709 Symposium --Getting the Word Out: New Models of Community Engagement for Developing and Extending Agricultural Knowledge/Div. A06 Business Meeting

Oral Session
A06 International Agronomy
Past investments in agricultural research have generated tremendous advances in science-based innovations for crop productivity and environmental sustainability. While continued research progress remains essential, existing advances have been inadequately exploited due to the lack of commensurate investments in national extension systems. Organizations like banks, NGOs, and private extension have moved to fill this void and are commonly advising farmers without benefiting from any formal linkages with the agricultural research community. This situation is exacerbated by the relative inaccessibility of peer-reviewed literature. In many regions, these factors contribute to a growing disconnect between what we know and what farmers practice. While this disconnect grows, the multiple demands from our agricultural systems due to growing population of our planet, increasing demand for more quantity and quality of food, feed, fiber and fuel by emerging economies of the world, coupled with climate change have created new challenges and opportunities for the global agricultural community. Several new models have emerged for developing and disseminating agricultural knowledge. These include digital knowledge initiatives, “virtual” communities of practice, non-traditional partnerships between advanced institutions and NGOs; and even rejuvenating traditional partnership models between advanced and developing nations (e.g. US-India Agricultural Knowledge Initiative) and others. The purpose of this symposium is to critically review the experience with these new models and to identify the most promising ways for the global agricultural research community to engage in the development and extension of innovative agricultural knowledge around the world .
Wednesday, 8 October 2008: 8:10 AM-12:25 PM
George R. Brown Convention Center, 371D

Presiding:
Andrew McDonald and R. Khosla
8:10 AM
Introductory Remarks
8:40 AM
Adapt-N: A Web-based Application for Nitrogen Management in Maize.
Jeff Melkonian, Cornell University; Harold van Es, Cornell University; Art DeGaetano, Cornell University; Jean M. Sogbedji, International Fertilizer Development Center; Laura Joseph, Cornell University
8:55 AM
Extension and the Developing World.
Stefan C. Einarson, Cornell University
9:10 AM
Will Modern ICT Revolutionize Agricultural Knowledge Development and Dissemination?.
Rikin Gandhi, Microsoft Res. India; Rajesh Veeraraghavan, University of California, Berkeley; Kentaro Toyama, Microsoft Research India; Vanaja Ramprasad, GREEN Foundation
9:25 AM
Passing the Message – UC Davis, the International Learning Center and the Challenges of Extension in Developing Countries.
Mark A. Bell, University of California-Davis; Paul L. Marcotte, University of California-Davis; James Hill, Univ. of California, Davis; Corwyn E. Lovin, University of California-Davis; Shadi S. Atallah, University of California-Davis
9:40 AM
Disseminating Soil Management Knowledge Through NGOs: Lessons Learned.
Julie Lauren, Cornell University; John Duxbury, Cornell University
9:55 AM
Break
10:10 AM
Hariyali Kisaan Bazaar--An Indian Case Study.
Rajesh Gupta, Hariyali Kisaan Bazaar, DCM Shriram Consolidated Ltd.
10:25 AM
The Millennium Villages Project's Community Based Farm Input Strategy: An Example of Successful Community Participation from the Ségou Region, Mali.
Bocary Kaya, Millennium Villages Project; Amadou Niang, MDG Center; Cheryl Palm, Columbia University
10:40 AM
Soils: Challenge To Be Met by 2050.
Rattan Lal, Ohio State Univ. - Columbus
10:55 AM
The ASA's International Agronomy Taskforce: Findings and Recommendations.
Jagdish Ladha, Intl. Rice Res. Inst.; Kenneth Moore, Iowa State University
11:10 AM
Div. A06 Business Meeting
12:10 PM
Adjourn