VISITORS AND VOLUNTEERS IN 2003
Visitor
Mohammed
Dost, Forage Crops Specialist with the FAO Programme in Northern
Iraq was in Rome for discussions for a week from 19th February.
Under the Iraq Programme he has been evaluating and undertaking
seed multiplication of various fodder species, establishing various
trials and demonstrations plus working with farmers in the 3 Governorates
of Erbil, Dohuk and Suleimaniyah. Previously he authored the publication
Fodder success
story - improved fodder crop production in the Northern Areas of
Pakistan in the FAO/AGPC Integrated
Crop Management Series and a paper on The
introduction and use of oat (Avena sativa) cultivars in Pakistan.
A new paper entitled Fodder production
for peri-urban dairies in Pakistan has been included in the
Electronic Library. While in Rome he worked with other officers
from the Iraq Programme under the guidance of Alfredo Impiglia in
preparing various documents relating to the Iraq Programme and AGPC
backstopped technical work in Iraq and is preparing several manuscripts
on highlights and success stories from the work so far undertaken
in Iraq.
Visitor
Ms Laura Tenconi, from
Italy, worked with the Grassland Group for two months from 20th
April to 25th May. Laura holds a degree from the University of Milan
in Animal Production Science, with Zootechnic and Environmental
specialization. She has collaborated with the Universitad Autonoma
De Barcelona, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, working
on a project focused on the development of transgenic animal models
and study of the pathogenic mechanism of diabetes mellitus and the
development of gene therapy approaches for this disease. She collected
information for the FAO Grassland Website and preparing two different
studies: one related to statistical information on world/country
grassland and fodder crop areas and production and the other focusing
on grassland biodiversity
in Umbria.
Visitor
Alec Holm, Rangeland Specialist with the FAO Programme in
Northern Iraq was in Rome in March and April working on emergency
planning and longer-term planning for rehabilitation of the agricultural
sector in Iraq. Alec worked in Iraq from April 2001 under the Oil
for Food programme and concentrated on a community-based approach
to improved management of rangelands and to the rehabilitation of
degraded rangeland. He assisted local authorities with the preparation
of a policy document: 'Guiding principles for use and management
of the forest, rangeland and wildlife of northern Iraq'. He also
worked on improving the knowledge base on grazing systems and helped
local authorities establish three operational herbaria based on
extensive plant collections during 2001 and 2002. Overview
of work undertaken under the Northern Iraq Rangeland Programme,
The Qapakian Project and
Range Surveys in
2002.
Visitor
Biodiversity and protected area specialist Gianluca Serra
spent the period 16-22 January, 2003 at Hqs in AGPC working with
the Grassland Group and FORC preparing the first draft of a publication
entitled “Biodiversity: From indifference to awareness”.
Mr Serra has been working in Syria for 3 years, based in Palmyrah
with the project “Range
Rehabilitation and Establishment of a Wildlife Reserve in the Syrian
Steppe (Consolidation Phase II). The publication will present
information and images related to the process of ecological awareness
raising among the local community of Bedouin nomadic pastoralists
and Palmyrean hunters, which is being undertaken through in-service
training and their involvement in project activities. In operation
since 1996, one major aim of the project has been to promote biodiversity
conservation within the country. Main goals of the project are the
development of the first Syrian functional protected area (Al Talila
Reserve), the rehabilitation of the surrounding rangelands, and
the initiation of conservation education and ecological public awareness
programmes. Recently the project has been focusing on possible partnership
with two conservation NGOs to protect a critically endangered bird,
the Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita), which is a key rangeland
ecological indicator.
Volunteer
Ms. Orsolya Jeney, from Hungary, worked with the Grassland
Group for 4 months from 13th February to 13th May, 2003. Orsolya
is a third year student at the Budapest University of Economical
Sciences and Public Administration studying International Relations.
Prior to attending the University in Budapest, Orsolya won a two-year
UWC scholarship to go to India for 2 years, to the Mahindra United
World College of India (www.muwci.net),
where she studied for her international baccalaureate and as part
of her studies was involved in a number of voluntary social activities
with underprivileged groups. Orsolya worked in a number of areas
including assisting with the website of the Grassland Group, helping
with translation of text into several languages and was also involved
with the production of a number of publications.
