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INSAM The International Society for Agricultural Meteorology (web based). A Short History and Aims of INSAM Kees Stigter, founding president. Advisory Working Group of CAgM decided in April 2001 on establishment of INSAM. Limitations CAgM Limitations agrometeorologists
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INSAMThe International Society for Agricultural Meteorology(web based) A Short History and Aims of INSAM Kees Stigter, founding president
Advisory Working Group of CAgM decided in April 2001 on establishment of INSAM • Limitations CAgM • Limitations agrometeorologists • Isolation agrometeorologists • Interaction many more agrometeorologists • Broadening search for umbrella activities • Information source • Information exchange • Advertising successes • Promote agrometeorology
Membership data after website became operational • April 2003 380 members from 73 countries • March 2004 520 -- -- 85 -- • February 2005 630 -- -- 92 -- • March 2006 750 -- -- 99 -- • June 2007 890 -- -- 105 -- • March 2008 993 -- -- 106 -- • January 2010 1359 -- -- 116 -- • July 2010 1451 -- -- 116 --
Top sixteen member countries • India 318 members • Iran 116 -- • Nigeria 90 -- • Brazil 72 -- • USA 71 -- • South Africa 50 -- • China 41 -- • Italy 38 -- • Cuba 36 -- • Indonesia 34 -- • Argentina 31 -- • Five countries with between 20 and 30 members: Canada, Ethiopia, Korea, Pakistan, Zimbabwe
What successes may we claim? • Numbers: we will this year easily reach over 1500 members • Old Topics: Agromet Market Place News and Highlights What’s new ? History of agrometeorology Accounts of operational agrometeorology Needs for agrometeorological solutions to farming problems National Periodicals Software Tools in agrometeorology
New Topics: Online weather and climate information for agrometeorologists Environment and sustainability Two views Educational aspects of agrometeorologySpecials:“”Hands on” Training for Response Farming”“Draft 3rd Ed. GAMP (2007)”“Workbook on climate change impact assessment in agriculture”Meetings, vacancies, calls for papers, training opportunities, books, journals, new information(all for agrometeorologists)
What problems are there? • Legalization problems • Language limitations (China, Japan, other parts of Asia, French/Spanish/Portuguese speaking countries) • Attractivity problems (width, orientation) • Activities through vice-presidents and correspondents • Contributions to the web site from members • Financial problems
Initiatives • Home page renewal every three months • Contest on best examples of agrometeorological services (fourth ongoing) • Socio-economic aspects of agrometeorology • Concentration on lowly- and medium-industrialized (under-industrialized) countries • Electronic journal (open access) is planned: “Operational and Educational Agrometeorology” (33 people in establishment group)
Electronic Journal • Agricultural and Forest Meteorology (Elsevier) for Basic Sciences • A large number of journals in which Applied Agrometeorology subjects appear (English) • Down to earth agrometeorology as well: relevancy for agrometeorological services • Education/training/extension leg is new • Material filling requirements for new curricula at Universities and lower level training courses (extension intermediaries, research assistants, field personnel)
www.agrometeorology.org Ordinary membership is free of charge. Ways to increase membership of INSAM: stimulation through National Societies; membership through working groups; make membership mandatory/advisable for teachers and post-graduate students etc.; stimulate participants in certain lectures to subscribe and use material on this site.
However, what we particularly need:more active memberscontributing issues, items, science, applications, successes, failures, problems, solutions, news etc.from all fields of agrometeorology.INSAM, a market place on the web for agrometeorologistswww.agrometeorology.org