Seminars, Workshops and Conferences
10 September 2004, : GDS Seminar on 'Introduction of Cash Crops & Its Impact on Gender Relations' by Professor B.K. Tiwari, Center for Environmental Studies, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, India. The seminar will be held at room E206, SERD Building from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Abstract
Among the matrilineal Khasi and Garo societies of Meghalaya, India, inheritance and descent are traced through the female line, but customary practices are not gender-democratic, as authority is vested in the mother's brothers. And, women's representation in Durbars, the traditional decision making body, is lacking or negligible. During recent years the Khasi society has experienced a variety of extraneous factors in terms of construction of roads, technologies, development programmes and market forces which has led to change in their occupation, resource use pattern and life style. One significant change noticed is the shift from traditional shifting cultivation to cash crop cultivation. This paper presents the preliminary findings of a study on the impact of this change in occupation and land use pattern on the gender relations in Khasi society.
About the speaker
:
Born on 15 April, 1954, in Uttar Pradesh, India, Dr. B. K. Tiwari did his Post Graduate in Botany from Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, India in 1975 and Ph.D. form North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, India in 1980. He did his Post-Doctoral work at the Institute of Arable Crops Research, Harpenden, Herts, UK on Bioremediation of Metal Contaminated Soils. Presently, Dr. Tiwari is working as Professor and Head, Centre for Environmental Studies, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, India.
He is also in-charge of Regional Centre, National Afforestation and Eco-development Board (RCNAEB), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, established at NEHU, in the capacity of its Coordinator. He has published more than sixty research papers and three books in the field of forestry, environment and natural resource management. He is known among his peers for his monumental works on Sacred Groves and Joint Forest Management. His works on Environmental Impact Assessment, Shifting Cultivation, MAPs and Gender and Livelihoods have also brought him international acclaim.
Dr. Tiwari has worked/collaborated with several national and international organizations viz., Society for Promotion of Wastelands Development, New Delhi, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Ford Foundation, New Delhi, North-Eastern Council, Shillong, International Development Research Center, (IDRC), South Asia Regional Office, New Delhi, ICIMOD, Kathmandu, Community Forestry International, Santa Barbara, USA. International Institute for Rural Reconstruction, Cavite, Philippines, Centre for International Forestry Research, Bogor and Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manava Sangrahalaya, Bhopal on various research projects related to man forest interface. In the capacity of Coordinator RC, NAEB he closely interacts with MoEF, New Delhi and forest departments of the seven states of north-eastern India.
Dr. Tiwari has built a strong multidisciplinary research group which comprises of faculty drawn from geography, sociology, economics, botany, zoology, pollution chemistry and anthropology. Dr. Tiwari has widely traveled in India and abroad. During more than twenty five years of his research experience in the northeastern India, he has developed very good understanding of the people and natural resources of this region.
23-24 September 2004: DANIDA-AIT Workshop on Human Resource Development in Integrated Land and Water Resource Management
Abstract
AIT in cooperation with the Danish International Development Assistance (Danida), is organizing
a workshop on Human Resource Development in Integrated Land and Water Resources Management.
The workshop -- to be held at AIT Conference Center -- aims to explore the skills and knowledge needs in the broader area of water and land management in the region.
The expected outputs of the workshop are:
- Better understanding of the development needs of the region particularly related to water and land management
- Development of direct linkages for AIT's involvement with Danida funded projects/programs in the region
- Development of joint collaborative activitives on capacity building in the region
Each participant is expected to present a summary of his/her program/project activities during the workshop. The presentations would include the need of capacity building in land & water management.
Interested persons may contact:
DANIDA-AIT Office
Asian Institute of Technology
P.O.Box-4, Klong Luang
Pathumthani 12120
Thailand
Tel: +662 524 5569
Fax: +662 524 5223
E-mail: danida@ait.ac.th
1-3 December 2004: Second International Symposium on Southeast Asian Water Environment will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam. The Symposium is organized by the Asian Institute of Technology branch in Vietnam (AITVN) and The University of Tokyo (UT), in cooperation with Southeast Asian Center on Water Environment Technology (SACWET), a joint center of UT and AIT. The Symposium is sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan through Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology.
The Symposium aims to provide a forum for discussion and exchange among researchers/practitioners in Environmental Technology and Management and related areas from the Asian Region and to promote interaction among researchers from Asia-Pacific countries, Japan, the United States, Europe and other parts of the world. Through the Symposium, participants will hopefully find a strong network or partnership with active local change agents will be established, and our colleagues in Southeast Asia will learn more from the experts of other countries to protect the environment of the region.
Focus of the Symposium
The Symposium is focused on the following topics:
- Conservation of natural aquatic ecosystems
- Symbiosis with agriculture and aquaculture
- Industrial/agricultural development and water management
- Threats to ground water
- Environmental infrastructure management
- Urban development and coastal zone management
- Social aspects
Call for papers and deadlines
Manuscripts for oral and poster presentations should be prepared according to the format specified at: http://www.env.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/project/asian_water/home.html