FAO Round Table on Problems of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

03-05 April 2012, FAO REUT, Budapest, Hungary.

FAO/ESCORENA – Coordination Center  and ESCORENA Focal Point at Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants, Poznan, Poland EUROPEAN COOPERATIVE RESEARCH NEWORK ON FLAX AND OTHER BAST PLANTS*University of „Aurel Vlaicu”, Arad, Romania

Prof. Dr. Ryszard KOZŁOWSKI*, Ass. Prof. Dr. Cecilia Sirghie*, M.Sc. Maria Mackiewicz-Talarczyk

Current status of ESCORENA Network development and the new strategy and emerging activities

The ESCORENA system under the FAO auspices

ESCORENA -European System of Cooperative Research Networks in Agriculture. Unique in the whole world.

History:The Seventh and Eighth FAO Regional Conferences for Europe

in 1971 and 1973 recommended the establishment of a system of

voluntary research cooperation under the auspices of FAO.

Main objectives of the ESCORENA system

Basic purpose and main objectives of the ESCORENA system, namely to:

• promote voluntary exchange of information and experimental data on selected subject matters;

• support joint applied research;• help to developing area of the globe to get higher

added value from agriculture, promoting „agro-fine” chemicals,

• facilitate voluntary exchange of persons, germplasm and technologies;

• establish close links between European researchers and institutions working on the same subject and to stimulate interaction;

• accelerate the transfer of European technology advances to, and cooperation with, developing countries.

FAO auspices

ESCORENA system• acts under the FAO

auspices, Served:• by the Regional Office for

Europe in Rome, Italy from 1974 to 2007

• by the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia in Budapest, Hungary from end of 2007

ESCORENA focal point since 2008

ESCORENA focal point at the Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants, Poznan, Poland

acting as the Coordination Centre of the European Cooperative Research Network on Flax and other Bast Plants.

Prof. Dr. Ryszard Michal Kozlowski coordinates the activity of ESCORENA system focal point with a help of:

• ESCORENA Secretary- Mrs. Maria Mackiewicz-Talarczyk

• web support provided by Dr. Jorge Barriga-Bedoya.

Active ESCORENA Networks

The 20 ESCORENA Networks, which are active in 2012 (in alphabetic order):

• Agromarketing-coordinated by Belarus- Dr. Olga Pashkievich

• Apricot Network -coordinated by Armenia- Prof. Ara Hovhannisyan

• Buffalo Network- coordinated by Italy – Prof. Antonio Borghese

• CENTAUR- Biomedical Technology, Epidemilogy and Food Safety Network- coordinated by Czech Republic – Profesor Karel Hruska.

Active ESCORENA Networks –cont.

• Inter-regional Network on Cotton - coordinated by Turkey – Prof. Oktay Gencer

• FAW- Farm Animal Welfare Network, coordinated by Slovak Republic - Dr. Rasto Kolesar, (World Society for the Protection of Animals).

• Flax and other Bast Plants Network- coordinated by Poland- Prof. Ryszard M. Kozłowski

• Museums- Network of Museums in Agriculture within International Association of Agricultural Museums (AIMA)

Active ESCORENA Networks- cont.

• NACEE- Network of Aquaculture Centres in Central-Eastern Europe –coordinated by Hungary - Prof. László Váradi

• NCDN-Capacity Development in Nutrition. Thematic Knowledge Network Central and Eastern Europe –coordinated by Serbia- Dr. Mirjana Gurinovic and the team of the Institute for Medical Research

• Nut Network - coordinated by Spain- Dr. Merce Rovira

• Olives Network- coordinated by Spain- Dr. Lorenzo Leon (represented by Dr. Juan Caballero)

Active ESCORENA Networks-cont.

• Organic Edunet - coordinated by Greece

• Pastures & Fodders Network- coordinated by Belgium- Dr. Alain Peeters

• RAMIRAN Network- Research Network on Recycling of Agricultural and Industrial Residues in Agriculture-coordinated by Dr. Tom Misselbrook -UK, and Jan Venglovsky, Slovak Republic

• Rice Interregional Network, coordinated by Dr Aldo Ferrero, Italy

Sheep and Goats Network- coordinated by France-Prof. Pierre Mohrand-Fehr (represented by Dr. Hichem Ben Salem from Tunisia)

• Sunflower Network- coordinated by Dr. Sinisa JOCIC, Dr. Dragana MILADINOVIC from Serbia, and Dr. Yalcin KAYA from Turkey

• SREN- Sustainable Rural Environment and Energy Network (SREN) – coordinated by Dr. Thomas Lewis from Austria

Active Networks-cont.

The new, just created Network: on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, coordinator: to be

nominated

http://www.agrowebcee.net/map/contact-us/

FAO Regional Roundtable on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

3-5 April 2012, Venue: FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU), Budapest, HungaryThis meeting will provide possibility to discuss:

• 1. the joining the ESCORENA Family by the new Network: on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants –obviously such step is welcome!

• 2. How to contribute towards the creative development of ESCORENA

Let’s put a question: are we facing the Crisis of ESCORENA?

To get the views from the Network’s Coordinators Maria Talarczyk-ESCORENA secretary delivered on my behalf the Questionnaire to all Networks

Results obtained by ESCORENA

Particular results were obtained in:

• Partial exchange of germplasm, especially between governmental organisations,

• Supporting collection, conservation and utilisation of plant genetic resources,

• Permanent contribution and supporting the sustainable, renewable natural resources,

• Broad information about diversification of agricultural production (e.g. use of marginal lands for non-food agricultural production, such as flax, industrial hemp, kenaf and other bast plants in industrially polluted areas)

• Acting towards the development of sustainable production systems for improvements in rural areas

• COOPERATION WITH DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES

• Wide distribution of publications to institutions and knowledge shearing from developed to developing countries,

• the broader involvement of local researchers in international cooperation, particularly if a selected topic was of relevance to the host country,

Results obtained by ESCORENA-cont.

Publications

Scientific Bulletin of ESCORENA (major publication, includes the articles of all Networks)

• The first issue –volume 1 was published in 2009 in June as a special issue of the conference of Flax and other Bast Plants Network in Arad, Romania.

• Published as a book with ISSN, by the printing house of the University „Aurel Vlaicu” of Arad.

• Scientific Bulletin of ESCORENA, Volume 2, 3 and 4, published as a book by printing house of the University of Arad, linked to ESCORENA Website. Vol. 5-in the press. Relevant link: http://www.uav.ro/en/journals/scientific-bulletin-of-escorena

The publications (newsletters) of particular ESCORENA Networks:

• a scientific refereed journal, Helia, published by the Sunflower Network;

• network journals (Herba and Olea) published by the Pastures and Fodder Crops and Olive Networks respectively;

• newsletters: Buffalo, Euroflax – of the Flax and other Bast Plants Network, Medoryzae, Nucis and Sheep and Goat Contact.

The efforts to increase visibility of ESCORENA

ESCORENA Network is on the Wikipedia since some months.

The link is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESCORENA

The Platform for Agrobiodiversity Research

Would be interested in learning more about the work of ESCORENA and explore possible links and partnership.

Toby Hodgkin, Coordinator, Platform for Agrobiodiversity Research, Secretariat c/o Bioversity International, Rome, Italy

www.agrobiodiversityplatform.org

New strategy for the future?

All proposals and remarks will be cordially welcome and taken into consideration!!

We absolutelly are convinced about high and very positive role of ESCORENA also for European Union.

Why there are so many problems with financial support for the ESCORENA activity?

Questions and requests to the Coordinators of ESCORENA Networks

1.What do you think about the future of ESCORENA (www.escorena.net), the usefulness of this system, Network of Networks under auspices of FAO, about possibilities to make ESCORENA more visible?

2. help us with your ideas how to support the activities of the ESCORENA Focal Point, publishing next volumes of Scientific Bulletin of ESCORENA (http://www.uav.ro/en/journals/scientific-bulletin-of-escorena),

3. How to support editing the newsletters by the particular Networks of ESCORENA?.

4. do you like to continue activities in the frame of ESCORENA as ESCORENA Network coordinators? If not anymore (for any reasons), please could you (as high ranking specialist in your field of activity) indicate someone who could continue this activity on your behalf?

Questions and requests to the Coordinators of ESCORENA Networks-cont.

5. How many participants are in your Network now?

6. Do you plan to bring the new experts and where can you find the potential for the new members, especially young participants?

7. How you see possibility to join your professional activities with ESCORENA activity?

8. What are your suggestions regarding strategy of ESCORENA, about any economic support, better, more modern structure and bringing new members and higher number of young people to be able to develop and support ESCORENA activities in the future?

We requested answers up to 30.03.2012

We have got answers from some Networks’s Coordinators (Agromarketing, Buffalo, Flax and other Bast Plants, Rice, Nuts,

Up to now we have got answers from the following Networks:

Flax and other Bast Plants: the Chairmen M.Tubach, M. Pavelek

Agromarketing

Buffalo

Nut

Olive

Sunflower

The contributions from the ESCORENA Networks’

1. Martin Tubach, Reutlingen University, Germany – the chairman of the WG Processing WG of the Flax and other Bast Plants Network

within ESCORENA, coordinated by myself.

Remarks - he wrote that: „we did not have information of any future planning how to collect the people not only with knowledge but also with heart to ideas and lot

of personnel skills”.

Natural fibres - excellent example for emerging now bio - based economy. For example in 2009/2010 annual turnover of bio - based products was greater than

2000 billion Euros and employ 21 million people.

Forecast for the growth – is bio-composites area, like bio-plastic, bio-packaging, bio-lubricants and other Agenda 2020 EEC-Sustainable growth – promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economies need maximum use of renewable resources, we must create more efficient value chain, processes and products - we need world food security, we must take over global responsibility when we are using natural resources sustainably.

Problem:

The chairmen have no budget and no infrastructure. They have nothing to share but only good ideas and some work. The job is not really attractive, only for idealists at the moment. ”Cont. Member of WG (Working Group) must confirm to be still a member (fee). Members must be involved with

ideas/preliminary agenda of WG. Members must select ideas and give them a priority. Interim chief (chairman) must be confirmed by WG or new chief must be proposed and elected. WG have access to a network base

(secretary, administration, letters, info, invitations, reports etc.). WG should receive a small budget. They can initiate small studies about e.g.

novel use of….innovations in the field… Should be conducted introduction of the new members, organized meetings on WG level etc. Then

justification of what has happened.

Conclusion: ESCORENA whole Network should develop clear strategy to find some economic support, better than now, modern structure and dynamic, passionate team, attracting also young

people with different ideas to join and support ESCORENA.

At the end of the eighties and ninetieth of the last century creation of this network was very useful thing and it was one of the very seldom

possibilities how to get together scientists from the branch of fibre plants.

During this time there were hardly any possibility to present own scientific results on the international platform, there were any EU Framework

Programmes and our ESCORENA Network had played a very important role.

Network became larger and larger, other fibre crops started to be included and the network spread to the Asia, Africa, South America the management

of all network started to be more and more difficult, inflexible, hardly manageable and logically the problems with lack of money occured. I

consider this fact as the main reason of contemporary problems and stagnation.

1 A. Martin Pavelek, Chairman of WG 1- Breeding and cultivation, of the Flax and other Bast Plants

Network

How to solve it ???   Ideas and opinions  

·        Network should a little bit again reduce in order not to be so bombastic and hardly financed

·        There is necessity to look for some permanent sponsors – companies, SMEs using scientific results which will be

necessary for them

·        New young scientists have to be included into the network to be able to continue this work and activities of Working Groups – recruitment via web pages, including and participation in the

international scientific teams, a.s.o.

·        Network should be a platform for creating the scientific teams able to respond flexibly on different Calls in the Framework of EU

Programmes.

Pavelek-cont.

Proposal to create in the framework of our network a closed

group of scietists experienced in this branch and successful in submitting the international projects

who will:

- take care about it,

- will monitor the respective calls,

- will help to create scientific teams and to get together scientists from different countries also included into our network with regard to the respective calls and try to create feedbacks to Brussels

Pavelek - cont.

 1. The usefulness of the functioning of ESCORENA is undoubted. This is a special information platform sharing of knowledge, ideas and research of scientists from different countries and regions. In order to ensure that ESCORENA activities make more visible, it is recommended for all seminars, conferences, symposia and round tables on agricultural subjects, provide an information about network and its participants. This will help to engage in joint work more participants.

 2. Proposal to submit the publication about ESCORENA network in the scientific journal “Agrarian Economics” (http://nasb.gov.by/eng/publications/agroec/index.php). (already prepared).

2. Agromarketing network

3. In order to revitalize the national focal points within the ESCORENA system it would be advisable to conduct webinars and web-conferences to exchange opinions and relevant information.

4. According to the recommendations that have emerged during the roundtable on "Monitoring markets for agricultural products on the basis of information technologies" (30-31 March 2010, Minsk, Belarus) it was decided to hold the idea of a pilot version of the portal and the “Agromarketing” network with the experience of AgroWeb Belarus. Editorial staff and technical support of web-portal “Agromarketing Network” includes 8 persons.

5. Agromarketing network has been existing for two years. So we are at a stage of development and formation. Therefore we would like to continue cooperation in the framework of an ESCORENA network. In addition, during these two years we've also got good results from the work, as reflected in our reports that were sent to the Scientific Bulletins of ESCORENA.

  6. Popularization of information networks facilitates the publication in the Bulletin of ESCORENA, in conferences materials. In addition, at the conferences which will be held in Belarus on Agrarian issues the main directions of the Agromarketing portal will be presented. These measures also help to make our work more effective and visible.

2. Agromarketing network – cont.

7. We also set up and maintain up-to-date web-page on the Agromarketing AgroWeb Belarus portal (http://aw.belal.by/show.php?page=amart). Here all the interested persons can find the latest information about Belarusian agricultural producers. The information on the page is constantly updated. In addition, it helps to increase exports of agricultural products.

8. The contacts and close cooperation establishment with the National Coordinators Network AgroWeb in Europe and Central Asia is at the development stage. In order to successfully and productive operation of the Agromarketing Network (http://www.agrowebcee.net/agromarketing) assumes that all the national coordinators, which are responsible for Agromarketing, will create their pages and keep them in the current mode. This will allow the rapid information exchange about the food market state. In addition, Agromarketing portal facilitates access of farmers and rural population to market information.

Olga A. Pashkevich, PhD, Institute of System Researches in AIC of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Coordinator of “AgroWeb Agromarketing” project, Agromarketing network, Minsk, Republic of Belarus

2. Agromarketing –cont.

3. Buffalo Network

• ESCORENA activity has to follow, because of the primary role of information and diffusion of knowledge, a priority in development

countries for buffalo livestock.

• Prof. Antonio Borghese, Italy and his group of collaborators, more than 10 people, are working to follow the publication of Buffalo Newsletter, last

copy  attached, that is very appreciated in the world and it is located in FAO/ESCORENA website www.agrowebcee.net

• He is working now to a second edition of the book Buffalo Production and Development, asked by the Agricultural Ministry of Hungary. The first edition was supported by ESCORENA and published on 2005 with logos

of FAO and  of  his Institute.

• Therefore Prof. Borghese asks authorization to have FAO/ESCORENA logo to the second edition too, because he thinks that this book is coming from ESCORENA activity, and asks the support to translate the English

version in Hungarian language or other support.

• He proposes too a ESCORENA meeting in Budapest when the book will be published.

4. Nut Network Mercè RoviraFAO-CIHEAM Nut Network Coordinator

1. Newsletter of the Network: As you know, in the frame of the Nut Network the NUCIS Newsletter is edited. Just now, we have edited 15 issues. The Network is being supported by FAO and by CIHEAM, so when funds from FAO are scarce, we have the financial support from CIHEAM.   

2. Yes, Dr. Mercè Rovira, FAO-CIHEAM Nut Network Coordinator, would like to continue as the Coordinator of the Nut Network

3. How many members? It is difficult to know the number of the members of our Network- about 270

To raise awareness of the Network and invite more people to participate and be active on it:she tries to attend the International Meetings of different crops

• she explains the Network and their activities.

• she presents the NUCIS Newsletter, which is open to all members and people from different countries continues to collaborate on it.

5. Olive Network

Since 2011 Prof. Luis Rallo Romero – the Olive Network Coordinator is in pension, so Dr. Lorenzo Leon will be the coordinator of the Olive Network in the coming two years.

He will be assisted by Dr. Lopez Escudero of the University of Córdoba and by some faculty of the IAS- CSIC. These three institutions are involved in Olive Research and they collaborated up to date in OLEA, the late magazine of Escorena Olive Network.  

Prof. Luis Rallo Romero, Emeritus Professor, Universidad de Córdoba, Spain

The note from the new coordinator: Lorenzo León Moreno, IFAPA Centro "Alameda del Obispo„ Córdoba, Spain:The olive network has had little activity in the last years due to the lack of financial support, so at present there is not an active list of participants, working group structure, etc. For that we plan to renew the network starting from scratch with a new structure and new members

Main activities to make ESCORENA Olive Network more visible and active could include:

1. Reinitiate the publication of Olea Newsletter (last issue was published in 2007). We will try to find funds from Spanish Institutions (University of

Cordoba, INIA and IFAPA). 2. Carry out a survey among people working in olive research to create a

complete database with people, institutions and topics of interest. This database will be available for people on the Olive Network web. This could

constitute a first step to establish a  permanent forum for interchange scientific and technical information and to promote applications of joint

R+D projects by participants of different countries to international funding agencies.

3. Update Olive Network web with information related to courses, book reviews, PhD Thesis, conferences,…

It would be nice if we could get some support from the ESCORENA secretariat. For instance, would it be possible to get some IT help for

design and implement the database on the web? Can we get some help for reinitiating the publication of Olea Newsletter?

5. Olive Network – cont.

6. Sunflower Network

1. ESCORENA visibilty: In our opinion, ESCORENA is already visible enough. It is easily found by search engines, and has its page on Wikipedia. The Network could maybe set page on Facebook, LinkedIn or some other social network, that would certainly increase its visibility to the researchers. The system is useful enough, and in the case of sunflower provides an opportunity to find info on researchers, events, publications etc. at one place. In our experience it is especially important for the researchers from the developing countries. We have also opened the Sunflower Research Network page on LinkedIn in order to make it more visible and to facilitate communication among researchers.

2. Newsletters: We suggest that Bulletin and Newsletters are published electronically only, thus avoiding costs of printing and distribution. Publication of the Newsletters, where possible, could be organized within or in combination with the already existing journals dealing with the topics of interest for the Network researchers. This also could be the way to make certain Networks and ESCORENA itself more visible to the researchers.

3. Coordinator: On behalf of dr. Sinisa Jocic, dr. Yalcin Kaya and myself I confirm that we would like to remain active within the Network as coordinators.4. Members: In Sunflower Research Network, there are 44 researchers from 13 countries so far, and 8 research institutions that are Network members. We do not have problem with bringing new researchers into the Network.

5. Regarding Conference: There should be the discussion on how to make ESCORENA Network useful and visible not only to the researchers, but also to the potential users of research results and information. E.g. there could be more practical info for the farmers or consumers, and some of the ESCORENA publications should be devoted to the knowledge and information dissemination to the farmers, consumers and other potential end users. 

In this way ESCORENA Network will be useful not only to the researchers, and by contributing to the education and informing of framers, consumers etc. could indirectly contribute to agriculture, health etc. improvement.

This will also provide more opportunities to the Network to find funding.  

Another topic of the conference could be how to improvement of cooperation of the Network with other UN bodies (UNIDO, UNEP for instance) or international organizations dealing with similar topics (IAEA for plant breeding part.).

6. Sunflower Network – cont.

Some remarks about new emerging Network in frame of ESCORENA: Medicinal and Aromatic

Plants.Mission for the International Year of Chemistry 2011: • „To close gaps in drug accessibility and quality - where the

chemistry and biology remain the basis for drug discovery and development”

• Global population 7,1 billion – 2012. Forecats for 2035: 10 billions.• The role of plant based medicines and affect on ecosystems• 85% world medicinal plants on market are collected from the field

(Biodivers.Conserv. DOI:10 1023/B: BJ)• Medicinal Plants essential to long term health care strategies• But in our front is improving: the fundamental quality controll of

agriculture of plant based medicines

• Source: Chemical Engineering News, p.52-56 June, 27 2011. Geoffrey A, Cordell, Natural Products INC.

I also suggest that the new MAP Network should gain closer relation with ESCOP (European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy). ESCOP was founded in June 1989 as an umbrella organisation

representing national herbal medicine or phytotherapy associations across Europe, especially in their discussions with European

medicines regulators. In particular it produces state-of-the-art reviews of the therapeutic use of leading herbal medicinal products

based on leading expertise across Europe (source: www.escop.com).

THIS INSTITUTION HAS ISSUED A BOOK PUBLISHED IN COLLABORATION WITH THIEME VERLAG: “ESCOP MONOGRAPHS:

THE SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATION FOR HERBAL MEDICINAL PRODUCTS”, Second Edition, Supplement 2009, which addresses the problems of

pharmaceutical and medicinal plants.

According to Prof. Dr. Med. Honoris Causa mult. Fritz H. Kemper, who is the chairman of ESCOP board: “this organization is voluntary

and the book really is labour of love”.

ESCOP

- European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy

Thank you for your attention!!