COORDINATOR: A. Borghese
Istituto Sperimentale per la Zootecnia
Via Salaria, 31 '00016 Monterotondo, Italy

I. OBJECTIVES OF THE NETWORK

The main objective of the Network is to develop a system of cooperation among research institutions from buffalo producing countries of Europe and the Near East with a view to providing scientific and professional support to the buffalo production sector in general and to small subsistence farmers in particular. The Network collects and analyses data on production systems, buffalo reproduction and marketing of buffalo products, and disseminates the information through meetings; workshops and the "Buffalo Newsletter". Short- to medium-term objectives include collection of data on animal genetic diversity, reproduction and the establishment of performance recording systems.

a. Structure

The Network consists of four working groups:

1. Reproduction and Biotechnology - L. Kanchev (Bulgaria)

2. Livestock Systems - F. El Kirabi (Egypt)

3. Products - D. Matassino (Italy)

4. Genetic resources - B. Moioli (Italy)

b. Objectives of the working groups

1. Working Group - Reproduction and Biotechnology

The Group acts as a forum for exchange of research results and as a coordinating body for research on the buffalo reproduction and biotechnology. The Group has identified major issues affecting buffalo reproduction and the efficiency of the buffalo production and adopted a programme of cooperative research in the following fields:

• puberty and ovarian activity maintenance;

• post partum anoestrus and interpartum period reduction;

• ovulation detection and improvements in artificial insemination efficiency;

• seasonality and oestrus induction;

• superovulation and embryo transfer;

• in vitro maturation and fertilisation.

The main objective of the Group is to contribute to the efficiency of buffalo production through the attainment of better reproduction rates, early maturity and development and improvement of insemination efficiency. The Group organised an International Symposium on Buffalo Reproduction (Sofia, Bulgaria, 6-8 October 1995) the Proceedings of which were published in the Bulgarian-Journal of Agricultural Sciences, Vol. 2, N. 1 1996 (1-132).

2. Working Group - Livestock Systems

The objective of the Group is to improve efficiency of buffalo production through enhanced research in the area of production systems, in particular for small holders conditions. To ascertain and calculate the buffalo nutritional requirements for growth, pregnancy and milk production; to improve the quality of crop residues as a base for buffalo nutrition in extensive production systems were considered as a priority for research and extension. The Group was the organiser of a Symposium on Buffalo Resources (Cairo, Egypt, October 1996) the proceedings of which were published by the Animal Production Research Institute of Cairo.

3. Working Group - Buffalo products

The major objective of the Group is to provide scientific base and guidelines for production, control and protection of quality of typical buffalo products, to enhance consumption and thus to contribute to the efficiency of the sector and to improve standards of buffalo producers.

The Working Group organises exchange of experience and information on on-going research in buffalo products. Research covers consumption and marketing of buffalo products. Results of comparative studies on buffalo products: milk, meat and skin, were presented at the International Symposium on Buffalo Products held at Paestum, Italy (1-4 December, 1994) and published in the EAAP Publication No. 82, 1996 (1-271).

4. Working Group - Genetic resources

The Group has two objectives:

• Introduction of milk performance recording of buffalo in developing countries through drafting simplified guidelines according to the standards of the International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR), that promoted a Meeting in Slovenia (Bled, 16-17 May 2000).
• Comparative studies of genetic diversity of buffalo breeds.

a. Joint programmes with other organisation.

a. l with the International Buffalo Federation

The Coordination centre of the Buffalo Network (Animal Production Research Institute, Rome) has actively participated in the organisation of the Fifth World Buffalo Congress (Caserta 13-16 October 1997) together with the International Buffalo Federation, through: (i) revising the papers to be presented at the Congress; (ii) editing the Proceedings; (iii) convening a round table during the Congress on the status of the buffalo research and the future priorities in Europe and the Near East.

a.2 with the animal nutrition scientists of Italian Universities.

The Coordination centre of the Buffalo Network (Animal Production Research Institute, Rome) has involved the Italian scientists in animal feeding and nutrition and convened a meeting in Turkey (Antakya, 8-10 October, 1998) with buffalo farmers of several countries to discuss feeding strategies in intensive and extensive production systems.

a.3 with INTERBULL (International Committee for Standardisation of genetic evaluation of bulls).

a.4 with the International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR) to promote buffalo recording in developing countries through the draft of simplified standardised guidelines.

b. Results

1. Major achievement of the round table on the status/future of buffalo research (1997) was to have convened not only participant of the traditional countries (Egypt, Bulgaria, Romania, Iraq, Syria, Greece, Italy, Turkey) but also Azerbaijan and Iran. The round table was therefore the first step in the cooperation with these two more isolated countries.
2. Major achievement of the Workshop on buffalo feeding (1998) was to put together buffalo farmers that presented their practical problems in buffalo feeding and high level nutritionists. The discussion dealt with both intensive and extensive feeding systems. Results of the discussion are published in issue no. 11 (1999) of the Buffalo newsletter.
3. Major achievement of the INTERBULL meetings (1997) was the decision to involve a few countries in a pilot multi-country project of bull evaluation, that will likely start in 2001 as soon as the difficulties met because of the regulation of semen export/import will be overtaken.
4. Major achievement of the cooperation with the International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR) was the organisation of the Joint FAO-ICAR Workshop on Animal recording for improved buffalo management strategies (2000) to which 30 participants of 17 countries took part. The output of the Workshop are the Simplified guidelines for milk recording in buffalo in developing countries that are in agreement with the ICAR standards, and were drafted to promote animal recording at country level as well as exchange of information on buffalo productivity in the world.
5. The coordination centre has conducted a survey on the extent of milk recording of buffalo and has published the results of this survey that include data on production and reproductive parameters of 15 countries.
6. A research project aiming to evaluate the genetic diversity of three populations of buffalo- is being carried out within the network activities. This is the only research project started thanks to the international links created by the network. Participating countries are Italy, Greece and Egypt. The Animal Genetics laboratory of the Animal Production Research Institute, Rome, has provided the facilities, the researchers and the consumables for the research, and the DNA samples of the Italian buffalo population. The Greek and Egyptian partners have provided the DNA samples of the buffalo populations of the respective countries.
7. A visiting professor of Animal Breeding from North Iraq was host by the Coordination centre of the Buffalo network for three weeks during Summer 2000, and was offered the opportunity to visit Italian Universities and breeders cooperatives with the purpose to start a bilateral cooperative research/development project on livestock genetic improvement.
8. The scientifically/technical journal of the Buffalo network (Buffalo newsletter) is regularly published twice every year and circulated in 1,200 copies.

External financial support for network activities

Except for the workshops (that were all financed by FAO REUS and RNE), other activities Were financed by FAO-AGA (development of milk recording of buffalo) and by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture (genetic diversity of different buffalo populations).

Organisational difficulties and solutions

Our network is composed mainly by developing countries' that are also politically isolated (Eastern Europe, Near East). In the organisation of any meeting, a huge amount of work (at least two full-time months) is waisted in the procedures to provide the visas to the participants. We do not see solutions to this problems, therefore we take care of all the procedures because we want to continue this cooperation activity. However, we have the impression that, in general, the FAO representations in the developing countries which we are cooperating with do not offer the practical help that they could provide during these procedures.

A second difficulty is the lack of facilities, in a few countries, to connect to Internet. Also in this case we suggest that the FAO respective representations be active either in providing such tools to the network coordinator, or to speed up communications between coordination centre and national coordinators through other means (fax, telephone, express courier, etc).

Financial constraints

These are the major constraints, because we deal only with developing countries. This is also the reasons for which three Working Groups have not been active during the past three years.

In fact, the ongoing network activity is being carried out either by the coordination centre (Italy) or by the Working Group on Genetic Resources (also coordinated by Italy).

Suggestion: proposals to support the network activities might be done directly and officially by FAO to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the member countries.

Future activities

The project to investigate in the genetic diversity of buffalo will continue, because many countries expressed their interest in being included in it. However, when many more samples will need to be analysed, it will be impossible to carry out all the DNA typing only in the Italian laboratory for lack of funds. It is necessary to provide funds for including other laboratories (including the training, the facilities and the consumables).

The project for promoting buffalo milk recording as well as the regular survey to compare buffalo productivity will continue. One country has demonstrated interest to start this activity even with no external financial support (Turkey).

Workshop on developments in buffalo A.I. technology. Istituto Sperimentale -per la Zootecnia (Rome, Italy, October 2001).

The workshop objective is to provide informations on the state of art of artificial insemination (A.I.) in buffalo and to exchange the experiences of participants.

It will last two days in which Keynote Lectures will be presented and followed by discussion. About 25 participants are expected

Program

1st day: Key Lectures: .

- Factors affecting Breeding Activity and Fertility in the Buffalo

- Oestrous Cycle and Techniques Used in Oestrus Detection

- Artificial Control of Oestrus and Ovulation

2nd day: Key Lectures:

- Factors influencing Uptake of A.I.

- Semen Quality and Fertility in Buffalo Bulls

- Freezing of Buffalo Semen

- Insemination Procedure

1. The buffalo network is the only in the world
2. The Buffalo Newsletter is a helpful way of communication and transfer of technical and scientific news.
3. The network is the propositive centre of international research projects.
4. In the past the Coordinator received $ 10,000 for meetings and $ 4,000 for coordination expenses; this year we received only $ 500 for the coordination, insufficient to publish newsletter and to promote common projects with developing countries, that are (except for Italy and Greece) the components of our network.

The network was initiated in 1 990 and officially established in 1 991. It incorporates all European Rice producing countries as well as countries outside of Europe with a Mediterranean climate such California and Australia. The second technical Consultation (Arles, France, 4-7 September 1 996) discussed supply and demand for Mediterranean rice, research programs, variety characteristics and rice cultivation in Australia and California. It reviewed rice cultivation and research in participating countries and activities of its working groups.

The network is oriented to research on Mediterranean rice varieties Research on tropical varieties is covered by international organisations such as the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Centro Uernacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) and the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA).

OBJECTVES, STRUCTURE

The main objective of the Network is to develop scientific exchanges between scientists from national research institutions working on Mediterranean rice.

The challenge is to maintain and, if possible, to increase scientific activity at the level of excellence in conditions where scientists are scattered in small teams working for very different national policies.

These objectives are achieving by

• regular meetings with dissemination of their proceedings. At the beginning organised by disciplinary sub groups, these meetings are becoming more and more thematics and multidisciplinars.
• Publication of newsletter MEDORYZAE, oriented towards scientists and professionals.
• Developing access to international financing (mainly European) for cooperatives research programs.

The structure is organised by disciplinary, which played an important role at the beginning. There are Five sub groups: Biotechnology, Breeding, Agronomy, Technology and Economy/Marketing. Now responsibles for cooperatives programmes are associated to management of the Network.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

After ten years, we can say that it is exixting a scientific community; about 70 scientists are participating regularly to meetings and have produced one or more communications, on a total of about 200 scientists recessed. .

In biotechnology, an important development of researches is focused on genome description as support for others cereals. The Network facilitates linkages between teams and participates to debates about finality and relations with research and development. A next meeting is in preparation, organised by biotechnology foundation of Turin, expecting support by European Union.

In Breeding we can observe an acceleration of research with the subnetwork. An important and original program about European genetic resources, financed by E.U., will provide the matter of the international symposium in Krasnodar (Russia) in 2 001.

In agronomy, several European programs are born with the Network, on pests (piryculariose in particular) and red rice. Two others topics were discussed recently, in Egypt and Turkey, concerning Water management and Crop management. A systemic approach is emerging.

In technology and marketing, an important effort was spend about the quality and competitiveness, with an international symposium held in Nottingham (England) in 1 997. Several cooperations between France and Eastern Countries, are continuing on this theme.

But, in my opinion, the best result of the network is the creation of a space of dialog and reflection on the efficient research for rice sector, where the multiplidisciplinarity plays an essential role.

A simple indicator confirms the interest from scientists for the Network. It is their progressive and significant financing for meetings.

Organisation Scientists are participating with serious and real interest. But, the majority of them, because are working in small teams and narrow relations with development, have few capacity to take initiative for develop international cooperation For that the network remain very dependant of a " providential " coordinator. This difficulty is not corrected by the dynamism of the institutions, except some cases.

The elaboration of the European research programs is an excellent opportunity to mobilise and improve the scientific level. The network demonstrated its utility in this domain. Since 1.994 Six programs were or are supported by E. U. directly or indirectly prepared by members of the network.

Financial constraint The Network had the advantage of the financial support from France during the 5 first years of its existence. With The FAO support we had the indispensable seed money for publications, news letters and first meetings. Progressively scientists and their institutions took a main part of their participation. The realisation of cooperatives programs brought means for the real scientific activity. We have difficulty to mobilise private money in a sector where organisations and complex European market, let few place for dynamic structural policy, where the research would have a better part.

In the future we can hope that E.U. and FAO which have common interest in development of good scientific relations in Europe and Mediterranean areas, will find solutions to support rice network, and others networks, with harmony. In thus field, in the past, we had some difficulties to benefit normal synergy from the two enormous bodies

Public and Private research With a particular development of the researches in rice biotechnology for a better knowledge for more important cereals (wheat, maize, sorghum...), we assist to the difficulty to use this new potential for rice production and, corollary, the difficulty to mobilise public finance for agronomics and more generally for research and development. Where the private support for research is deficient, we are going toward a dangerous distortion of the competitiveness.

SREN publications

No. 46 Renewable Energy Potential energy Crops for Europe and the Mediterranean Region REU Technical Sedes 46. FAO. 1996. 200 per.

Nut publications

No. 51 Inventory of Almond Research. Germplasm and References, REU Technical Series 51. FAO~ 1997. 232 pp.

RICE NETWORK PUBLICATIONS

Proceedings of the Workshop on Rice Breeding and Biotechnology, Szarvas, Hungary, 4-7 February 1994. Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes, Volume 8bis. CIHEAM/FAO, 1994.

Volume 15 - MedNetRice (réseau FAO-CIHEAM) Action concertéel/oncerted action: qualité et compétitivité des riz européens/quality and competitiveness of European rice (séminaires/workshops 1994-1995)

n° 1. Perspectives agronomiques de la culture du riz en Méditerranée: réduire la consommation de l'eau et des engrais / Agronomic outlook in Mediterranean rice cultivation: cutting down water consumption and fertilizers. Actes du groupe Agronomie, Sibari, Italie, 19-23 octobre 1994. Ed. J. CHATAIGNER.- Montpellier: CIHEAM/FAO, 1996.- 98 p.

n° 2. Economie du riz dans le bassin méditerranéen/Rice Economics in the Mediterranean Region. Actes du séminaire de Côrdoba, Espagne, 15-16 décembre 1994. Ed. J. CHATAIGNER.- Montpellier: CIHEAM, 1996.- 160 p.

n° 3. Maladies du riz en région méditerranéenne et les possibilités d'amélioration de sa résistance/Rice diseases in the Mediterranean region and breeding for resistance. Actes du séminaire de Montpellier, France, 15-17 mai 1995. Ed. J. CHATAIGNER.- Montpellier: CIHEAM/FAO, 1997.- 148 p.

n° 4. Qualité des riz européens : recherches en cours. Actes du séminaire d'Arles, 18-20 mai 1995. Ed. M. MOURZELAS.- Montpellier: CIHEAM/AC UE DGVI, 1996.- 146 p.

Volume 24 -MedNetRice (réseau FAO-CIHEAM) Action concertée/concerted action: qualité et compétitivité des riz européens/ quality and competitiveness of European rice (séminaires 1996)

n° 1. Une approche de la consommation du riz dans six pays européens par la méthode des groupes cibles (première étape)/A focus group approach to the consumer preference on rice in six European countries (step one). Actes du séminaire de Montpellier, France, 28-29 juin 1996. Ed. J. CHATAIGNER.- Montpellier : CIHEAM, 1997.- 110 p.

n° 2. Activités de recherche sur le riz en climat méditerranéen/Mediterranean rice research activities. Actes de la 2° consultation technique du réseau coopératif interrégional FAO/REU/RNE de recherche sur le riz en climat méditerranéen, Arles, France, 4-7 septembre .1996. Ed. J. CHATAIGNER.- Montpellier : CIHEAM/FAO, 1997.-194 p.

n° 3. Rice quality: a pluridisciplinary approach. Proceedings of the International Symposium held in Nottingham, U.K., 4-7 24-27 November 1997. Ed. J. CHATAIGNER.- Montpellier CIHEAM/FAO, 1997.- 194 p.

Volume 40 - MedNetRice (réseau FAO-CIHEAM) - Future of water management for rice in Mediterranean climate areas, Proceedings of the Sakha workshops, Egypt, 5-6 September 1998. Ed. J. Chataigner - Montpellier: Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes, vol. 40 (1999): 113 p.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF THE SHEEP AND GOAT NETWORK

Morand-Fehr, P., 1991. Goat Nutrition, EAAP Publication No. 46, PUDOC, Wageningen, 308 pp. Grazing behaviour of goats, and sheep, Proceedings of the seminary, Cahiers Option Méditerranéennes, Vol. 5, 1991.

Purroy, A. (ed.), 1991. Etat corporel de brebis et des chevres. Option Méditerranéennes. Serie A: Seminaires Mediterranéens, No 13, 132 pp.

Bourbouze, A. et Rubino, R. (eds.), 1992. Terres colletive en Mediterranée: Histoire, legislation, usage et modes d'utilisation par les animaux. 279 pp.

Nastis, A. (ed.), 1993. Proceedings of the Sheep and Goat Nutrition Workshop, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2426 September 1993.

The study of livestock farming systems in research and development framework, EAAP publication No. 63, Wageningen Pers., 1994.

Etat corporel des brebis et des chevres. Actes du Seminaire FAO/CIHEAM, Saragosse, 24-25 Mars 1994, Cahiers Option Mediterraneennes A-27.

Systems of Sheep and Goat Production, REUR Technical Series no. 35, 1995.

Strategies for Sheep and Goat Breeding, Proceedings of the Workshop of the Subnetwork on Animal Resources, Sidi-Habet, Tunisia, 26-24 March 1995, Cahiers Option Mediterranéennes, Volume 11.

Goat Production System in the Mediterranean. EAAP Publication No. 71.

Somatic Cells and Milk of Small Ruminants. EAAP Publication No.77, Wageningen Pers. 384 pp.

The Optimal Exploitation of Marginal Mediterranean Areas by Extensive Ruminant Production Systems. Proceedings of an international symposium, Hellenic Society of Animal Production, 408 pp.

Morand-Fehr, P. (ed.), 1996. Recent Advances in Goat Research. Collection of papers presented by members of the Network at the VI International Conference on Goats, Beijing, China, 6-11 May 1996. Cahiers Option Mediterranéennes, Vol. 25.

Lindberg, J.E., Gonda, H.L. and Ledin, I. (eds.). Recent Advances in Small Ruminant Nutrition. Proceedings of the meeting of the Subnetwork on Nutrition, Rabat, Morocco, 24-26 October 1996. Cahiers Option Mediterranéennes, Serie A Vol. 34.

I. OBJECTIVES OF THE NETWORK

The Network was established in 1977 as an FAO European research network. Close cooperation with CIHEAM institutes involved in pasture and fodder crops research resulted in the establishment of the joint FAO/CIHEAM sponsorship of the Network in 1995. At the same time the Network was enlarged to become Interregional, also now including members from FAO's Near East Region.

The Network, through its three Working Groups, carries out a number of co-operative research projects based on national research programmes and priorities. Its programmes also include support to the rural development initiatives based on sustainable pasture management.

It organises technical consultations once every four years to review the state of the art in the field of pastures and fodder crop research, to appraise activities carried out in the past four year period and to decide on future programmes. The last Consultation was held in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, in 1996.

The network regularly publishes a newsletter "Herba" which is distributed world-wide free of charge to over 565 subscribers. Proceedings and studies are published in the REU Technical Series and Cahier Options Mediterranéennes.

II. PRESENT STRUCTURE OF THE NETWORK

The Network consists of three subnetworks:

Mountain Pastures - Alan Peeters (Belgium)

Lowland Grasslands - George Fisher (United Kingdom)

Mediterranean Forage Resources - Michel Etienne (France)

Co-ordinator: Jakob Troxler
Station fédérale de Recherches en Production végétale
Changins
1260 Nyon 1, Switzerland
Tel.: (41) 22 3634739
Fax.: (41) 22 3621325
Email: [email protected]
http://www.admin.ch/sar/rac/gch/06_herb/herbages 02 html

Mountain Pastures Subnetwork

The Mountain Pastures Working Group is one of the oldest groups of agricultural research cooperation in Europe. In the past, researchers from Alpine countries used to exchange information on their work and organise joint research on specific themes. The Working Group was the initiator of the establishment of the Research Network so as to cover a broad field of pasture management in all regions of Europe and in the Mediterranean area. At its 9th Meeting (Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, 20-23 June 1996) the Working Group discussed the "Role of grazing in the management of agro-pastoral mountain areas". The 10`h Meeting of the Working Group (Brasov, Romania, 10-14 September 1998) dealt with "Methods and tools of extension in mountain farms". The 11th Meeting of the Working Group (Luz St Sauveur, Pyrénées, France, 13-17 September 2000) discussed the "Quality and Valorisation of mountain animal products"

1) Relations between herd or flock behaviour, pasture management and evolution of the vegetation:

Team Leader: J. Troxler, Swiss Federal Agricultural Research Station, Changins, CH-1260 Nyon 1, Switzerland

2) Quality of the mountain animals products:

a) dairy products

b) meat and meat products

Team Leaders: a) J.O. Bosset, Swiss Federal Dairy Research Station of Liebefeld (FAM), CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland

b) S. Gigli, Animal Production Research Institute, Via Salaria 31, I-00016 Monterotondo (Roma), Italie

3) Indicators of production systems

Team Leader: in collaboration with the FAO/CIHEAM Network of co-operative research on sheep and goats, subnetwork on production systems

4) Methods and tools of extension

Team Leader: A. Peeters, Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Prairies, 5, Place Croix-du-Sud, Bte 1, B-1348
Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
Co-ordinator: Alain Peeters
Laboratoire d'Écologie des Prairies
5, Place Croix-du-Sud, Bte 1
B-1348 Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
Tel.: (32) 10 473771
Fax.: (32) 10 472428
Email: [email protected]

Lowland Grasslands Subnetwork

Utilisation and development of lowland grasslands in Europe is the main concern of this Working Group. Particular attention is given to white clover, its persistency, utilisation by grazing, intercropping and by-cropping of white clover and the nutritional value of secondary grass species.

The Research Conference on Utilisation and Development of Lowland Grasslands in Europe was held in La Coruna, Spain, 13-16 October 1998.

Projects of the working group

This Working Group presently works on two specific projects:

1) White clover - persistence, production and utilisation:

Team leader: Bodil Frankow-Lindberg, Department of Crop Production Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.

2) Sustainable Pastures - management, species utilisation:

Team leader: George Fisher, Kemira Agriculture, Ince Chester CH2 4LB, United Kingdom, Email: [email protected]
Co-operator: George Fisher
Kemira Agriculture
Ince Chester CH2 4LB
United Kingdom
Tel.: (44) 151 357 56 73
Fax.: (44) 151 357 56 05
Email: [email protected]

Mediterranean Forage Resources Subnetwork

The Working Group carries out studies and supports improvements in forage crop production on irrigated and rain-fed land and on development and management of Mediterranean rangelands. It also undertakes studies on the feeding value of forage, rangelands and by-products. Members of the Working Group participated in research projects financed by the European Union, such as "Evaluation des resources fourragères locales dans les régions méditerrandennes", "Selection and utilisation of cultivated fodder trees and shrubs in Mediterranean extensive livestock production systems" and "Exploitation of Mediterranean roughage and by-products".

The 9th Meeting of the Working Group (Badajoz, Spain 26-29 November 1997) discussed "Dynamics and sustainability of Mediterranean pasture systems". Themes of the meeting included presentation of studies on grazing systems based on forage crops, rangelands, cereal crops and trees and grass. The proceedings of the meeting are published in Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes, Vol. 39 (1999). 296 pp. The 10'h Meeting of the Working Group (Sassari, Italy, 4-9 April 2000) discussed "Legumes for Mediterranean forage crops, pastures and alternative uses". The proceedings of the meeting are published in Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes, Vol. 45 (2000). 483 pp.

Projects of the working group

The Working Group co-ordinates several joint research projects under the following five specific subject areas:

1) Valorisation of forages:

Team leader: to determine

2) Utilisation of ligneous plants:

Team leader: to determine

3) Forage and grazing systems:

Team leader: A. Pardini, Dipartimento di Agronomia e Produzioni Erbacee, Università degli Studi di Firenze, I-50144 Firenze, Italy.

4) Genetic resources and improvement of Mediterranean lucernes:

Team leader: H. Marrakchi, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, 15, Rue Salem Bouhajeb, El Menzah 5, 104 Tunis, Tunisia.

5) Sustainable development of Mediterranean arid and semiarid areas:

Team leader: E. Correal, Centro Regional para Investigaciones Agrarias, Apartado Official, E-30150 La Alberca, Murcia, Spain.
Co-ordinator: Michel Etienne
INRA-Ecodevelopment Unit
Site Agroparc
F-84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
Tel.: (33) 432 72 25 77
Fax.: (33) 432 72 25 62
Email: etienne@avignon.inra.fr
 

a) Joint programmes between networks

In the spring of 2000, discussions concerning closer collaboration with the sheep and goat network were renewed (see Escorena meetings). The advantages of such a collaboration were emphasised, provided that collaboration between the two networks was well-balanced. Activities in common will be centred primarily in the sector of production systems. The first important activity to be undertaken together is the participation of the Network (essentially the two Mediterranean and Mountain sub-networks) at the meeting of the production systems sub-network of the sheep and goat network which will take place in Morocco in 2001. In order to ensure that future collaboration is mutually beneficial, activities should be planned well in advance and discussed in detail together.

b) Results

The following activities have been undertaken or completed during the past four years:

1. A comparison of different laboratory methods for the evaluation of herbage quality (project: Quality of mountain grassland forage) was conducted by the sub-network for mountain pasture with the participation of fifteen laboratories. The results and conclusions are published in the REU Technical series No. 39 (1995) and HERBA No. 10 (1997).
2. Biodiversity and agricultural value of mountain grassland: the results of a survey in the institutes are summarised and published in the REU Technical series No. 62 (2000). This project is no longer being followed up by the mountain pasture sub-network. However, the two other sub-networks intend to intensify research in this sector.
3. In the past, the lowland grasslands sub-network has favoured work on leguminous plants. The results of their research and meetings are outlined in the REU Technical series No. 19 (1991), No. 29 (1993), No 42. (1996) and in HERBA No. 10 (1997).
4. Main research results from the Mediterranean sub-network concern the state of the art of sylvo-pastoral systems (books edited following the Avignon colloquium and Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes, Vol. 30, 1999) and the results of advancing vegetation on the role of leguminous plants in Mediterranean agricultural production (see Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes, Vol. 45, 2000)
5. Utilisation of ligneous plants. This subject has been treated on two occasions: Chania, Greece, 1993 (see REU No. 28) and by the International Occasional Symposium of the European Grassland Federation, Greece 1999 (see report HERBA No. 12, 1999).

Organisational difficulties and solutions:

It is important for members to keep in contact by corresponding on a regular basis. A dynamic stimulus has been currently provided by the development of e-mail which has opened new perspectives and facilitated contacts. Texts and publications can be rapidly diffused by this means of communication.

However, despite e-mail, regular meetings between the responsible members of the subnetworks and the Network co-ordinator are still necessary. Lack of funds is, nevertheless, preventing such meetings from taking place.

Financial constraints and solutions

Financial back-up from the FAO for Network activities is very limited, particularly for the two Lowland and Mountain sub-networks which do not benefit from CRIEAM. Information concerning the annual sum available for the management of the Network is often delayed, making planning problematic. Furthermore, it is difficult to find the money necessary for the biannual meetings of the sub-networks, important for the Central European participants, even at reasonable rates.

Future activities

The activities of the different sub-networks are outlined under each sub-network presentation. The Mediterranean sub-network is decided to maintain its unique Mediterranean identity, namely, that of researchers working on forage and pastoral resources. Three priority themes have been identified: optimum management of forage, the functioning of pastoral systems and the utilisation of ligneous plants. The Mountain Pasture sub-network wishes to emphasise the following three new sectors: -quality for mountain animal products; - indicators of production systems; - methods and tools of extension.