Agroforestry practitioners can visit the following websites for information on continuing education opportunities, relevant information materials and upcoming events:
Anancy Virtural Resource Center is a web portal providing numerous information resource materials on agricultural and rural development. It was developed by CTA in collaboration with ZADI/ISICAD of the German Ministry of Agriculture that compiles collections such as agritrade, ICT updates, knowledge for development, technical publications, proceedings, policy briefs and other materials. For more information, visit http://www.anancy.net/. (Source: INASP Newsletter 2005)
ProQuest is an online information service that provides access to thousands of current periodicals and newspapers, theses and dissertations, microfilm, serials and many more. You can access ProQuest at http://www.proquest.com/ (Contributed by Virginia P. Alcantara)
TDREN Group is a new group of small-scale machinery producers, communities and entrepreneurs engaged in implementing community-based projects on renewable energy, tree growing, the leucaena effect in agroforestry, energy farming, wind power and biodiesel using agriculture and forestry wastes for generating power. The TDREN group is inviting interested individuals and institutions to join at [email protected]. The group is being spearheaded by Dr. Carol Cross, a plant ecology expert, with e-mail [email protected].
Joint Venture Agrofrestry Program is a website hosted by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation of the Australian government. It contains information on projects on integrated, sustainable and productive agroforestry within Australian farming systems. For more information, visit http://www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/aft.html.
InfoResources is a repository of information being operated by three Swiss Information services and funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
Information on agriculture and international cooperation can be accessed through InfoAgrar, located at the Swiss College of Agriculture.
Documentation on environment and natural resources in international cooperation can be accessed through the Info Service CDE, which is part of the Centre for Development and Environment of the Institute of Geography, University of Berne.
Meanwhile, information on forests and forestry in international cooperation can be accessed through Inforest. For more information, visit http://www.inforesources.ch/about.htm.
Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA) has been involved in empowering the poor in developing countries to manage their own development. Through its website, VITA provides technical information to developing countries on various areas in agriculture such as beekeeping, rabbit raising, fertilizer making, grain storage, and energy-related subjects including the building of water mills, wind turbines, solar water heaters, and many others. For more information, visit http://www.vital.org (Reprinted with permission from ILEIA).
Rainforest Alliance has been helping to protect ecosystems and the people and the wildlife that depend on them by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior.
Consisting of 53 member-countries, the alliance certifies farm, forestry and tourism operations that meet the strict standards for balancing environmental, social and economic considerations.
The sustainable agriculture program provides farmers with incentives to meet the standards and encourages companies and consumers to support the farms and thereby make improvements toward sustainability.
The alliance is also the international secretariat of the Sustainable Agriculture Network, a coalition of leading conservation groups that links responsible farmers with conscientious consumers by means of the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal of approval.
The alliance also publishes newsletters including the bi-monthly Eco-Exchange (Ambien-Tema in Spanish) circulated to journalists, conservation groups, scientists and government agencies. The newsletters are also available in their website http://www.rainforestalliance.org/ (Reprinted with permission from ILEIA).
Centre for Information on Low External Input and Sustainable Agriculture (ILEIA) helps identify promising technologies that do not involve or marginally involve external inputs while building local knowledge and traditional technologies. It focuses on the involvement of farmers in development through LEISA or low external input sustainable agriculture. LEISA helps create viable small-scale farming by providing farmers with the technical and social options to increase productivity, income and efficiently utilizes local resources. Stories and experiences in LEISA are featured in the LEISA magazine which can be accessed at http://www.leisa.info/index.html. The website also features other relevant information materials and upcoming events.
US Department of Agriculture National Agroforestry Center (USDA NAC) offers free information materials via its website. Among these materials are its specialty forest product series and windbreak series. Other publications include a colouring book for children, Growing carbon: a new crop that helps agricultural producers and the climate too. Videos on the Windbreak renovation and Silvopasture: an agroforestry practice can be previewed online. Visit http://www.unl.edu/nac/pubs.html or contact Ryan Dee at (402) 436-5178 ext 14. (Compiled by Leah Arboleda and Eileen Calaycay-Cardona)
