Announcement of High Level Training on GIAHS to be held in China
Beijing, China, 23 July 2014
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) China are organizing the “First High-Level Training course on the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) – Think Globally, Act Locally”. MOA of China has agreed to cover costs for up to 30 participants from specified countries under the South-South Cooperation（SSC) work plan for 2014.
The course will be held in Beijing, from the 14 to the 28 September 2014, with arrival on 14 September and departure on the 28 September 2014. Field visits will be made to selected GIAHS sites in China. Participants will be guided through the process of developing a GIAHS proposal for their own countries.
Course costs will be covered by China for two participants from each of the following countries: Bangladesh; Bhutan; Cambodia; Fiji (or any of the Pacific Islands); India; Indonesia;The Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Maldives; Mongolia; Myanmar; Nepal; The Philippines; Sri Lanka; Thailand and Viet Nam.
The course is also open to participants from other countries, but at their own expense.
Participant profile
Participants must be under 55 and in possession of a diploma, BSc or higher in agriculture, environment, rural development or biological science. They should have a minimum of four years of on-the-job or practical experience and currently be staff members with the representative/s of national governments, national institutions, academic, research institutions and/or civil society organizations.
The applicant must be nominated and endorsed by their national government, and will be subject to approval by the organizers and the availability of an opening. Selection will be conducted by FAO in consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture in Beijing, which will confirm the successful applicants.
Review and study
Before the course begins, participants are requested to undertake a review or study of agricultural development in their own country. The review or study should cover relevant policies, laws and regulations affecting agricultural production and farmers; status and trends in agro-ecological farming systems and indigenous knowledge systems and practices.
Potential trainees should also know about the UNESCO World Heritage list of cultural landscapes and the Man and Biosphere programme. They should be fully aware of the state of indigenous peoples; protected areas; national parks in their own countries. This information will be useful during the training and to help them design and develop a GIAHS proposal for the participant’s own country.
Course topics
Five course modules will cover the GIAHS Conceptual Framework; GIAHS Implementation and Operational Framework; GIAHS within Contemporary Development Issues; GIAHS lessons learned and best practices and GIAHS and the way forward.
Various GIAHS sites will be visited during the training, to be confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture, China.
Course participants must be fluent in English, as training will be conducted in English. There will be simultaneous translation in English and Chinese.
Visa requirement
As there are strict provisions regarding entry into China, those participants requiring an entry visas must obtain one from the Chinese Consulate or Diplomatic Mission in their country before leaving for China. This process could take up to two weeks.
Those who are travelling from a country where there is no Chinese Consulate or Diplomatic Mission can obtain a visa on arrival in China. To do so they must provide FAO their full name, date and place of birth, nationality, passport number, flight number, date of arrival and their travel itinerary. This information must reach FAO Headquarters at least one month before the arrival of participants to permit the course organizers to arrange with the Chinese hosts for the necessary invitation letter and request the issue of an entry visa at the point of entry into China.
Click here to download Concept Note.