FAO/CIHEAM NETWORK ON PASTURE AND FORAGE CROPS

OBJECTIVES
ORIGIN
PRESENT DESIGNATION
TYPE OF ACTION
CO-ORDINATION STRUCTURE AND TOPICS ADDRESSED
CONTACT PERSONS
MAIN ACTIVITIES DURING 2001
ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR 2002
PUBLICATIONS

OBJECTIVES

Study and improvement of forage crop production on irrigated and rain-fed land, development and management of typically Mediterranean rangelands.

Study of forage feeding value; by-products and rangelands of the Mediterranean.

ORIGIN

IAMZ activities related with the characterization and feeding value of forages, by-products and Mediterranean rangelands date from 1970, (Tables of feeding value of Mediterranean forages and by-products)

During the eighties and at the beginning of the nineties, part of these activities were carried out in collaboration with the AGRIMED programme of the DG VI of the European Commission.

During the years 1990-1996, research projects were financed within the framework of the CAMAR and AIR programmes of the European Commission.

The FAO/CIHEAM Network has been in operation since 1995.

PRESENT DESIGNATION

FAO/CIHEAM International Network for the Research and Development of Pasture and Forage Crops

TYPE OF ACTION

CO-ORDINATION STRUCTURE AND TOPICS ADDRESSED

Research co-ordinator:  J. TROXLER. S.F.R.A. Changins, Switzerland

Subnetwork on Mountain Pastures. A. Peeters. Univ. Louvain, Belgium

 Working groups

 1. Biodiversity. A. Peeters (Belgium)
 2. Feeding Value. J. Scehovic (Switzerland)
 3. Grass x animal interactions. J. Troxler (Switzerland)
 4. Evaluation of lignified feeds. A. Nastis (Greece)

Subnetwork on Plain Pastures. L. Nesheim. Norv. Crop Res. Inst. (Norway)

 Working groups

 1. White clover.  G. Fisher (UK)

Subnetwork on Mediterranean Forage Resources. M. Etienne, INRA Avignon (France)

 Working groups

 1. Types of Resource and interactions of pastures. I. Delgado  (Spain)
 2. Ligneous species and rangelands. C. Tsiouvaras (Greece)
 3. Systems. A. Pardini (Italy)
 4. Mediterranean alfalfas. M. Marrakchi (Tunisia)
 5. Arid and semi-arid areas. E. Correal (Spain)

CONTACT PERSONS

Network Co-ordinator: J. Troxler
 Station Fédérale de Recherches Agronom. de Changins (Switzerland) 
 Domaine de Changins 
 Route de Duiller 
 1760  - Nyon 
 Switzerland 
 Tlf: 41 22 3634444 
 Fax: 41 22 3621325 
 E-mail: jakob.troxler@rac.admin.ch
Mountain Pastures: Alain Peeters
Université Catholique de Louvain
Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Prairies 
Place Croix-du-Sud, 5 bte 1
B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve 
Belgium 
Tlf: 32 10 473771 
Fax: 32 10 472428
e-mail: peeters@ecop.ucl.ac.be
Plain Pastures Network: Lars Nesheim
The Norwegian Crop Research Institute
Stjoerdal
NORWAY
Tel.: +47 74 829 360
Fax: +47 74 829 361
E-mail: lars.nesheim@planteforsk.no
Mediterranean Forage Resources:  Michel Etienne
 Centre de Recherches d'Avignon (INRA) 
 Systèmes Agraires et Développement 
 Unité d'Ecodéveloppement 
 Domaine de Saint Paul 
 Site Agroparc 
 84914 - Avignon Cedex 9 
 France 
 Tlf: 33 490 316000 / 33 490 316182 
 Fax: 33 490 316249 / 33 490 316069 
 E-mail: etienne@avignon.inra.fr

MAIN ACTIVITIES DURING 2001

- XIV Eucarpia Medicago spp Group Meeting Quality in Lucerne and Medics for Animal Production
Zaragoza-Lleida (Spain) 12-15 September, 2001
This edition of the Eucarpia Medicago spp Group Meeting was held in the Ebro Valley, where alfalfa is a traditional crop in the irrigated areas, and which has been transformed to one of the most important alfalfa dehydration areas of Europe. However, although the agricultural and environmental importance of alfalfa is well known, its use in certain ruminant feeding programmes has been limited because of its relatively low energy content or because of its protein degradability. However, at present with the spread of the ‘mad cow disease syndrome’ (BSE), alfalfa could play a more important role in ruminant nutrition and at the same time could help to reduce European and African dependence on plant protein coming from third countries. With the increasing value of the plant protein for animal production, the XIV Eucarpia Medicago spp Group Meeting, whose motto is Alfalfa quality and annual medics for animal production, organized a forum to present and analyse the most recent advances in those forage species. Sessions were Germplasm and varieties, Crop management and forage quality, Stress tolerance and Uses for animal production.
The Seminar was followed by 89 experts from Algeria, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Rep., Egypt, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, U.K., U.S.A. and Yugoslavia.

Publications

Fodder shrub development  in arid and semi-arid zones (Vol. 2). Proceedings of the Workshop on Native and Exotic Fodder Shrubs in Arid and Semi-arid Zones (ICARDA, CGIAR-SLP, Ministry of Agriculture of Tunisia, SDC, CIHEAM, IPGRI, IDRC, FAO/RNE, Initiative for Collaboration to Control Natural Resource Degradation of Arid Lands in the Middle East), Hammamet (Tunisia), 27 October -2 November 1996. G. Gintzburger, M. Bounejmate, A. Nefzaoui Ed. ICARDA. pp 293-679.

Quality in lucerne and medics for animal production/Qualité de la luzerne et des medics pour la production animale. Proceedings of the XIV Eucarpia Medicago spp. Group Meeting jointly organized by SIA-DGA, CIHEAM, FAO and Centre UdL-IRTA, with the support of EAGGF, INIA and AIFE, Zaragoza and Lleida (Spain), 12-15 September 2001. Options Méditerranéennes, Série A, No. 45. I. Delgado, J. Lloveras Ed. 275p.
Fodder shrub development  in arid and semi-arid zones (Vol. 2). Proceedings of the Workshop on Native and Exotic Fodder Shrubs in Arid and Semi-arid Zones (ICARDA, CGIAR-SLP, Ministry of Agriculture of Tunisia, SDC, CIHEAM, IPGRI, IDRC, FAO/RNE, Initiative for Collaboration to Control Natural Resource Degradation of Arid Lands in the Middle East), Hammamet (Tunisia), 27 October -2 November 1996. G. Gintzburger, M. Bounejmate, A. Nefzaoui Ed. ICARDA. pp 293-679.

Herba, 12 (Newsletter of the FAO-CIHEAM Pastures and Fodder Crops)
ACTIVITIES PROGRAMMED FOR 2002

Coordination Meeting of the FAO/CIHEAM Cooperative Research Networks on Sheep and Goats and Pastures and Fodder Crops, in order to converge in the activities of the two Networks and prepare the next meeting of the Subnetwork on Sheep and Goat Nutrition that will take place in Granada, Spain, in Autumn 2003. Paris, July 2002.

11th Meeting of the FAO-CIHEAM Inter-regional Cooperative Research and Development Subnetwork on Mediterranean Pastures and Fodder Crops on Rangeland And Pasture Rehabilitation In Mediterranean Areas. Djerba (Tunisia) 1-5 November 2002.
The conference will address key issues regarding the conservation, rehabilitation and management of Mediterranean rangeland and pastures, discussed into the following 6 main sessions: Germplasm collection and valorization (plants characteristics, ecophysiology, aspects of domestication, diversity etc.), Pastoral and agropastoral systems in arid and semi-arid Mediterranean climate, Mediterranean range and pastures feed resources, Technique and agronomic aspects of rangeland  and pastures restoration and rehabilitation (cultural techniques, improvement methods, seed production, regeneration), Social, economic and legal aspect of Mediterranean rangeland and pastures, and Perspectives on Mediterranean rangeland and pastures development.

PUBLICATIONS
Fodder Trees and Shrubs / Arbres et Arbustes Fourragers.  Proceedings from the seminar of the CCE-CAMAR project 8001-CT90-0030, Palermo (Italy), 12-13 October 1992. Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes, Volume 4 (1994). V. Papanastasis, L. Stringi Eds. 147p.

Systèmes Sylvopastoraux : Pour un Environnement, une Agriculture et une Economie Durables/Sylvopastoral Systems: Environmental, Agricultural and Economic Sustainability. Proceedings of the Meeting of the Mediterranean Working Group of the Inter-regional FAO/CIHEAM Network of Research and Development on Pastures and Forage Crops, Avignon (France), 29 May - 2 June 1995.  Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes, Volume 12 (1995). 280 p.

The Genus Medicago in the Mediterranean Region: Current Situation and Prospects in Research/Le Genre Medicago en Méditerranée: Bilan et Perspectives de la Recherche.  Proceedings of the meeting of the Mediterranean Working Group on Medicago of the FAO/CIHEAM Inter-Regional Research and Development Network on Pastures and Fodder Crops, organized with the collaboration of the Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, Hammamet (Tunisia), 19-22 October 1995/Actes de la réunion du Groupe de Travail Méditerranéen sur les Medicago du Réseau Interrégional FAO/CIHEAM de Recherche et Développement sur les Pâturages et les Cultures Fourragères, organisé avec la collaboration de la Faculté de Sciences de Tunis, Hammamet (Tunisie), 19-22 octobre 1995.  Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes, Volume  18 (1996). 280 p.

Western European Sylvopastoral Systems.  Ed. M. Etienne. INRA, CIHEAM and FAO.  INRA Editions. 276 pp.

Dynamics and sustainability of Mediterranean pastoral systems / Dynamique et durabilité des systèmes pastoraux méditerranéens. Proceedings of the 9th meeting of the Mediterranean Subnetwork of the FAO-CIHEAM Inter-Regional Cooperative Research and Development Network on Pastures and Fodder Crops, organised by FAO, CIHEAM, Universidad de Extremadura, Junta de Extremadura and INIA, Badajoz (Spain), 26-29 November 1997. Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes, Volume 39. M.Etienne Ed. 296p.

Selection and utilisation of cultivated fodder trees and shrubs in the Mediterranean region. Results and research carried out within the CAMAR EC/DG.VI Programme, contract 8001-CT90-0030. Options Méditerranéennes, Série : B, Nº 23. V. Papanastasis Ed. 93p.

Legumes for Mediterranean forage crops, pastures and alternative uses/Légumineuses pour cultures fourragères, pâturages et autres usages en région méditerranéenne. Proceedings of the 10th meeting of the Mediterranean Sub-Network of the FAO-CIHEAM Inter-Regional Cooperative Research and Development Network on Pastures and Fodder Crops, organized by FAO, CIHEAM, Dipartimento Scienze Agronomiche  e Genetica Vegetale Agraria Università degli Studi di Sassari and CNR - Centro di Studio sui Pascoli Mediterranei, Sassari (Italy) 4-9 April 2000. Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes,  Volume 45. L. Sulas Ed.  483p.

Fodder shrub development  in arid and semi-arid zones (Vol. 1). Proceedings of the Workshop on Native and Exotic
Fodder Shrubs in Arid and Semi-arid Zones (ICARDA, CGIAR-SLP, Ministry of Agriculture of Tunisia, SDC, CIHEAM, IPGRI, IDRC, FAO/RNE, Initiative for Collaboration to Control Natural Resource Degradation of Arid Lands in the Middle East), Hammamet (Tunisia), 27 October -2 November 1996. G. Gintzburger, M. Bounejmate, A. Nefzaoui Ed. ICARDA. pp 1- 292.

Fodder shrub development  in arid and semi-arid zones (Vol. 2). Proceedings of the Workshop on Native and Exotic Fodder Shrubs in Arid and Semi-arid Zones (ICARDA, CGIAR-SLP, Ministry of Agriculture of Tunisia, SDC, CIHEAM, IPGRI, IDRC, FAO/RNE, Initiative for Collaboration to Control Natural Resource Degradation of Arid Lands in the Middle East), Hammamet (Tunisia), 27 October -2 November 1996. G. Gintzburger, M. Bounejmate, A. Nefzaoui Ed. ICARDA. pp 293-679.

Quality in lucerne and medics for animal production/Qualité de la luzerne et des medics pour la production animale. Proceedings of the XIV Eucarpia Medicago spp. Group Meeting jointly organized by SIA-DGA, CIHEAM, FAO and Centre UdL-IRTA, with the support of EAGGF, INIA and AIFE, Zaragoza and Lleida (Spain), 12-15 September 2001. Options Méditerranéennes, Série A, No. 45. I. Delgado, J. Lloveras Ed. 275p.

Multipurpose germplasm of fodder shrubs and trees for the rehabilitation of arid and semi-arid land in the Mediterranean isoclimatic zone. A photographic catalogue. Options Méditerranéennes Série B, No 37. H.N. Le Houérou Ed. 118p

PUBLICATIONS OF RESEARCH PROJECTS:

TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON THESE PUBLICATIONS CONTACT THE EDITORS OR: 
            IAMZ-CIHEAM 
             Apartado 202 
             50080 Zaragoza, Espagne 
             Fax: 34 976 576 013 
             E-mail: iamz@iamz.ciheam.org

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