Background and Scope

            The National Symposium on Agricultural System is an academic meeting on agriculture and natural resources management using the concept of system in research and development. The first meeting was initiated in 1977 as “The Symposium on Cropping System”. Afterwards, the scope was additionally expanded to farming system, then the meeting name was changed to “The Symposium on Farming System” and to be “The Symposium on Agricultural System” later in 2000 in order to appropriate with the extended system approach to research and development.

The Symposium on Agricultural System is supported collaboratively in academic and meeting fund from institutions i.e. Chiang Mai University, Khon Kaen University, Kasetsart University and Prince of Songkla University including several governmental units attached to Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative such as Department of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture Extension, Office of Agricultural Economics and Land Development Department.

The concept of agricultural system research and development is based on the understanding of system analysis for solving agricultural production system and natural resources management. This concept has been using worldwide. The results of the study on agricultural system are able to efficiently improve the farm situation. Beside that, it will help the decision makers to plan for the agricultural development in different levels such as community, watershed, region or country level.

Consequently, Multiple Cropping Center (MCC) has considered prospectively an opportunity for the units working on research and development in agricultural system to exchange knowledge and experiences in order to make understanding of any crucial agricultural process including more strengthen a network of academic collaboration in agricultural system.

Objectives

1. To disseminate academic and research results in agricultural system.
2. To be a center for academic and experience exchange and brainstorming between lecturers, academics, researchers, and students.
3. To provide new researchers, research assistants and students an opportunity to view the potential and research directions in agricultural development and natural resources management.
4. To be a stage to implement academic and research outcomes to helpful practical parts in agricultural development and natural resources management for the well-being of agricultural communities and get ready to deal with the global warming condition in the future.
5. To make a network collaboratively in academic and research to develop research quality and research outcomes that can benefit to social and the country.

Symposium Themes

         The symposium themes are emphasized on agriculture for community and environment, getting ready to deal with the global warming and defined to 5 issues as follows;

1. Sustainable agriculture
2. Agricultural system and Environment rehabilitation
3. Agricultural system and global warming
4. Agricultural system approach
5. Agricultural business and Small & micro community enterprise

Dates and Location

           The 4 th National Symposium on Agricultural System will take place on May 27-28, 2008 at The Empress Hotel, Chang Klan rd. Chiang Mai.