The European System of Cooperative Research Networks in Agriculture
Established in 1974 by FAO and European research institutions,
the European System of Cooperative Research Networks in Agriculture
(ESCORENA) is an umbrella for cooperation between research institutions
focused on food, agriculture and related fields. It aims to promote
the voluntary exchange of information and experimental data, to
support joint research projects and to facilitate the sharing
of expertise, germplasm and technologies, especially from the
more advanced nations to developing countries.
Since its foundation, ESCORENA has expanded to include 13 networks,
currently eleven are active, and increasingly works on issues
of global interest. Specific research areas covered by ESCORENA
include: Pasture and Fodder Crops, Nuts, Cotton, Olives, Rice,
Flax, Sunflower, Sheep and Goats and Buffaloes, and the interdisciplinary
agri-environmental networks: Sustainable Rural Environment and
Energy Network (SREN) and Recycling of Agricultural, Municipal
and Industrial Residues in Agriculture (RAMIRAN).
For information on the network activities, and network working
groups please contact the network coordinators and/or respective
network websites.
Research results, proceedings and special studies are published
in regular scientific journals, in eight network newsletters,
one of which is a reviewed scientific journal (Helia), in the
REU Technical Series (65 volumes between 1987 and 2000) and
in journals or monographs of other collaborating institutions
and co-sponsors like CIHEAM.
The networks annually organize 20 to 40 technical meetings,
workshops and training with up to 1500 participants brought
together from 40 European countries, 12 Near Eastern Region
countries and 19 member countries from other regions.
Seed funding for network meetings and publications comes from
FAO, CIHEAM, which is a co-sponsor of three of the networks
that are also important for the Mediterranean countries (Nuts,
Pasture and Fodder Crops and Sheep and Goats) and from Government
Trust Fund contributions for the Olives, Nuts and SREN networks.
The system had been serviced by FAO’s Regional Offices
for Europe and for the Near East in cooperation with relevant
technical units. The FAO/CIHEAM networks have been jointly serviced
by both Organizations. Until 2001, FAO provided the secretariat
for ESCORENA.
The current involvement of the FAO Regional Office for Europe
is the provision of services such as facilitation of contacts
between ESCORENA networks and the related FAO Technical Divisions,
and supporting network activities provided extra-budgetary funds
are made available for these networks by Member Governments
(such as the Government Trust Fund Contributions for the Olives,
Nuts and SREN networks).
from http://www.fao.org/world/Regional/REU/escorena/escorena_default_en.html
