The First International Conference on Parthenium Management was held in the main
campus of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad from October 6-8, 1997
(Plate-42). The conference was organised by the University of Agricultural Sciences,
Dharwad in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, Council
of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi and Ministry of Environment and
Ecology, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore. The conference was sponsored by
the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Mumbai. Eminent
scientists, officers of the development departments, progressive farmers and
representatives of non-governmental organisations from Australia, United Kingdom and
India numbering to 120 participated in the three days conference. The conference was
organised in five technical sessions, wherein 19 oral papers and 54 poster papers
covering the following themes were presented.
Global view of parthenium and its management
Advances in parthenium management
Utility values of parthenium
Future strategies and course of action
The recommendations of the conference are:
That an International Parthenium Network
(IPAN) be established and a steering committee be elected, comprising
representatives from the Governments in affected countries as well as from
NGOs and environmental and health groups.
That a database of scientists working on parthenium weed
worldwide be set up.
That a database of all published and unpublished work on parthenium
weed be created.
That an awareness campaign, aimed at both potential sponsors as well
as the public in general, be initiated to stress the menace posed by parthenium
weed.
That a parthenium news letter be produced on a regular basis.
That an International workshop be held within three years and
continued on regular basis.
Parthenium networking
In a special session of IPAN, the research workers of parthenium and
weed control unanimously agreed upon and felt the need for the formation of an
International network.
The discussion was initiated by highlighting the need for the formation of an
International network for effective coordination, planning and implementation of
research and extension activities pertaining to parthenium management. It was felt that
countries like India and Australia, where the problem of parthenium is acute,
should take lead in the matter. Participants from different organisations expressed
their interest in becoming part of the network. It was unanimously agreed upon to locate
the headquarters of International Parthenium Network (IPAN) in India. The recommendations
of the conference were finalised in this session and the Chairman of the session Dr. Steve
Adkins presented the recommendations of the conference which were unanimously approved. He
felt the need for creating public awareness through extension agencies and community
campaign. He drew attention of the scientists to look for alternative uses ofparthenium
and advised not to depend on the sporadic results on its use. He expressed that
individually solutions can not be found unless we sit across the table. Thus he felt the
necessity of a 'Network' involving different countries. A steering committee should
be formed and MOU of various countries be signed to strengthen the research base on
parthenium. He advocated interdisciplinary and inter-institutional approach for the
management. He also stressed holding of the second Conference in India, the decision
about which was already taken in the previous session to hold it at Bangalore,
India. He also assured financial support from the ICAR, for the network programme to
solve the problem on global basis. This aspect needs to be explored by all concerned.
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