IAPPS NEWSLETTER

Number VII      July, 2005

WELCOME TO OUR NEW IAPPS BOARD MEMBER

The Executive Committee of the IAPPS Governing Board has appointed Dr. Segenet Kelemu (a native of Ethiopia) as the new Regional Coordinator for Region VIII (Latin America/Caribbean).
Segenet is a molecular plant pathologist with emphasis on elucidation of molecular determinants of host-pathogen interactions, development of novel plant disease control strategies including transgenics, pathogen population genetics and dynamics, endophytic microbes and their role in plant development. Since January, 2005, she has been appointed Leader, Crop and Agroecosystem Health Management (where IPM is housed) at CIAT, Cali, Colombia.
After obtaining a B.Sc. (Honors) in plant science from the Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, a M.Sc. from Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA (Area of research: Genetics of disease resistance) and her Ph.D. in molecular bacteriology/cloning of bacterial genes at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, she was awarded a post-doc at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
She is a prolific writer, with more than 60 publications (including refereed journal articles, invited book chapters and conference papers). One of her recent publications titled "Harmonizing the Agricultural Biotechnology Debate for the Benefit of African Farmers" ([Special Anniversary Review] African Journal of Biotechnology 2: 394-416) examines the agricultural biotechnology issues and relates them to the situation in Africa. On behalf of IAPPS, I would like to welcome Segenet on the Governing Board, and wish her full success. She can be reached at s.kelemu@cgiar.org.

Dr. E. A. "Short" Heinrichs
IAPPS Secretary General
Program Director, IPM CRSP
Virginia Tech University
Blacksburg, VA, USA
Email: ipm-dir@vt.edu

REGIONAL PESTICIDES REGULATORY INITIATIVE IN WEST AFRICA

Regional regulatory harmonization was the topic of discussion at the Annual Workshop of the West and Central Africa Members of CropLife Africa Middle East (WCA Hub). The meeting opened on April 5, 2005, at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture in Cotonou, Benin, and was organized in corporation with the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) following a MoU signed last year to support regulatory initiatives in the region. Held under the presidency of the Honorable Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Republic of Benin, and under the patronage of West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the 2-day workshop focused on the establishment of a regional pesticides regulatory framework in West Africa, in view of the common agricultural policies of WAEMU, and the regional economic integration of ECOWAS. Other issues addressed at the meeting included: training and local capacity building; obsolete stocks and the Africa Stockpiles Program; EU Regulations, particularly in relation to Maximum Residue Levels; and spraying equipment for safety and effectiveness in crop protection.
In his opening address, the Minister of Agriculture for Benin invited participants to "set-up a 'Road Map' for concerted regional actions and follow-up, as the initiative will serve as coordinating platform to regulate and ensure proper uses of pesticides in improving agricultural productivity in the sub-region."
Yves Demeure, Vice-President and WCA Hub Chair of CropLife Africa Middle East, called on the vital need for cooperation between the plant science industry and regulatory authorities. "We are committed to assisting and cooperating with countries and regional organizations to establish regionally harmonized regulatory schemes that make more effective use of the limited resources of individual countries, as well as fostering co-operations that encourage proper use of our products and promote sustainable agriculture," he said.
In addition to industry experts and national association members of CropLife Africa Middle East, workshop participants include regulatory authorities and pesticides registrars from ECOWAS countries, as well as delegates from the Sahelien Committee on Pesticides (CSP, Comité Sahélien des Pesticides); the Permanent Interstate Committee to Combat Desertification in the Sahel (CILSS, Comité Permanent Inter-Etats de Lutte contre la Sécheresse dans le Sahel); and the Phytopharmaceutical Committee of the Humid Zone of East and Central Africa (CPHAOC, Comité Phytopharmaceutique de la zone Humide de l'Afrique de l'ouest et du Centre).

For more information please contact:
Bama YAO, Coordinator WCA Hub
Tel.: +225-224 150 10/Fax: +225-224 150 28
E-mail: bama-croplife@aviso.ci

CHINA SOCIETY OF PLANT PROTECTION
2004 ANNUAL REPORT AND 2005 ACTIVITY PLAN

After the 15th IPPC was successfully held in Beijing on May 11-16, 2004, the main tasks performed by the China Society of Plant Protection under the leadership of the Supervisory Council and the Presidency of Prof. Cheng Zhuo-min in 2004 were the following:

1. The annual academic meeting was held in the Suzhou City, Jiangsu province on Oct. 25-28, 2004. More than 200 plant protection scientists from 26 regions have attended the meeting. Its leading theme was "technological systems for sustainable control of crop pests --in the development paradigm of plant protection science and technology". There were 10 plenary lectures focused on the following topics: research advances of plant protection in the world based on the scientific program conducted during the 15th IPPC, pest forecast techniques, biological control, plant resistance, biosafety assessment of GMO, the effects of allelochemical stress produced by plants, vegetable pest management, ecological management of cotton aphids, medium and long-term prospects for plant protection science, etc.
   
2. The 2nd National Symposium of Bio-pesticides and the 3rd National Workshop of Novel and Eco-friendly Pesticides and Technology were held at the same time in Wuhan city, Hubei province on Nov. 21-24, 2004. More than 150 delegates attended the two meetings and they were researchers, extensionists, management officials, entrepreneurs from institutes, universities and companies. 95 research papers were submitted to the meetings, 16 of them were chosen through public appraisal as excellent research papers.
   
3. The 7th National Weed Sciences Conference celebrating the 50th anniversary of chemical herbicide application in China, was held in Haerbin city, Heilongjiang Province. A total of 9 lectures were given by eminent weed scientists during the Conference. On the basis of weed science and safety of environment and foodstuff, the delegates reviewed the development history of chemical herbicide application in China, actively discussed the problems related to weed control and brought forward suggestions how to minimize adverse effects of herbicides.
   
4. The 8th National teaching and research symposium of pesticide science was conducted in Yangling, Shanxi Province to promote the cooperation of teaching and research in weed science.
   
5. Besides the above activities, the CSPP also mobilized plant protection scientists to go to the countryside for publicizing the knowledge of plant protection.

The new workplan of the China Society of Plant Protection in 2005

1. Six academic meetings and one training course will be held this year, focusing on biological control, improvement of pesticide application technique, invasive pests and their management, sustainable integrated pest management, etc.
2. The meeting of provincial presidents, provincial secretaries-general and division leaders of CSPP will be held on 23-26 March in Hubei Province to prepare the "November Meeting" (see below) and other things.
3. The annual general assembly of the national members will be held in early November 2005 in Hangzhou ( about 400-500 people ) to report progress on Plant Protection Sciences; to award best research papers from published; to select about 20 distinguish young Chinese scientists for special awards, and to reelect the CSPP council.

Prof. Cheng Zhuo-min
President of the China Society of Plant Protection
IAPPS Regional Coordinator for Region V-B (East/SE Asia)
E-mail: zmcheng@ippcaas.cn

The IAPPS Newsletter is published by the International Association for the Plant Protection Sciences and distributed in Crop Protection to members and other subscribers. Crop Protection, published by Elsevier, is the Official Journal of IAPPS. IAPPS Mission: to provide a global forum for the purpose of identifying, evaluating, integrating, and promoting plant protection concepts, technologies, and policies that are economically, environmentally, and socially acceptable. It seeks to provide a global umbrella for the plant protection sciences to facilitate and promote the application of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to a the world's crop and forest ecosystems. Membership Information: IAPPS has four classes of membership (individual, affiliate, associate, and corporate) which are described here. The IAPPS Newsletter welcomes news, letters, and other items of interest from individuals and organizations. Address correspondence and information to: Dr. Manuele Tamo, Editor IAPPS Newsletter Biological Control Center for Africa, IITA-Benin 08 B.P. 0932 Tri Postal, Cotonou, Republic of Benin E-mail: m.tamo@cgiar.org