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August 2005
Coming Soon
China and the CGIAR
Two of China's most respected science journalists and writers
will tour three CGIAR centers in Asia by October this year. Jianke
Jiang from the People's Daily and Jian Fan from Science and
Technology Daily will visit IRRI, CIFOR and WorldFish Center. These
visits mark the start of a new CGIAR public awareness campaign in
China to raise the profile of the CG system in the world's
fastest growing economy. The aim of this tour is to introduce the
two well-known journalists to some of the CG centers so that they
can write about the CGIAR with greater authority and expertise when
they return to China. Also, on their return to China they will
start writing about CGIAR research in the field. Eventually, it is
hoped that these two journalists will be able to visit most of the
other CG centers.
Recent Activities
Japan
Forum and Associated Events, July
13-15, 2005, Tokyo, Japan
"Perspectives of R&D for Improving Agricultural
Productivity in Africa - what and how can Japan contribute to
Africa?" was the theme of the Forum at the J-FARD & JIRCAS
International Symposium held at the U Thant Conference Hall, United
Nations University, Tokyo, Japan. The conference was co-sponsored
by JICA / UNU/ FAOLOJA and held under the auspices of the CGIAR,
the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Japanese
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). A series of
presentations were introduced by the JIRCAS President and cosponsor
organizations. CGIAR Chairman Ian Johnson delivered a keynote
speech on "Opportunities and Challenges of African
Agriculture". Historical perspectives, research highlights,
development impact and collaborative research ventures were
discussed. The latter topic was illustrated by a series of
presentations by six Directors General of CGIAR Centers. An
attractive area for CGIAR Center publications generated positive
comments and interest.
Please click here
for photos of the event
New Marketing Group Chair Appointed
Klaus von Grebmer is now the new chair of the Marketing
Group. Klaus succeeds Helen Leitch of WorldFish Center who is
stepping down after serving her term as MG Chair. Klaus is the
director of IFPRI's Communications Division which is based in
Washington DC. The MG Chair term is for two years.
Healing Wounds Press Conference, New Delhi, 27 June
2005
The Healing Wounds initiative spreads the word
on how Centers help nations recover following natural disasters and
conflicts. Following the successful Kabul launch in February, a
press conference was held on 27 June 2005 in New Delhi which
focused on how the issue impacts South and Southeast Asia (e.g.
tsunami recovery). Twenty-eight journalists from major media firms
in New Delhi attended the press event. Prof MS Swaminathan (father
of India's Green Revolution); Dr William Dar, Director General
of ICRISAT and Chairman of the Future Harvest Centers Alliance
Executive; and Dr. Robert Zeigler, Director General of IRRI were
the main panelists and backstopped by representatives of three
other Centers (CIP, ILRI and IWMI). Ten Centers have offices in New
Delhi - CIFOR, CIMMYT, CIP, ICRAF, ICRISAT, IFPRI, ILRI, IPGRI,
IRRI, and IWMI. The next Healing Wounds press conference will be
convened by ILRI Nairobi in October, focusing on CGIAR
interventions in Eastern and Southern Africa.
Innovative
Ideas
CGIAR-Project Manager (CG-PM) Projects
Interface
Two new modules are being developed for
CG-PM in collaboration with the Marketing Group, ICT-KM and CIAT
CG-PM Development Team. The first module would interface with
existing databases in the CG-PM to make available project summaries
searchable by key word, target region, target country, CG priority
area, project status, organization and donor. Anyone with access to
the CGIAR Intranet/Extranet would be able to access this
information. This module aims to promote increased knowledge
sharing, collaboration, and serves as a 'marketplace' to
promote projects for funding. The second module would interface
with existing databases in the CG-PM to make available project
summary information (as in the first module) in addition to
proposals, reports and contracts. Access to this module is
restricted. Each investor can only access information on the
projects they are funding. This module aims to consolidate the
CGIAR as a key client by making it easier for investors to
collaborate with the CGIAR and to decrease the administrative
workload by making it easy to access project
information.
Foundation Centers' On-line Plus Service
A
cost-effective group subscription to the Foundation Centers'
On-line Plus Service has been arranged by the Marketing Group,
reducing the costs for these Centers compared to the cost of
individual subscriptions. Ten centers have signed up for this
on-line service - ICARDA, The WorldFish Center, World Agroforestry
Centre, IPGRI/Global Crop Diversity Trust, IFPRI, CIP, CIMMYT,
ILRI, and ICRISAT. Founded in 1956, the Foundation Center is
dedicated to serving grant seekers, grant makers, researchers,
policymakers, the media, and the general public by the effective
allocation of philanthropic resources, informed public discourse
about philanthropy, and broad understanding of the contributions of
nonprofit activity to civil society. The Foundation Center updates
donor and grants information weekly.
Welcome Wagon
Meet Paul Stapleton: Paul Stapleton is
Head of the Department of Communications and Public
Awareness at the International Potato Center
(CIP), in Lima, Peru, land of the potato. Before arriving
at CIP, Paul spent 2 years handling the communications of the South
Pacific Regional Environment Program in an organization based in
Samoa but operating throughout the Pacific grappling with such
problems as coral reef degradation, turtle conservation, waste
handling on small tropical islands and which sun block to wear
while wind surfing. Before that he spent a year as a consultant
writer at CIFOR, which came on the heels of a 13-year stint at
IPGRI as Head of Publications. Originally a biologist and trained
at Elsevier in the Netherlands in the arcane rituals of science
editing, Paul is now looking to increase the impact of CIP's
scientific communications activities as well as develop the wider
communication and public awareness issues surrounding the
potato.
If you have any comments or questions about this newsletter or
the work of the Marketing Group please contact Helen Leitch
h.leitch@cgiar.org or Fionna Douglas
f.douglas@cgiar.org
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