2012 AGM

 

Thanks to the AIC members who participated in our AGM on July 17, 2012 at the University of Saskatchewan. The minutes of the meeting are available here. The presentations can be viewed on the AIC website.   

 

Special thanks to AIC Board member Al Scholz who participated as our representative on the organizing committee for the conference Adapting Crops to Change, during which our AGM was held.

 

We welcome Dr. Julie Small who was acclaimed to the AIC Board of Directors at the AGM.

 

 

2012-2013 Board of Directors

 

Election of officers for the coming year will take place at the meeting of the Board of Directors scheduled for early September.

 

 

International Program

 

Work continues on development of proposals for international programs funded by IDRC and/or CIDA. The federal government budget cutbacks, and appointment of a new Minister of International Cooperation in July, have caused delays in calls for proposals and program funding announcements, but these are expected in the fall.

 

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Shifaya Maraikar, BSc, MPhil (Agric)

 

Shifaya Maraikar is the recipient of the 2012 International Recognition Award for an individual.   Ms. Maraikar has set a high standard of professionalism, volunteerism, mentorship and leadership. She has served as a role model for the promotion and advancement of women in soil science. During her professional career, she has assumed a wide range of roles and responsibilities of leadership and support functions in her capacity as a respected senior member of the Soil Science Society of Sri Lanka.

 

For the last three years since her retirement from the Department of Agriculture, she has been a full time SSSSL volunteer, assisting with the International Partners Meeting of AIC in 2009, and as the General Secretary of SSSSL in 2010 and 2011. She was responsible for organizing the International Women's Day program and the annual Fertilizer Day Programs. It was also during her tenure that SSSSL hosted the 10th international conference of East and Southeast Asia Federation of Soil Science Societies (ESAFS) in October 2011.   She provided invaluable support to ensure the successful completion of a 16 year SRICANSOL Twinning project of AIC.  

 

As the letters of support for her receiving this award attest, she is greatly respected for her work as a researcher, farmer liaison specialist, SSSSL member, colleague, friend and mother.   The award will be presented to Ms. Maraikar at a special meeting of the SSSL in September.

 

 

Tanzania Society of Agricultural Education and Extension Lake Zone

 

TSAEE Lake Zone Executive:  Abbas Munisi, Appolonia Magere, Wakaruka Wamjungu, Mary Sayi, Benito Mwenda

The Tanzania Society of Agricultural Education and Extension (TSAEE) Lake Zone is the recipient of the 2012 International Recognition Award for an organization. While it has been 10 years since TSAEE Lake Zone was officially formed, it has demonstrated measurable results with women and youth farmers leading to poverty reduction, increased food security and rural development in the Lake Zone of Tanzania for almost 20 years.

 

The success of TSAEE Lake Zone in implementing rural development projects has been realized through the development of a model called the Tangible Goals Approach. Through innovative agricultural extension processes and entrepreneurship training provided by TSAEE Lake Zone, farm women and youth group participants achieved higher production in individual crops, learned value-added food processing skills, and gained increased market intelligence, resulting in increased household income and food security. Women and youth are empowered to identify and attain personal goals related to acquisition of tangible items. Cross cutting themes of HIV/AIDS, environment and gender equality (rights, workload) are included in training courses along with agricultural improvement and entrepreneurship.

 

Short and long term development has been demonstrated amongst all groups through an increase from one stream of agricultural income in 2006 to an average of three means of agricultural income generation in 2011. This diversification of income within women's and youth community based organizations provides each member with decision-making capabilities over his/her share of the income generated from agricultural production and/or processing, and ensures that basic needs for household food, clothing and education can be met. Long term development has been achieved with the primary goal identified by all participants as being to increase their income to accomplish tangible goals (e.g. improved homes/farms, transportation, education).

 

AIC Honours and Awards Committee:  David Chanasyk, Chair;  

Andy Hammermeister, Kim Shukla 

  

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Ed Tyrchniewicz, an AIC Past President (2002-2003), was inducted into the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame on July 12, 2012.   Dr. Tyrchniewicz began his career as Professor and then Department Head of Agricultural Economics at the University of Manitoba, and went on to become Dean, Agriculture & Forestry, at the University of Alberta. Over his long career, he participated in numerous provincial and national public inquiries. Many of his recommendations shaped the development of agricultural policy and programs related to sustainable livestock production, grain handling and transportation, and agri-food traceability.

 

He was named a Fellow of the Agricultural Institute of Canada in 1985 in recognition of his many accomplishments in teaching, research and professional organizations. He is also a Past President of the Canadian Agricultural Economics Society and the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists.

   

Read more on the Manitoba Ag Hall of Fame website. 

 

Sources: Steinbachonline.com; AIC Annual Report 1985.

 

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