for future ones.

Registration costs: define different costs for early and late registration and for regular participants and students; the cost of the social dinner should be separed from registration fee.

Deadlines:

January 2th Selection of workshop chairs
January 10th Definition of Symposium title
January 15th Workshop content statement sent to Committee
Feb 8th First announcement (leaflet, web page)
April 30th Second announcement
Sep 30th Deadline paper submission (max. 10 pp.)
Dec 15th Reaction to authors
January 31th, 2004 Submission final versions
February 15th, 2004 Submission text posters

Villa Real, December 26th 2002

Welcome .. Background .. Program .. To participate .. To contact .. Useful links

opened at: 2003-01-27
last updated: 2004-05-12
Pedro Ferrão
pferrao@utad.pt