Program
AgroForum Mare Balticum – Agriculture for Rural Development
18th – 20th April 2017
Venue: Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMU); Assembly Hall, Kreutzwaldi St. 1, Tartu
Language: English and Russian are the official languages of the conference.
The video transfer of the conference is available here: EMU videoserver
18. April
Arrival in Tartu
10-18 Optional excursion in Tartu and surrounding areas, see left-hand menu for details.
20.00 Mayors reception in Tartu History Museum, welcome by Mayor of Tartu (Lossi 25, Tartu)
19. April
Conference (EMU main building assembly hall, Kreutzwaldi 1A, Tartu)
Moderator: Mindaugas Maciulevicius, Member of European Economic and Social Committee
8.30 - 9.30 Registration and welcome coffee
9.30 - 12.30 Opening plenary
Keynote speeches by FAO, OECD, IFAD, European Commission, CBSS, and representatives of China
Welcoming words by the rector of Estonian University of Life Sciences, Prof Mait Klaassen
Welcoming words by Prime Minister Mr Jüri Ratas
Welcoming words by minister of Rural Affairs Mr Tarmo Tamm
Chairman of the COMAGRI or the European Parliament Mr Czesław Adam Siekierski - The role of agriculture for rural life
DG Agri Director-General Mr Jerzy Bogdan Plewa (confirmed)
10.30 - 11.00 Coffee break
FAO Deputy Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia Mr Raimund Jehle (confirmed)
Deputy Director of the OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate Ms Carmel Cahill (confirmed)
Director of IFAD's Global Engagement, Knowledge and Strategy division Mr. Ashwani Muthoo - "Innovative financing for agriculture and rural development: Addressing the financing gap."
Vice-minister of agriculture of Armenia Mr Armen Harutyunyan - "Transformation of agriculture in 21th Century"
Vice-Minister of agriculture of Moldova Mr Ion Paria (confirmed)
12.30 - 13.30 Lunch
13.30 - 15.30 Workgroups (respective rooms), plenary continues
Group 1: Ministers and high officials (invitations only) - Agriculture for Rural Development
Group 2: Risk management and support measures in rural sector
Changes of ecosystems and adaptability to climate change - Prof Ülo Niinemets, EMU
Conducting land reform – a step toward secure land ownership - Evelin Jürgenson, EMÜ
Do agricultural measures have a positive influence on rural development and elimination of regional differences. - Aleksejs Nipers (Latvia University of Agriculture)
The impact of agricultural subsidies on the economic sustainability of Estonian farms - Eduard Matveev (The Rural Economy Research Centre, Estonia)
European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014-2020 contribution to development of rural areas - Ain Soome (Estonian Ministry of Rural Affairs)
Group 3: Animal husbandry in rural development (Moderated by Prof. David Arney, EMU)
The 68th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP) - Prof Haldja Viinalass, Estonian University of Life Sciences
How improving the animal welfare improves rural development - Terence Cassidy (European Commission DG Health and Food Safety audits and analysis)
BioCC`s R&D activities covering the dairy value chain - Ene Tammsaar, Bio-Competence Centre of Healthy Dairy Products LLC (BioCC)
merging animal diseases. Impact on rural economy - The challenges and solutions - Prof Arvo Viltrop, Estonian University of Life Sciences
15.30 - 16.00 Coffee break
16.00 - 16.45 Sum-up plenary (main building assembly hall) - conclusions; reports of roundtables, chairs’ summary
16.45 - 17.30 Summarising key-note presentation "Agriculture for rural development: Attempts of a synthesis." by Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. i.R. Harald von Witzke (Humboldt University of Berlin, Professor and Chair for International Agricultural Trade and Development and President, Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture Department of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences)
19.00 - 22.00 Conference dinner (Restaurant Atlantis)
20. April
Conference continues (EMU main building, Kreutzwaldi 1A, Tartu)
Moderator: Mr Ruve Schank (Estonian representative in FAO)
8.30 - 9.00 Registration and welcome coffee
9.00 - 11.30 Closing plenary on future visions (main building, assembly hall)
9.00-9.30 The World Bank vision on the rural development and the role of changing agriculture in its development - Paavo Eliste (The World Bank)
9.30-10.00 The efficiency and influence of support measures offered by Estonian Rural Development Foundation to Estonian rural regions. Goals of the EU CAP in the future - Raul Rosenberg (Estonian Rural Development Foundation)
10.00-10.30 Assessment of the Availability of Basic Agricultural Goods in the Republic of Armenia and Possibilities to Increase Imports of Them - Prof. Hrachik Javadyan (Armenian Agricultural University)
10.30-11.00 More sustainable food systems - Mindaugas Maciulevicius (Member of European Economic and Social Committee) (tbc)
11.00-11.20 Wrap up and closing of the conference
11.20 - 12.00 Coffee break and walk to the fair.
12.00 Opening of the Agricultural fair 2017. Visit to the fair.
Departure