ISSAAS brings together groups of professionals with common interest in agricultural development in the region

The International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences (ISSAAS) was mainly established to strengthen the cooperation of agricultural scientists in the Asian and Southeast Asian regions and to bring together groups of professionals with common interest in agricultural development in the region.

Different agriculturists from Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam flocked to Manila for the International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences (ISSAAS)- 20th annual international congress. This year was all about "Linking Agriculture with Tourism: Meeting the Global Challenges" of the future, the congress aims to entice not only visitors and tourists in each Asian country but mostly the young and idealistic minds to explore the industry of agriculture.

Most of the ASEAN-member countries are agriculture-based such that majority of employment are in the farms. Therefore, the survival of the farming community is dependent on ensuring that there is demand for agricultural products and services. The farmers’ produce are necessities for the tourism enterprises as source of food, handicrafts as souvenir items for tourist, exotic plants and animals and other agricultural products sought by  tourists. It is important that the potential supply of produce from local farmers be linked to the tourism industry’s demand. This will develop local livelihoods, inspire entrepreneurship, encourage active involvement and participation of the people and their communities and reduce the environmental and social cost of imported produce.

Shifting global consumption patterns, tastes and attitudes towards food, leisure, travel and place have opened new opportunities for rural producers in the form of agritourism, ecotourism, wine, food and rural tourism and specialized niche market agricultural production for tourism. Agriculture is one of the oldest and most basic parts of the global economy, while tourism is one of the newest and most rapidly spreading.

ISSAAS is inviting everyone to its 2013 ISSAAS International Congress and General Meeting to be held on November 11-15, 2013 at the Acacia Hotel Manila, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines. ISSAAS active members are invited to present scientific posters and papers. Interested researchers and scientists are encouraged to apply for membership to the society.

ISSAAS wants to improve the growth and development of agriculture and related industries to greatly improve the economy of Asian countries. For more information on ISSAAS, you may visit www.issaas.org or contact Jude Cartalaba at iamjudecartalaba@gmail.com or call (+639) 273 3913747.

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