RAMIRAN - The leading network on Recycling organic residues in agriculture
The
"Recycling Agricultural, Municipal and Industrial Residues in
Agriculture Network (RAMIRAN)" is a research and expertise network
dealing with environmental issues relating to the use of manure and
other organic residues in agriculture. It is organized within the
framework of the FAO ESCORENA: European System of Cooperative Research
Networks in Agriculture (http://www.escorena.net/), a European
initiative to enhance sustainable agricultural development and food
security by improving the use of information, communication, and
associated technologies.
RAMIRAN
evolved in 1996 from the much smaller Animal Waste Network, that had
been active since 1978, and the scope was expanded to include other
organic residues (industrial and municipal) which are used on land as
organic manures and soil amendments. It is in principal a European
network, but also open to interested experts from other parts of the
world. It has no official members, but about 400 people from over 30
countries are registered in its participation list.
The
network provides an invaluable means of exchanging ideas, information
and experiences on topics that are becoming increasingly important at a
national and international level. The main objectives of the network
are to:
• Promote the exchange of methodologies, materials and processes;
• Progress knowledge on the environmental assessment of organic residues recycling in agriculture;
•
Identify research priorities and initiate innovative
collaborative activities that make use of the synergies resulting from
the international network
The
main activity of RAMIRAN is a scientific conference organized every two
years, usually attended by about 100-200 participants. In the past,
RAMIRAN also hosted a number of working groups dealing with more
specific topics such as sanitary aspects, gaseous emissions or heavy
metals in agriculture. In 2003 and 2011 a special working group first
produced a "Glossary of Terms on Livestock Manure Management" which
proved very valuable in harmonizing the use of terms relevant to
organic residues and their environmental relevance. Today the focus is
on task groups, short-term teams with a clear task that can be achieved
in a defined time of ideally 1-2 years and maximum four years. These
tasks make use of the potential of RAMIRAN arising from its membership
of experts. This means that, for example, surveys about management
techniques, environmental, economic or social issues in connection with
manure and other organic residues or interdisciplinary studies are
ideal topics for such special tasks.
With
its participants, RAMIRAN holds a tremendous resource of knowledge and
expertise in a wide range of topics across the whole of Europe and,
increasingly, other continents. With well over 200 participants and
over 250 oral and poster contributions the 15th conference in is again
setting records. With the overall topic "Recycling of organic residues
for agriculture: from waste management to ecosystem services" it well
reflects the changing perception from waste and emissions towards
benefits and resource efficiency that we went through in manure and
organic residues management over the past years and decades. As
Co-chairmen of the Network we thank the organizers for arranging this
exciting and successful conference!
Tom Misselbrook and Harald Menzi
Network Coordinators
| Date
|
City |
Country |
Date |
City |
Country |
| 2010
September 13-15 |
Lisboa |
PORTUGAL |
1996
October 9-11 |
Gödöllö |
HUNGARY |
| 2008
June 11-14 |
Albena |
BULGARIA |
1994
May 17-20 |
Bad
Zwischenhahn |
GERMANY |
| 2006
September 11-13 |
Aarhus |
DENMARK |
1992
June 22-24 |
Prague |
CSFR |
| 2004
October 6-9 |
Murcia |
SPAIN |
1990
September 25-28 |
Bologna |
ITALY |
| 2002
May 14-18 |
Strbské
Pleso |
SLOVAK
REPUBLIC |
1988
June 12-22 |
Liebefeld-Bern |
SWITZERLAND |
| 2000
September 6-9 |
Gargnano |
ITALY |
1986
May 13-16 |
Burgos |
SPAIN |
| 1998
May 26-29 |
Rennes,
Brittany |
FRANCE |
1985
May 21-22 |
Gumpenstein |
AUSTRIA |
