Awaits You! - University of Namibia

Meet Our Partners
AGRISSON
Our host country partner, the Agricultural Scientific Society of Namibia (AGRISSON), is a non-profit society that strives to promote the application of agricultural scientific principles within Namibia by means of active interaction between individuals and
institutions associated with the agricultural sector.
AGRISSON was founded in 1987, with 51 people attending the meeting. Amongst those present were persons from agricultural institutions, scientists and farmers. The society was founded to create a body that would serve to exchange scientific
knowledge and to promote agricultural sciences.
For its members and the local agricultural community, AGRISSON objectives include the following:
• To promote the agricultural sciences by stimulation of thought, mind, studies and discussion
• To promote the application of agricultural scientific principles
• To protect the status of the profession
• To promote the professional interests of agricultural scientists
• To act as official mouthpiece and representative of all agricultural scientists in Namibia
• To promote the awareness of agriculture as a field of study and job by studying youth as well as the public
• To communicate with internal and external organizations and individuals who can contribute meaningfully toward achieving the society’s objectives
The membership and leadership are pleased to welcome the members of AIAEE, IAALD and INFITA to our country and look forward to sharing our knowledge and experience next July.
http://www.agrisson.iway.na/
IAALD
The International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists (IAALD) is a professional non-profit organization with over 50 years of service to the information profession. The organization was formed in Ghent, Belgium, in
1955 to provide networking and sharing opportunities for agricultural librarians and documentalists and to create products and services to further the dissemination of agricultural information. Over the years, the all-volunteer
organization has been instrumental in producing information tools such as World Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology Abstracts, now part of the CABI Database, and three editions of Agricultural Information Resource
Centres: A World Directory, a publication pulling together information on over 4,000 agricultural resource centers around the world. The organization also has produced a major serial publication during the past 50 years. The
Quarterly Bulletin of IAALD began as a member newsletter, and by 1970, had evolved into a professional journal that became peer reviewed in 1990. In 2008, the journal changed its focus and scope and became an electronic, open
access journal entitled Agricultural Information Worldwide (http://journals.sfu.ca/iaald/index.php/aginfo).
Today, IAALD continues to be an active and engaged organization that connects agricultural information specialists from all over the world. In its 50-plus year history, it has held 13 world congresses on six of the seven continents,
multiple regional conferences and training sessions. IAALD does not publish information on agricultural topics — we enable our members to better serve their communities by providing access to this information. IAALD continues to create, capture,
access and disseminate information, but our methods have changed. We engage our members through social networking and provide services such as AgInfo News (iaald.blogspot.com), an online newsfeed highlighting current agricultural information
activities and initiatives on a global level. IAALD has a network of members in over 60 countries with chapters in Africa and China. The organization collaborates and partners with organizations such as AIAEE to facilitate educational opportunities across
agricultural information communities.
http://www.iaald.org/
The International Federation of Information Technology in Agriculture (INFITA) is a consortium of multidisciplinary organizations focused on the use of computer and communication technologies to improve outcomes in agriculture, including the
production of food and food supply chains, the communication between agriculture, food production and consumers, the protection of the environment in rural areas, and the organization of regional, national or international trade.
INFITA
INFITA is composed of the following international organizations:
• Asian Federation of IT in Agriculture (AFITA)
• European Federation of IT in Agriculture (EFITA)
• PanAmerican Federation of IT in Agricuture (PanAFITA)
• International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists (IAALD)
• International Commission of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (CIGR)
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO-KCE)
INFITA seeks to develop partnerships with organizations focused on improving agriculture and associated industries, particularly in geographic regions where IT organizations are lacking. In joining with AIAEE for the meeting in Namibia, INFITA’s focus is
to support AIAEE activities in Africa as well as to build the necessary relationships to increase the number of agricultural IT professionals in the region.
http://www.infita.org/
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October 2010 Volume 28 Number 3
October 2010 Volume 28 Number 3
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