CENN- DAILY DIGEST AUGUST 6, 2004
Table of Contents:
1. 2004 World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings — update for CSOs
2. Healthcf Journalism Workshop
3. Internship Programme
4. World Bank Sets New Rules for Oil Projects
5. Another Biodemocracy Victory in Northern California
6. OCA Organizing Film Premier/House Parties Across the U.S. September
11-12
7. Help the OCA Fight the Counter-Attack by Monsanto and the Farm Bureau
8. Vacancy Announcements
1. 2004 WORLD BANK/IMF ANNUAL MEETINGS — UPDATE FOR CSOS
Dear Civil Society Colleagues,
We would like to update you on the upcoming 2004 Annual Meetings of the
World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The dates of the Annual
Meetings have shifted slightly, and the Annual Meetings will now be held
over the weekend of Friday, October 1 – through Sunday, October 3 and
will take place at Bank/IMF Headquarters in Washington DC.
The Program of Seminars sessions will be held on Friday as well as the
G24 and G7 meetings. The International Monetary and Financial Committee
(IMFC) and the Development Committee (DC) will meet on Saturday. The
Plenary Session as well as the meeting of the G10 will be held on
Sunday. For more information and the schedule of events, please go to:
In an effort to address the major development challenges and in response
to requests coming from civil society, a number of Policy Dialogue
Sessions for interested CSO representatives will be organized between
Wednesday, September 29 and Tuesday, October 5. Please send your
proposals to World Bank Civil Society Team at:
[email protected]. Details of these dialogues will be posted,
as they are scheduled, on the Bank’s website for CSOs located at:
Please visit this website
frequently closer to the date to obtain the most current information and
schedule of the dialogues.
As you may know, representatives of civil society organizations, as all
visitors, must apply for accreditation in order to gain access to the
Annual Meetings venues and related events. For the 2004 Annual Meetings
CSOs are able to request accreditation through a new web-based
accreditation system. The system was launched on July 1 and the
applications for accreditation from interested CSOs will be accepted
through no later than September 3. Please note that no requests will
be considered after this date. If you are interested in participating
in the Annual Meetings and policy dialogue sessions for CSOs, please
apply for accreditation as soon as possible, and immediately proceed to
obtain a visa to enter the US, should you need one.
More information on the accreditation process can be found at:
Below please find the press release issued on August 5 announcing the
final timing of the 2004 Meetings.
Inga Paichadze
External Affairs
World Bank Office Tbilisi
Tel.: + 995 32 91 30 96 / 91 26 89
Fax: + 995 32 91 34 78
E-mail: [email protected]
2. HEALTH JOURNALISM WORKSHOP
EJC will be running a Health Journalism workshop again in Maastricht
from 27-30 September 2004 for 10 Central and East European journalists.
The trainer is Oliver Wates (former Reuters). It will be a practical
workshop. Participants will write exercises on medical and general
public health issues and they will discuss and analyze the technical
process of constructing the story, how to explain complex subjects,
ensure balance, avoid scare mongering etc.
The workshop will be made possible due to the financial support of the
Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. It covers travel,
hotel accommodation and subsistence. (In some cases we might ask the
media the participant is working for to contribute to the flight costs).
We are looking for:
– young English speaking and writing journalists
– three years of experience (not necessarily in health reporting)
– preferably printed press
– independent press
– specialization in health reporting is not necessary, but a strong
interest is essential
– no purely medical journalists that work for medical magazines, but
journalists that work for mainstream newspapers and magazines (respected
media, no tabloids)
Would you be able to advertise this information among your colleagues
who might be interested in attending this workshop. They can send their
application (CV and letter of recommendation from their employer) to my
email address: [email protected]. They should do this before 1 September,
if possible.
Marjan Tillmans
Project coordinator
European Journalism Centre
Regional Press Institute
Tel/fax: +7 (812) 272-4672
70 Nevsky Prospect, room 41
Phone: +7 (812) 273-4733
191025 St. Petersburg RUSSIA
E-mail: [email protected]
3. INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME
Objective: The Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus Internship
Programme offers an opportunity to last year students and graduates from
relevant academics departments from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to
acquire basic knowledge of environmental issues, office and project
management skills through a two week competitive training scheme, as
well as specific work experience.
Scope: Internship Programme consists of two stage competitive training
courses including: 2 week general capacity building training in Tbilisi.
Participants in the training will undergo a test, and selection will be
made from among the winners to fill the vacancies of interns in the
on-the-job training course at the REC Caucasus offices.
Dates:
Two-week general training course September 13-26, 2004
One month on-the-job training September 27 – October 25, 2004
Financial support: Selected candidates for the general training shall be
provided with full travel and accommodation support by the organizers.
The selected interns will be offered a stipend for the one month period.
Criteria for participants:
o Applicant is to be a last year undergraduate student or graduate
student at the time of application;
o Applicant is to specialize in the field of biology, chemistry,
geography, journalism, economics, law, agriculture, architecture,
management and social sciences;
o Applicant is to possess good knowledge of the language of the country
whose citizen he/she is, also of the English and Russian languages.
Computer literacy and ability to work in multicultural environment is a
must;
o Applicant is to be a resident of Armenia, Azerbaijan or Georgia.
How to apply:
Candidates must submit, an updated curriculum vitae (CV) and a letter of
motivation describing his/her interest in the REC Caucasus Internship
Programme (not more than 500 words). CV, letter of motivation and other
relevant documents (recommendation letters, certificates, etc.) are to
be delivered by post or via e-mail to:
Nino Gvazava
74, Chavchavadze Ave., office 901, 0162 Tbilisi, Georgia
Tel/Fax: +99532 253649 / 253648
E-mail: [email protected]
Deadline for the application is 22 august 2004
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the interview
—————————————————–
REC Caucasus
74, Chavchavadze Ave., office 901
0162 Tbilisi, Georgia
Tel/Fax: +99532 253649 / 253648
E-Mail: [email protected]
4. WORLD BANK SETS NEW RULES FOR OIL PROJECTS
The World Bank, the world’s largest lender to poor nations, has agreed
to new rules meant to prevent revenue from oil and gas projects going to
corrupt regimes, rejecting a call for it to pull out of those projects
altogether, reports The Calgary Herald (Canada). The Bank will require
companies and countries to disclose oil payments, and it will reveal its
internal analysis of corruption in a country before approving a loan for
an oil or gas project. The Bank must still rework some changes in the
next few weeks before they are formally adopted, Kaldany said. The
Montreal Gazette, Neue Zýrcher Zeitung, (Switzerland), Die Tageszeitung
(Germany), The National Post (Canada), Inter Press Service, and
Greenwire, also report.
Meanwhile, in a letter to the editor of The Financial Times, members of
several UK-based Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) write that, by
agreeing to the World Bank’s management response, the Bank’s board has
again taken the easy option and sided with big business and big
governments, rather than standing up for indigenous peoples, the poor
and the environment by requiring a more environmentally and socially
responsible industry for the 21st century. The letter was signed by Tony
Juniper, Executive Director, Friends of the Earth; Barbara Stocking,
Executive Director Oxfam GB; Stephen Tindale, Executive Director,
Greenpeace UK; Jonathan Glennie, Senior Policy Officer, Christian Aid;
Simon Counsell, Director The Rainforest Foundation UK; Andrew Simms,
Policy Director, New Economics Foundation; Geoff Nettleton, Director,
Indigenous Peoples Links; James Leaton, Extractive Industries Policy
Officer, WWF; UK Jeff Powell, Co-ordinator, Bretton Woods Project;
Richard Harkinson, Co-ordinator, Minewatch’ Frances Carr, Director, Down
to Earth: the International Campaign for Ecological Justice in
Indonesia; and Nick Hildyard, The Cornerhouse.
The CSO members write that, rather than insisting on strong pro-poor
conditions being in place prior to investment to ensure transparency and
local consent, the Bank has promised merely “ongoing improvements”.
Rather than a decisive step-change in investments in renewable forms of
energy, the bank has promised a small increase. And rather than
insisting on the rights of indigenous people to decide what occurs on
their lands, the bank has promised merely to “consult”, the writers say.
All the evidence supports the need for the implementation of the EIR,
say the writers. The Bank’s response, supported by the UK government, is
a disgrace. Despite the rhetoric of concern for poor people and the
environment, it appears that today more than ever the greed of the
powerful overrides the needs of the powerless. The World Bank’s failure
to respond to the recommendations of an EIR process that it commissioned
raises fundamental questions about the sincerity of the bank in
launching this and other so-called multi-stakeholder processes.
Janneke bruil
Coordinator international financial institutions program
Friends of the earth international
Tel: +31 20 622 1369
5. ANOTHER BIODEMOCRACY VICTORY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Trinity County California Votes to Ban Genetically Engineered Crops
Source :Organic Consumers Association: Biodemocracy News & Action Alert,
August 4, 2004
It was another bad day for Monsanto and the Biotech Bullies and another
victory for the grassroots. Today, August 3, 2004, Trinity County,
California became the second county in the nation to ban the production
of genetically engineered (GE) crops and animals. By a vote of three to
one, Trinity County Supervisors moved to ban GE crops and animals in
order to protect Trinity’s local economy, including its growing organic
sector, and the environment. Today’s decision comes in the wake of a
March 2 ballot victory by voters in another Northern California county,
Mendocino, banning GE crops.
In November four more of California’s 59 counties (Marin, Butte,
Humboldt, and San Luis Obispo) will be voting on ballot measures to ban
genetically engineered organisms (GMOs). Monsanto, the Farm Bureau, and
the Bayer Corporation have vowed to crush this growing “Biodemocracy”
movement, but public opposition to gene-altered crops has put the
industry on the defensive. On May 10, Monsanto was forced to cancel
plans to commercialize GE wheat, while other GMOs in the
pipeline–including trees, fish, and biopharmaceutical crops, are facing
increasing opposition, not only in the U.S., but across the world.
Trinity’s GE Ban has been supported by a broad cross-section of county
residents, including organic consumers, farmers, businesses, home
gardeners, nurseries, social workers, students, church people, teachers,
environmentalists, government employees, and investment, computer, and
health professionals,
“Today’s vote follows 25 years of tradition in Trinity County, regarding
the passage of common-sense ordinances that protect the well being of
local citizens,” said Susan Bower, local farmer and ban proponent.
6. OCA ORGANIZING FILM PREMIER/HOUSE PARTIES ACROSS THE U.S. SEPTEMBER
11-12
Source :Organic Consumers Association: Biodemocracy News & Action Alert,
August 4, 2004
Host a house party! Meet up with other anti-GE activists in your
community. Help spread GE-Free Zones nationwide. Join the OCA September
11 and 12 to host a Biodemocracy fundraiser/house party, featuring a
premier screening of the powerful documentary, “The Future of Food,” by
Debra Koons Garcia.
“The Future of Food” provides an in-depth investigation and critique of
genetically engineered foods and crops, including interviews with farmer
activists such as Percy Schmeiser, and scientific critics such as Dr.
Michael Hansen.
For a donation of $25 dollars, the OCA will send you a video or DVD of
the documentary, an OCA house party manual, and an action guide on how
to spread GE-Free Zones in your local area or region.
OCA’s goal is to have 300 simultaneous house parties across America
September 11-12. Join us to make this goal a reality!
For more information, email Ryan Zinn in the OCA’s San Francisco office
[email protected] or call 415-271-6833.
OCA is now working with grassroots activists in over 30 counties across
the country to create GE-Free Zones. But we need more volunteers and
local Biodemocracy committees to help pass GMO bans. If you wish to
volunteer, please email or call us.
7. HELP THE OCA FIGHT THE COUNTER-ATTACK BY MONSANTO AND THE FARM BUREAU
Source :Organic Consumers Association: Biodemocracy News & Action Alert,
August 4, 2004
Trinity County’s vote comes on the heels of a vicious attack in the
corporate agribusiness farm journal, Western Farm Press, on the
Biodemocracy Alliance and the OCA–accusing us, among other things, of
fear-mongering and eco-terrorism
(). But we will
not be libeled nor intimidated. Corporate agribusiness and the Gene
Giants are attacking us, not because they are confident, but because
they are scared. We and the people of the world are starting to win the
battle against GMOs and usher in a new era of safe food, family farms,
and a sustainable environment. But we need your support to defend
Mendocino and Trinity’s victories, as well as to spread Biodemocracy
across California and the Americas. Please take the time now to send us
a donation.
8. VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS
8.1. AGRO-BIODIVERSITY TERMS OF REFERENCE FRUIT SPECIALIST
UNDP/GEF Project:
Recovery, Conservation, and Sustainable Use of Georgia’s Agricultural
diversity
Project Summary:
The project’s goal is the conservation and sustainable utilization of
threatened local plant genetic resources important to food and
agriculture. The project has two immediate objectives. The first is the
on-farm conservation of selected local agricultural biodiversity in
Samtskhe-Javakheti, historically the main granary of Georgia, on a pilot
demonstration basis. The second is to develop and implement a strategy
for replication of best lessons learned in conservation and utilization
of local agricultural biodiversity to other Georgian regions.
The project will address threats and root causes by concentrating its
technical and financial resources along 5 main avenues of actions.
First, it will establish sources of primary seed and planting material
for the threatened crops and fruit varieties. Second, it will strengthen
farmers’ own organizational structures (e.g. farmer association) as main
vehicles for production and distribution of seed and planting material
and experience sharing. Third, it will assist farmers in accessing
markets, including markets for organic products. Fourth, it will enhance
access to information on local agricultural biodiversity to farmers,
authorities, research stations, donors and other stakeholders and
promote information sharing among them. Finally, the project will ensure
that best lessons from project activities in Samtskhe-Javakheti are
replicated to other regions of Georgia.
Responsibilities
The Fruit Specialist will be responsible to the Project Manager. He/she
will work in close cooperation with the Agrobiodiversity Program Officer
under supervision of the Project Manager and provide needed expertise to
the Project. His/her responsibilities include but are not limited to:
– Working closely with the Project manager, program officer and other
staff of the project;
– Develop recommendations on technology for growing the targeted field
crop varieties.
– Participating in the farm works and assisting the participating
farmers with carrying them out properly and in the timely manner.
– Managing all farm operations on the project seed/planting material
multiplication fields
– Monitoring the project sites and farms regularly. Collect and analyze
all necessary data (soil, weather, diseases, pests, etc.)
– Planning and conducting survey field missions;
– For preparation of the targeted field surveys examining existing
information on globally significant agricultural diversity, including
wild relatives, their localization and level of vulnerability;
– Providing written reports of findings, including detailed map of
results.
– Consulting the participating farmers on all agronomy and farm
management issues related to the growing of the targeted plant species
– Investigating and assessing traditional knowledge possessed by the
farmers
– Providing recommendations on the type and level of training needed for
farmers or other conservation related personnel involved in the project
– Providing recommendation for a management plan for on farm
conservation measures, collection plots, nurseries and mini reserve(s);
– Assisting the Program Officer in development of agricultural diversity
data-base, brochures, handouts, booklets, other publications.
Outputs
– Work-plans and field mission plans
– Field Missions, mission reports
– Reports, maps, recommendations, photo-documentation
– In situ and ex situ conservation sites
Qualifications
– Recognized expertise in related subject;
– At least 10 years of experience in professional or academic position
– Experience working with in situ conservation of agricultural diversity
– Proven ability to effectively analyze situations and communicate
results well
– At least 1-year experience of working in donor-funded projects
– Working knowledge of computer (MS Office applications)
– Working knowledge of English is a preference
Education
– Advanced University degree in related discipline
Duty Station
Tbilisi with frequent travels to project sites in Samtskhe-Javakheti
Period of work
1 year with a view of extension of the contract up to three years.
Deadline for CV submission
August 12, 2004
Please deliver your CVs/send electronically according to the following
contact information:
ELKANA
III Delisi str. Nakveti 16
Tel: 536487 (contact person: Rusudan Nemsadze)
Fax: 536484
E-mail: [email protected]
And
UNDP
Mariam Shotadze
Program Analyst
UNDP, Georgia
Eristavi Str. 9, Tbilisi,
Tel: 25 11 28/29 or 31
Fax: 25 0071/72
E-mail: [email protected]
Important note: Interviews will be scheduled with the short listed
candidates only.
8.2. AGRO-BIODIVERSITY TERMS OF REFERENCE FIELD CROP SPECIALIST
UNDP/GEF Project: Recovery, Conservation, and Sustainable Use of
Georgia’s Agricultural diversity
Project Summary:
The project’s goal is the conservation and sustainable utilization of
threatened local plant genetic resources important to food and
agriculture. The project has two immediate objectives. The first is the
on-farm conservation of selected local agricultural biodiversity in
Samtskhe-Javakheti, historically the main granary of Georgia, on a pilot
demonstration basis. The second is to develop and implement a strategy
for replication of best lessons learned in conservation and utilization
of local agricultural biodiversity to other Georgian regions.
The project will address threats and root causes by concentrating its
technical and financial resources along 5 main avenues of actions.
First, it will establish sources of primary seed and planting material
for the threatened crops and fruit varieties. Second, it will strengthen
farmers’ own organizational structures (e.g. farmer association) as main
vehicles for production and distribution of seed and planting material
and experience sharing. Third, it will assist farmers in accessing
markets, including markets for organic products. Fourth, it will enhance
access to information on local agricultural biodiversity to farmers,
authorities, research stations, donors and other stakeholders and
promote information sharing among them. Finally, the project will ensure
that best lessons from project activities in Samtskhe-Javakheti are
replicated to other regions of Georgia.
Responsibilities
The Field Crop Specialist will be responsible to the Project Manager.
He/she will work in close cooperation with the Agrobiodiversity Program
Officer under supervision of the Project Manager and provide needed
expertise to the Project. His/her responsibilities include but are not
limited to:
– Working closely with the Project manager, program officer and other
staff of the project;
– Developing recommendations on technology for growing the targeted
field
crop varieties.
– Participating in the farm works and assisting participating farmers
with carrying them out properly and in a timely manner.
– Managing all farm operations on the project seed/planting material
multiplication fields including tillage, irrigation, weed and pest
control, rouging, yield harvesting, measuring and storing.
– Monitoring the project sites and farms regularly. Collecting and
analyzing all necessary data (soil, weather, phenology, diseases, weeds,
pests, yield, etc.) for its further utilization in technology
improvement and extension.
– Planning and making survey field missions.
– In preparation for the targeted field surveys examining existing
information on globally significant agricultural diversity, including
land races and wild relatives, their localization and level of
vulnerability;
– Conducting verification surveys of known sites of agricultural
diversity to provide up-to-date information on existing agricultural
diversity;
– Providing written reports of findings, including detailed maps of
results;
– Consulting participating farmers on all agronomy and farm management
issues related to the growing of the targeted crop varieties.
– Investigating and assessing traditional knowledge possessed by the
farmers;
– Providing recommendations on the type and level of training needed for
farmers or other conservation related personnel involved in the project.
– Providing recommendation on the management plan for on farm
conservation measures, collection plots, nurseries and mini reserve(s);
– Helping the Program Officer in development of agricultural diversity
data-base, brochures, handouts, booklets, other publications.
Outputs
– Work-plans and field mission plans;
– Field Missions, mission reports;
– Reports, maps, recommendations, photo-documentation;
– In situ and ex situ conservation sites established and became
operational.
Qualifications
– Recognized expertise in related subject;
– At least 10 years of experience in professional or academic position;
– Experience working with in situ conservation of agricultural
diversity;
– Proven ability to effectively analyze situations and communicate
results well;
– At least 1-year experience of working in donor-funded projects;
– Working knowledge of computer (MS Office applications);
– Working knowledge of English is a preference.
Education
Advanced University degree in related discipline
Duty Station
Tbilisi with frequent travels to project sites in Samtskhe-Javakheti
Period of work
3 Years (part-time)
Deadline for CV submission
August 12, 2004
Please deliver/send electronically your CVs according to the following
contact information:
ELK ANA
III Delisi str. Nakveti 16
Tel: 536487 (contact person: Rusudan Nemsadze)
Fax: 536484
E-mail: [email protected]
With CC: to
Mariam Shotadze
Program Analyst
UNDP, Georgia
Eristavi Str. 9, Tbilisi,
Tel: 25 11 28/29 or 31
Fax: 25 0071/72
E-mail: [email protected]
Important note: Interviews will be scheduled with the short listed
candidates only.
Important note: Interviews will be scheduled with the short listed
candidates only.
—
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CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL: