The conference will be held at the Joaquim Chissano International Conference Centre which was inaugurated in 2003 and since then has been hosting various national and international events.

The Center offers a diversity of meeting rooms and a beautiful and relaxing landscape area with a capacity to host 1500 people. For more information visit www.cicjc.gov.mz.

Payments can be made by wire transfer, cheque (Mozambique only) or deposit (Mozambique only) to the following Bank account:

• Bank name: BCI
• Account Name: UEM-FAEF-ACSS 2011
• Swift code: CGDIMZMA, IBAN: MZ38
• Account number (USD): 28663016102, NIB (USD): 000800002866301610277
• Account number (MZN): 28663016101, NIB (MZN): 000800002866301610180

Please confirm payment by faxing or e-mailing the payment details to the ACSS2011 Secretariat, Fax: +(258) 21 492176, e-mail: admin@acss2011moz.uem.mz

Young Scientists

ACSS Council

The program for the conference has been updated and is available here: program.

The volume of abstracts is available here: volume of abstracts

Overview of the 10th African Crop Science Society Conference held in Maputo, Mozambique
from the 10th to 13th of October 2011

The African Crop Science Society (ACSS) was established in 1993 to encourage crop production and food security in the African continent. It is a society for researchers, producers, business people and technicians around the world. This society organizes one international conference in every odd year in one African country. The ACSS conference is an important forum for scholars, researchers, students, technicians, producers, policy makers, and business people, to gather and exchange information on crop sciences relevant to Africa. Usually, the conference is attended by experts, distinguished keynote speakers and eminent scientists from Africa and of the entire globe. In 2009, the General Assembly of the ACSS, held in Cape Town, South Africa, decided to have the 10th Conference in Maputo, Mozambique, on October 10-13, 2011.

The 10th ACSS Conference emphasized the role of research on providing new and improved livelihood opportunities for farmers in Africa, which will impact on their income generation and food security. With the theme “From soil to soul - crop production for improved African livelihoods and a better environment for future generations” the Conference intended to highlight Africa’s potential to grow crops as well as the complex and challenging agricultural issues still troubling the continent.

To accomplish this conference’s goal, a unique learning, dynamic and interactive environment was provided. The conference involved a wider range of learning opportunities:

• Key note presentations;
• Thematic oral presentations;
• Thematic poster presentations;
• Symposia;
• Workshops;
• Exhibitions;
• Field visits;
• Public launch of new projects;
• Social events and
• Awards

The conference was attended by nearly 450 participants from 36 countries. A total of 342 papers were presented and nearly 200 people went on field visits (see conference statistics in Table 1). Papers submitted for the conference will be screened by the African Crop Science Journal for publications either in the proceedings or as a paper in the journal. The overall feeling of the participants is that the conference was well organized and responded to their expectations (see Table 2).

The African Crop Science Society General Assembly was held on the last day of the Conference. During the meeting, several important issues related to the Society organization were discussed. New society council members were elected. Cameroon was the country selected to host the 11th ACSS Conference in 2013.

The organization of this Conference would not have been possible without the cooperation, help and advice of a number of people and institutions. The 10th ACSS Conference Local Organizing Committee (LOC) thanks all of those who submitted abstracts, participated in the Conference and shared with others their expertise and experience.

The Organizing Committee would like to specially thank the Conference Keynote Speaker, Prof. Belay Kassa, and all plenary and workshop’s keynote speakers for having accepted the LOC’s invitation to share their insights and their most recent and innovative work. LOC also thanks all workshop organizers and the abstract reviewers, who helped in the selection and organization of the sessions of this conference.

The Conference special sessions (workshops and symposia) were possible due to the effort and contribution of several organizations among them International Development Research Center from Canada Eastern and Southern Regional Office (IDRC ESARO), Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Wageningen University, Potato International Center (CIP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Center for Agriculture Promotion of Mozambique (CEPAGRI), the Nematology Initiative for Eastern and Southern Africa (NIESA), Natural Resources Institute (NRI), African Dryland Alliance for Pesticidal Plant Technologies (ADAPPT), USAID Southern Africa Pretoria, and the Faculty of Agronomy and Forestry Engineering of UEM.

The field visits were possible due to the support, kindness and openness of several Mozambican organizations, farmers and private companies including Umbeluzi Research Station, Lozane Farms, Açúcareira de Xinavane (Tongaat Hulett), Libombos Macadamia, CITRUM, Casa do Gaito and Municipality of Maputo City that accepted to share with all Conference participants their successes and challenges.

The 10th ACSS Conference LOC thanks all Conference sponsors and in particular IDRC ESARO and AGRA’s Program on Policy for their invaluable contribution to the overall Conference, RUFORUM, FARA and CTA for their sponsorship of participants, gold (GAPI, Tongaat Hulett - Açúcareira de Xinavane and Sazol) and all other sponsors (Mozfoods, CRC, Coca-Cola, Petromoc, IFPRI, CEAGRE, TVM, Sociedade Noticias, Mediacoop, Savana, RTP and Source Code) for their generous contribution to this conference.

The organizing committee is very grateful to the African Crop Science Society (ACSS), Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM), National Research Fund of Mozambique (FNI), Mozambique National Agrarian Research Institute (IIAM), Polytechnic Higher Institute of Manica (ISPM), the Joaquim Chissano International Center and the Inter-ministerial Commission for the Great National and International Events of Mozambique (CIGENI), for their continuous support and commitment that made this Conference possible.

At last, but not least, the Local Organizing Committee would like to acknowledge the contribution of all student volunteers, technicians, protocol, catering and transport personnel and all assistants for their invaluable collaboration.

Get the Conference Summary Charts here

Local Organizing Committee
10th African Crop Science Society Conference
Maputo, October 2011