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The Istituto Agronomico per l'Oltremare
(IAO) is a branch of the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs dealing
with agricultural research, training, and technical co-operation
with Developing Countries (DCs). IAO was established in 1904 as
a private institution, in 1938 it became a Government body. In 1953
the Institute passed under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs . IAO
is specifically mentioned by the Italian law in force on Co-operation
for Development as being in charge of consultancy services on behalf
of the Directorate General for Development Co-operation of the Italian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this framework IAO has the mandate
to provide technical support and consultancy aimed at identifying,
formulating and executing proposals for agricultural and rural development
in DCs.
Organisation
Mandate
At present the mandate of IAO covers the development of sustainable
agriculture through:
- identification, formulation and implementation of development
projects,
- training,
- consultancy,
- applied research,
- documentation and publication services.
The major users are Italian and International Institutions (Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Universities, Research Institutes, local administrations,
European Union, FAO, etc.), private sector, students and simply
anyone dedicated to the tropical world.
Area of Activities
IAO' s main areas of activities are:
| Consultancy and Technical Assistance |
The projects and programmes managed by
IAO are financed by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
by the EU and by the system of the UN Agencies. IAO's thematic
areas of expertise are:
- Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security
- Geo-spatial Information technologies
- Natural and Resources Management and Fight against Poverty
- Biodiversity, Biotechnology and Bio-safety.
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| Training |
IAO is involved in training since the time of its foundation
and, until recently, it has been the only Italian institution
to supply specific training on tropical and sub-tropical agriculture.
The proposition has evolved from courses aimed at supplying
a general knowledge of tropical and sub-tropical agriculture
to courses on specific themes. Thematic Courses are held for
collaborating institutions' staff in the framework of the
projects implemented by IAO, and upon request of different
users working in DCs. The training is held by experts of the
Institute and by other experts. The Institute has the possibility
of awarding scholarships to DCs students wishing to attend
the courses. Some examples of courses held at IAO:
- the professional master Course on "Geomatics and Natural
Resources Evaluation": the course run since 1974, and
it is opened to technicians from developing countries and
Italy.
- IAO/UNCCD GEF Training Course;
- course on Food Security for Mediterranean Countries.
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| Agricultural Research for Development |
Since 1997 IAO has been endowed with the task of assisting
MAE/DGCS decision making on the CGIAR activities supported
by Italy. In this framework the IAO also represents Italy
in the EIARD, it is the Italian national node of the Infosys
plus project and it is the facilitator of the Italian National
Forum on Agricultural Research for Development. IAO also represents
Italy in the European Forum. Moreover IAO strictly collaborate
with the Florence University and with other international
universities and Research Centers (IPGRI, ICGEB, CAAS, etc..).
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| Communication and Information |
IAO owns a dynamic web-site structured as an information
portal, providing data and links. IAO has a library exists
since 1908 and is the most important library in Italy to specialise
in scientific and technical documentation on tropical agriculture
and economics. IAO also has:
- a photographic archives (more than 67,718 photographs, ranging
from the 1920s to 1980s)
- a Documentation Centre,
- a Tropical Garden and a Botanical Collection (they content
200 botanical species),
- a Tropical Agrarian Museum, and
- an Entomological Collection (with more than 5,520 examples
of tropical and subtropical insects)
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Staff
The permanent staff of IAO is 34.
As far as project-related activities are concerned, IAO relies also
on external expertise and temporary administrative support for project
activities (about 32), using also its data base with 500 entries
of highly qualified consultants.
The IAO provides research fellowships to young researchers who are
included in IAO teams.
Infrastructure
The IAO is equipped with:
• laboratories (soil and water, remote sensing, biotechnology,
seed analysis)
• climatic cells
• conservatories and garden
• tropical agriculture library, documentation centre, photographic
archive
• scientific collections (botanical and enthomologic)
• tropical agricultural museum
• publications section
• a modern building for didactic purposes, with schoolrooms
and guesthouse.
Geographic Focus
The majority of projects, programmes
and activities of IAO are focused on the geographical priorities
for cooperation of the Italian DGCS/MAE.
At present on-going projects are in the following countries:
• Middle East (Palestinian Authorities, Syria)
• North Africa (Tunisia, Algeria, Libya)
• Horn of Africa (Eritrea, Ethiopia
• SADC Countries (Angola)
• Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Senegal)
• China
• India
• Central America and the Caribbean
• Ecuador
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