I have been fortunate to meet many students since my commitment as Director in 1988. Although former trainees undertake very different careers the world over, I am always struck by the sense of community, peace dissemination and goodwill they all share.

CIHEAM-MAIB was established in 1962 and over the last fifty years more than 10000 students and experts have post-graduated and/or attended training courses. Therefore CIHEAM-MAIB is now a regional reference point for both Education/ Training and Research; a degree from CIHEAM-MAIB represents an outstanding achievement.

CIHEAM-MAIB seeks mutually supportive life-long relationships with the global community of its past and present graduates. In order to develop and strengthen these relationships, CIHEAM-MAIB set up the Former Trainees Network (FTN) to ensure that alumni are well-informed about the latest developments of our activities and to facilitate links and mutual contacts.

We have designed the FTN to get in touch with you and to build a CIHEAM-MAIB community. If you wish to join us, please follow the instructions. On these online pages you can update your records, subscribe to FTN Newsletter, and register to FTN Forum, receive news from CIHEAM-MAIB and your old friends, your classmates and much more.

If your experience at CIHEAM-MAIB had a positive impact on your life, please get involved in CIHEAM-MAIB life. And help us improving our role in educating future generations of students. You are our finest ambassadors, the very people whose future we have helped to shape.

We also want to set up alumni relations programmes which might be responsive to the evolving needs of alumni in each stage of your lives.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Cosimo Lacirignola

Director of CIHEAM-MAI of Bari

Write a message to the Director

Letter from CIHEAM-MAIB Director

CIHEAM-MAIB

@iamb community Newsletter Homepage

In this issue:

Letter from the Director 1

Education/Training 2

Research 3

Cooperation/ Networking 4

Special news/ Country focus 5

Follow-up survey outcomes 6 –7

Latest News/ Upcoming events 8

Miscellaneous 9

Former Trainees Network (FTN) 10

Call for contributions 11

Spring 2011 Issue 1 March-April 2011

For almost 50 years, trainees in CIHEAM -MAIB Education/Training

programmes have played a significant role in defining and shaping the

mission of the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari .

Spring sentence

“ Dissemination of

peace in the

Mediterranean

region”

The objective of this course is to make pro-fessionals familiarize with the latest insights, context and concepts of Mediterranean Organic Agriculture. The course includes three phases: the first involves face-to-face training at MAIB, the second is carried out remotely (once to their home countries,

participants attend the online course) and the third phase is a face-to-face follow up course held at MAIB

Course features Language: English Period: 28 February–2 October 2011 Duration: 7 months

The course is addressed to 15 mid-career professionals

Course features Language: French Period: 1 September - 31 October 2011 Duration: 2 months Application deadline: 15 August 2011 Applicants from Morocco and Tunisia are eligible

The course is addressed to 25 mid-career professionals

Course features Language: Arabic Period: 2 May - 17 July 2011 Duration: 2.5 months Application: closed Applicants from Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria are eligible.

Pagina 2 @iamb community Newsletter Homepage

Type of course :

Blended E-Learning

Application: closed

AGRICULTURAL POLICIES: INSTITUTIONS, TOOLS AND EVALUATION

ADVANCES IN ORGANIC FARMING IN MEDITERRANEAN AND BALKAN AREA

Education/Training (oliant@iamb.it)

Type of courses :

Online

For more information

please contact:

infofad@iamb.it

Master of science courses: Applications are open Land and Water Resources Management (L&W) Link Integrated Pest Management of Mediterranean fruits trees species (IPM) Link Mediterranean Organic Agriculture (MOA) Link Deadline: 15 June 2011 Advanced specialised course: Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) Link

For more

information

please contact:

didattica@iamb.it

Academic year 2011-2012 (consult our website)

Issue 1 March-April 2011

In the last ten years, 370 MAIB students, mainly from the Mediterranean and Balkan area, have drawn up their Master and PhD theses. In the years 2001, 2003, 2007 and 2008, four theses were given the Best CIHEAM Master of Science Thesis Award.

During the same lapse of time, 75 MAIB researchers have developed over 18 thematic areas including 46 lines of research. The flattering results of their work are a patent, 670 scientific works of which 11 books and 175 research publications in international journals.

However, MAIB action goes far beyond the mere scientific research since its main objective is the transfer of knowledge through education, training and cooperation.

Research is also carried out and financed through research and cooperation projects. Two-hundred institutions team up on some 120 projects imple-mented by MAIB.

The publication of this text provides MAIB with the opportunity to appraise the research strategy developed by the teams of researchers, and to explore the consistency of results and orientations with the three missions of the Institute, namely research, education and training, and cooperation.

It is therefore a collective work in which authors keep their original features thereby conveying diversity and abundance of information.

Read more: Link

The scientific research at CIHEAM- Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari 2000-2009

Water allocation strategies under scarcity and specific socio-economic

and environmental conditions in the Central Jordan Valley Link

Cinnamon plant extracts: a comprehensive physico-chemical and bio-

logical study for its potential use as a biopesticide Link

MAIB Master thesis catalogue (from 1989-1990) Link

Pagina 3 Issue 1 March-April 2011

Best 2009 CIHEAM Master of Science award to

MAIB Theses

Research (segretariato@iamb.it)

“Problem-solving for

common and

peculiar problems of

the Mediterranean

region”

@iamb community Newsletter Homepage

PESCAMED “A shared Policy for Sustainable Fishing in the Mediterranean Sea”

Read more...

L&W Division

AQUASTRESS Mitigation of Water stress... Learn more….. WASAMED International Water Saving….... Learn more...

WASSERMed Water Availability and Security Learn more…

Pagina 4 @iamb community Newsletter Homepage

Networking

Cooperation

MAIB coordinates

several Research Networks creating

permanent links among

Mediterranean

Institutions

Cooperation and Networking (diterlizzi@iamb.it)

GEWAMED Mainstreaming Gender Dimensions Into Water Resources Development and Management In The Mediterra-nean Region" (GEWAMED).

Read more …

MOA Division

MOAN: Mediterranean Organic Agriculture Network

Learn more...

IPM Division

MNCC : Mediterranean Network Research on Certification of Citrus MNGC : Epidemiology of grapevine cluster-like viruses

MNO : Mediterranean Network on Olive Certification

Issue 1 March-April 2011

Pagina 5 Issue 1 March-April 2011

The President of the Republic of Lebanon*, H.E. General Michel Sleiman, conferred the honour of Commander of the National Order of the Cedar to Dr. Cosimo Lacirignola on Friday 21 January in Lebanon.

Over the years, in addition to post-graduate education/training programmes, the CIHEAM-MAIB has

implemented in Lebanon several networking and research projects on Rural Development in the

Bekaa Valley (region of Baalbeck-Hermel) and on the Production and Supply of certified plant mate-

rial. MAIB has also created measures of support to rural areas and communities (TerCom) as well

as the National Observatory for Women in Agriculture (NOWARA) and the social and economic

support for olive producers’ families in marginal regions (Oil Lebanon).

Recently, in June 2010, MAIB also signed in Bari a Memorandum of Understanding with the Leba-

nese Ministry of Agriculture , represented by the Minister Hussein Hajj Hassan, with the aim of de-

veloping activities in support of the Lebanese agriculture, so as to further strengthen the existing

relations of cooperation between Lebanon and CIHEAM-MAIB.

In fact, with the signing of the MOU, the Lebanese ministry and MAIB are committed to promoting

cooperation activities in strategic agricultural sectors to improve quality production, to transfer know-

how on appropriate and advanced techniques and to strengthen institutions' activities and the sus-

tainable use of natural resources.

*: Lebanon has been CIHEAM member since 1992

For his commitment for Lebanon’s progress in agriculture,

Cosimo Lacirignola, Director of the CIHEAM-Mediterranean

Agronomic Institute of Bari (CIHEAM-MAIB),

was honoured Commander of the National Order of the Cedar

“ Special News

Country Focus ”

@iamb community Newsletter Homepage

Follow-up survey: preliminary outcomes

driouech@iamb.it

Issue 1 March 2011 Pagina 6

In August 2010, We invited you to fill in a follow-up questionnaire. We would like to thank everyone who responded to that invitation. MAIB was delighted with the feedback and response that were excellent. As preliminary result, the survey provided a lot of really valuable data. Therefore, we made a short summary of some aspects of the survey (Latest data processing February, 22

nd

2011) .

Introduction and objectives

The ongoing follow-up survey of the Former Trainees of the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari revealed that MAIB Training/Education programmes were very successful. The survey was mainly conducted to:

1- update the database of the former trainees records and keep in contact with them; 2- ascertain what impact the MAIB Actions (Training, Research and Cooperation) have on their ca-reer progress, recognition of MSc diploma, Research excellence and scientific outputs.

Methodology

A self-administered questionnaire resulted in 400 valid responses. The questionnaire was made avail-able through the surveymonkey web site and more than 1300 former trainees were invited via email, phone or fax to follow a link (also available at www.iamb.it) which allowed them to complete the ques-tionnaire online. Participation was entirely volunteer and responses were analyzed only in aggregate. The sample of respondents was not equally distributed among women and men (35 % and 65% re-spectively). 30.7 % of the sample have post-graduated on MOA course, 22 % , 16.3% , 16.3 % and 14.5 % respectively attended L&W, IPM, SARD and Distance Learning programmes.

A variety of descriptive statistics, including frequency distributions, cross tabulations and measures of central tendency were used to provide summaries, insights and understanding of the results. So far, analysis of data involves a range of statistical tests including ANOVA and multiple regression analy-ses, which can be used to investigate whether significant differences were evident between partici-pants who reported an excellent MAIB experience and those who reported a satisfactory MAIB experi-ence.

Preliminary outcomes

When respondents were asked to rate their overall degree of satisfaction with MAIB actions (training, research and cooperation) on a 6 point scale, where 1 was a very poor experience and 6 was an ex-cellent experience, 88.4% of respondents expressed a rating of either good or very good to excellent.

Instead only 1.6 % of respondents showed a rating of poor to very poor (figure 1).

When respondents were asked to rate to what extent did their participation in the MAIB training/education programme contribute to their career development, on a 5 point scale, where 1 was very little and 5 very much, nearly 76% of respondents reported a rating of either 4 (much) or 5 (very

much) (figure 2).

The follow-up survey can provide a wealth of extremely valuable and reliable indicators, information, ideas and insights for the MAIB administration. It may, therefore, support and contribute towards plan-ning for the next programme activities.

N. Driouech, L. Sisto and M. Raeli

@iamb community Newsletter Homepage

Issue 1 March 2011 Pagina 7

Very poor; 0.3%

Poor; 1.3%

Fair; 10.0%

Good; 49.2%

Very good; 36.9%Excellent; 2.3%

88.4%

Very little; 3.0%

Little; 5.5%

Fair; 15.7%

Much; 42.8%

Very much; 33.1%

75.9%

How would you rate the overall degree of satisfaction with your MAIB experience? Figure 1:

Did your participation in the MAIB Training/Education contribute to your career

development?

Figure 2:

Source: our elaboration form MAIB’s follow -up survey data

@iamb community Newsletter Homepage

L a t e s t N e w s

Pagina 8 @iamb community Newsletter

Highlights

Upcoming events

May 3-5th, 2011- Tunis

Tunisia– 2nd WEAP Regional Conference: Applying a Decision Support System as a Tool for Integrated Water Resources Management and Climate Change

Read more...

May 12-15th , 2011- Izmir

Turkey- The sole Organic fair in Turkey

Read more...

May 18 - 21st, 2011- Amman

- Jordan– Jordan’s First Natural and Organic Food

Expo Read More...

May 30th, Prague-Czech

university of Life Science– Call for paper– 3rd Scien-tific Conference Read more...

May 22-28th, 2011 -MAICh,

Crete, Greece– A School for Future Trainers of Organic

Farmers Read more...

June 6-10th, 2011 Crete,

Greece- 12 th International Symposium on Soil and Plant Analysis, Read more...

July 3rd-5th , 2011 Preto-

ria, South Africa- 2nd Regional Conference Young Water Professional, Read more...

May 2011 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

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Latest news (lapedotas@iamb.it)

January 2011 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

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February 2011 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

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The Common

Agricultural Policy

(CAP) is one of the most

important policies being

a great beneficiary of

the budget of European

Union. It is envisaged in

the Treaty establishing

the Community

Learn more...

MAI of Bari

The CAP

January 24th- Lebanon Merit to Dr. Lacirignola Read more….

January 31st– Visit to MAIB of the Delegate of Morocco to CIHEAM Board. Pr Sadiki Director of IAV

Hassan II...Read more...

February 15-18th– Exter UK SDM Training seminar for System Dynamics Modelling Read more...

February 16-19th– Nurnberg– Germany Biofach organic exhibition Read more...

March 7-9th – Meknes Morocco: 5ème Edition des “Journées Méditerranéennes de l’Olivier à Meknès”

Read more

April 1-2nd – CIHEAM-MAI of Bari : Project meetings: “Feeding knowledge: international Network for

Research and innovation on food Security” Read more...

April 12-15th, 2011 Madrid Spain– International Workshop: “ Using WEAP as decision support system

for water resources management and adaptation to climate change” Read more...

Issue 1 March-April 2011

International Center for Agriculture Research in the Dry area

ICARDA Employment Open vacancies

Pagina 9 Issue 1 March-April 2011

Share

announcement

for Job

opportunities

Miscellaneous

Job opportunities

MEDITERRA 2010 Read more. . .

Selected publications (l.sisto@iamb.it) available at MAIB Documentation Center

OPTION MEDITER-RANEENES Read more. . . .

NEWMEDIT l ink Read more. . . n°04 / 2010

Encyclopaedia on:

Water Resources

Development and Man-

agement in Arid and semi

-arid Regions of the Arab

World Learn more...

United Nations (UN) Employment at Convention on Biological Diversity

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO

Employment Open vacancies

International Federation Organization of Organic Movement IFOAM Employment Open vacancies

Intrachem production company Link is looking for Local collaborators in Morocco. For further info contact: Andrea Braggio + 39 335 5382759 <andrea.braggio@intrachem.com>

@iamb community Newsletter Homepage

FORMER TRAINEES NETWORK

Mission

FTN is the key volunteer trainees organisation in in-ternational higher Agricultural education and research in Mediterranean Basin. We provide opportunities for cultural understanding and self-development under

the principle of cooperation.

Values and Vision

The values of FTN that all members stand and work for are:

Dissemination of peace: we all need political stabil-ity of the area through the dissemination of science of peace .

Unity in diversity, diversity in unity : we all have different backgrounds, but share same objective.

Students helping students : we passionately com-mit ourselves to volunteering for the benefit of others.

Fun in friendship and respect: we enjoy relations based on respect.

International dimension of life: we are open-minded, we like to discover and explore, co-operate and interact to break borders.

Love for the Mediterranean as area of peace and cultural exchange : we live and benefit from the cul-tural richness of the Mediterranean to the utmost.

Openness with tolerance : we understand and ac-cept others and learn from them.

Cooperation in the integration: we share a holistic view towards internationality

Issue 1 March 2011 Pagina 10

Objectives of the Network

A- Serving as a common space where it is possi-ble to gather information on the Mediterranean cooperation initiatives and inter-regional pro-grammes promoted by MAIB:

Maintaining a database on existing programmes;

Bringing together organizations for inter-regional joint projects in the Mediterranean;

Giving information on sources of funding to sup-port inter-regional programmes.

B- Increasing public awareness on interregional programmes:

Supporting and sponsoring inter-regional confer-ences and workshops;

Publishing and disseminating information on train-ing, research and cooperation to foster Medi-terranean inter-regional objectives and pro-grammes.

C- Establishing state-wide objectives and acting as advocate for public policies concerning Medi-terranean inter-regional programmes.

D- Being the point of contact and coordination with other Mediterranean inter-regional coalitions and advocacy groups.

Following the global challenge and the need for boosting the International cooperation especially in the Mediterranean, CIHEAM became a key reference in the whole region for the promotion of agriculture and food production through its activity in three level: Education/Training, Research and Cooperation.

In this regards, We are pleased to inform you that, under the aegis of CIHEAM, the Mediterranean Agro-

nomic Institute of Bari is launching the setting up of a formal Network involving its former trainees.

This initiative is focusing on the follow-up of formers trainees through strengthening coordination, collabora-tion and partnership between and among the trainees, their work institutions, their governments and the CIHEAM-MAI of Bari.

@iamb community Newsletter

FTN MEMBERSHIP

Please note: Membership is

restricted to MAIB former trainees

You can also contribute by spreading the

word about the FTN initiative and encour-

age your MAIB classmates, colleagues

and friends to join FTN by filling in the fol-

lowing online form:

Links:

A- English version of the follow-up survey

B- Version Française de questionnaire de

Suivi

GUIDELINES

Here are some indications re-garding the format and the con-tent required for the publication of a contribution in the FTN newsletter:

Please keep your contribu-tion short, relevant and to the point.

Please remember to in-clude any names, contact details and website ad-dresses and links to be published in the contribu-tion or information you are submitting

Contribution should be informational, and under-standable to the general readership

The FTN newsletter is mainly published in Eng-lish

FOREWORD

The @iamb community Newslet-ter keeps members up-to-date with upcoming events, conferences, news from MAIB activit ies (Training, Research and Coopera-tion) and the world of Mediterra-nean Agricultural Studies and re-cent publications. It is published quarterly and posted to members in March, June, September and De-cember. FTN Board welcomes con-tributions from Members and those who have news that might be of interest to FTN Members and MAIB staff (i.e.: Succefull story of a former Trainee). Your feedback and contributions for future FTN newsletter editions will be greatly appreciated. You can email us with your contribution by submitting ma-terials, publications, notice of events news, and documents to :

infoftn@iamb.it

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS to FTN NEWSLETTER

Content Editor

Noureddin Driouech

Istituto Agronomico

Mediterraneo

CIHEAM-MAI of Bari

Via Ceglie, 9

70010 Valenzano (BA)

Italy

Tel.: +390804606203

Fax: +390804606206

E-mail: infoftn@iamb.it

Organizational information

We are present here

www.iamb.it

www.ciheam.org

POLICY

The decision to publish a

contribution in the FTN

newsletter is at the discretion

and responsibility of MAIB

Pagina 11

@iamb community

Newsletter keeps

members up-to-date

Subscribe

Issue 1 March-April 2011 @iamb community Newsletter Homepage