IPSI Newsletter, June 2014

2014.06.10

Dear IPSI members and friends,

Greetings from the IPSI Secretariat in Yokohama, Japan. As always, IPSI and its members are staying active in a wide variety of projects and activities related to maintaining and revitalizing socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS).

This month, we are proud to report on the successful completion of our first Satoyama Initiative European Regional Workshop, held last month in Florence, Italy. We would like to sincerely thank everyone who participated in and supported the meeting, particularly our co-organizers and hosts at the Romualdo Del Bianco Foundation and its International Institute Life Beyond Tourism.

Looking to the future, we are next planning to take part in the CBD COP WGRI-5 and SBSTTA-18 meetings later this month. See below for more on IPSI's participation. We are also happy to report on IPSI member activities, with announcements of a recent case study from the Integrated Organic Farming Systems Research Centre (IORC) in Indonesia and a photo contest being held by Life Beyond Tourism.

IPSI continues to grow and remain active in a great number of areas, so we hope you will find this newsletter a useful resource. As always, we thank you for subscribing, and for your continued support of IPSI.

IPSI Secretariat

The Satoyama Initiative European Regional Workshop in Florence, 27-29 May 2014

IPSI held its European Regional Workshop for the Satoyama Initiative in Florence, Italy, in cooperation with co-host the Romualdo Del Bianco Foundation and its International Institute Life Beyond Tourism. The theme of the event was “Revitalizing production landscapes in Europe: travel and dialogue for people and biodiversity”.

The purpose of this workshop was to deepen understanding of the conservation and revitalization of socio-ecological production landscapes in Europe using responsible and sustainable models of travel and dialogue, and to identify ways to further promote them in the future. IPSI members and other experts from around the region met for presentations and discussions regarding the workshop’s theme.

The workshop was held at the Romualdo Del Bianco Foundation’s headquarters at Palazzo Coppini and the Auditorium al Duomo from 27 to 29 May 2014.

The official workshop report, photos, presentation files and other content will be updated as they become ready on the event's post on the IPSI website here. Be sure to watch for the latest information.

The photo below shows workshop participants on a tour of the Agricultural Company Castello di Querceto S.p.A. in the Tuscan countryside, where they were introduced to modern technologies and facilities for wine and olive oil production, along with sustainable use of the production landscape, based in a historical structure preserved since the middle ages.

Looking forward to CBD COP WGRI-5 and SBSTTA-18

As mentioned in last month's newsletter, members of the IPSI Secretariat staff are looking forward to taking part in two upcoming meetings related to the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP) in Montreal, Canada this June. The fifth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Review of Implementation (WGRI-5) from 16-20 June, and the eighteenth meeting of Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-18) from 23-28 June, are two of the important regular events for the implementation of the convention.

The IPSI Secretariat plans to take an active role in both meetings and attend a large number of related events. We know that these are important events in the calendar of many IPSI members, so we hope to connect with as many of our colleagues as possible. Also, if you have any events planned surrounding these conferences that you would like the IPSI community to know about, please be sure to let us know.

Recent Case Studies: Diversifying Forage Composition to Improve Milk Production and Quality through Participatory Learning

Increasing economic and population growth in Indonesia has increased the demand for more protein. This growth has led to intensification of livestock production. Without good management, intensification might cause overgrazing of natural resources in forest areas. Meanwhile, the widely practiced management of supplying high-yielding Elephant grass as the single type of fodder has not fulfilled livestock nutrient demands and has led to low milk production and quality.

Taking into account land ownership and its conditions, IPSI member the Integrated Organic Farming Systems Research Centre (IORC) in the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia, introduced Crotalaria juncea, Lablab Purpureus (L) and Psophocarpus tetragonolobus L as complementary fodder types to be intercropped with other plants or grown as monoculture on the available land. The study was performed in Sumber Agung village of Ngantang sub-district in Malang using a participatory learning method that combined a field school and experimentation. The results show that Crotalaria is more robust than two other legumes due to its fast growing, ability to grow after some cuts and adaptability to be intercropped with other plants. Supplying Crotalaria to dairy cattle improved milk quality by 8-20% and milk productivity by5-8%. The improved quality and quantity of milk directly improved farmer’s revenue and livelihood.

For the full write-up of IORC's case study, please click here.

Partner Activities: Landscape Photo Contest by Life Beyond Tourism

IPSI partner the International Institute Life Beyond Tourism is currently accepting submissions for its photo contest "Cultural Snapshots: Landscape Observatory", described as "a journey into the world of knowledge of our cultural heritage and traditions with the support of the photograph".

The project as a whole will result in an "exhibition of photographs, held in the heart of Florence, to display the values and identity of local communities through the involvement of the entire population. And finally a celebration to promote heritage and share its mystery with all." The award for First Prize is 500 euros, with other prizes also available.

If you are interested, please find more information and complete contest rules on the Life Beyond Tourism webpage here.

Contact

Please be sure to let the Secretariat know if there are any changes in your e-mail address or contact information.

Secretariat of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative
6F International Organizations Center
Pacifico-Yokohama
1-1-1 Minato Mirai, Nishi-ku
Yokohama 220-8502
Japan

Tel: +81-45-221-2300
Fax: +81-45-221-2302
Email: isi@unu.edu

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