All things fruit, vege, nuts, berries and flowers

August 19, 2014

This week the Crawford Fund is assisting the “Olympics of Horticulture” – the International Horticulture Congress. The Fund has supported a range of developing country delegates to be included in post-harvest and production training and is assisting with raising the public profile of the event through media outreach.

Over 3000 delegates from more than 100 countries are attending the International Horticulture Congress (IHC2014) – the world premier horticulture event – in Brisbane from 17-22 August at the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention
Centre.

The first news they’ll hear is that Australian, Professor Rod Drew from Griffith University has been elected as the
new President of the International Society for Horticultural Science – the first time an Australian has been elected to this prestigious position in the horticulture world.

Prof Drew noted that IHC2014 includes the world’s leading experts in horticulture science to highlight issues related to the unique potential of horticulture in the world. “We’re focusing on horticulture’s impact on sustaining lives, livelihoods and landscapes,” he said.

“Horticulture has always been fundamentally important to the world but as the world’s population increases it becomes increasingly important. So it’s really this feeding the world that is my passion for horticulture – feeding the hungry and malnourished.

“WHO estimates that more than a billion people go to bed hungry each night – I know the difference that
horticulture could make for them and want to see that happen.”

The Fund’s training support included delegates in training around the Congress, many of whom are researchers involved in ACIAR projects or who have completed the Crawford Fund Master Class in Communications.

International plenary speakers include:

Em Prof Marc Van Montagu, World Food Prize Laureate (2013) and co-discoverer of the transformation technology used worldwide to produce genetically engineered plants.
Dr Shenggen Fan, Director General of the leading food think-tank, International Food Policy Research Institute, who received the 2014 World Food Programme’s Hunger Hero Award.
Dr Dyno Keatinge, Director General of the World Vegetable Centre.

In addition to presentations on particular fruits, vegetables, nuts and berries, more general issues include:

Human health effects of fruits, vegetables, nuts and berries
The future of indigenous vegetables and their role in the battle against malnutrition and disease
Traditional and modern knowledge of medicinal and aromatic plants
Plant breeding, molecular biology, functional & biofortified food and GMO in horticulture
Mechanisation, precision horticulture and robotics
Innovative plant protection and advances in postharvest S&T for horticulture

Media coverage related to the event

Texas A&M AgriLife Urban Water Program team invited ‘down under’ to share successes
11 August 2014

Beware the dragon of runaway climate change
18 August 2014

Expert urges worldwide rethink on food supplies
18 August 2014

Sayur dan Buah Lokal Diyakini Lebih Kaya Vitamin
18 August 2014

Is getting our daily vegetable and fruits fix more important than we think?
18 August 2014

Forget tomatoes and carrots: why indigenous vegetables and fruits should be on the Australian dinner plate
18 August 2014

Urban farms key to hunger
18 August 2014

Thousands gather for International Horticulture Congress
18 August 2014

International Horticulture Congress off to a flying start
18 August 2014

Thousands gather for International Horticulture Congress
19 August 2014

Horticulture Congress hears berries help fight disease
19 August 2014