CTA :: Technical Center for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation

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CTA and ISHS: partners in development

The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EC (CTA), with headquarters in Wageningen, is mandated by the ACP-EC Cotonou Agreement to improve agricultural production and rural development, help reduce poverty, promote sustainable food security, and preserve the natural resource base of the 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States. CTA recognizes that improving access to information and building capacity for horticultural science and industry can, over time, significantly contribute to achieving these development goals. The Centre supports the rationale for and vision of the Global Horticulture Initiative and believes that providing a platform that links the ACP region to the products and services of ISHS will prove beneficial for its ACP partners and beneficiaries. CTA and ISHS have therefore decided to join forces in the attainment of these goals.

The Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding

Norm Looney and Hansjorg Neun sign ISHS-CTA Memorandum of Understanding On March 24, 2006, at Montpellier, France, Dr. Hansjorg Neun and Dr. Norman Looney officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The event was hosted by ISHS and involved members of the ISHS Committee for Research Cooperation and other key participants in the launch of the Global Horticulture Initiative, which occurred that same week. Thus, the formalization of this MoU was witnessed by senior officials of the World Vegetable Center (AVRDC), the World Potato Center (CIP), Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), FAO, the Global Forum for Agricultural Research (GFAR) and CTA. Both Dr. Neun and Dr. Looney expressed their profound satisfaction with the strong relationship developing between ISHS and CTA and affirmed the commitment of their respective organizations to honour both the text and the spirit of this agreement.

The Agreement

The CTA-ISHS MoU covers the following collaborative activities:

Supporting where feasible ISHS-sanctioned symposia and workshops in ACP countries
Sponsoring, as appropriate, ACP nationals to attend ISHS symposia and congresses
Achieving greater ACP country representation in the activities and governance of ISHS by promoting Individual, Institutional and Country Membership in the Society
ISHS-CTA cooperation in developing symposia or colloquia at future ISHS Congresses that focus on horticultural science and industry issues in ACP countries
Promoting CTA and ISHS activities and issues in the magazine of each partner (i.e., SPORE and Chronica Horticulturae) and on each organization’s website

Shared Vision

Clearly this is a winning scenario for all concerned. The research and education focus of ISHS and its members complements the wide outreach of most of the programs and services that CTA delivers to its constituents in ACP countries. Correspondingly, the ISHS Board of Directors views this agreement as being centrally important to achieving its mandate with respect to fostering international development through the application of horticultural research and education for sustaining successful horticultural industry and contributing to meeting important societal goals.