International Rabbit Workshop of Mekarn Project
Theme
Organic Rabbit Farming: A chance for the poor producers in villages under the increasing price of traditional concentrate feed
Justification
Rabbit production has been well developed in Mekong delta, Vietnam during the bird flu due to the lack of meat for human demand. With the advantages of fast and prolific reproduction and herbivore feeding habit under increasing prices of traditional concentrate feeds, the rabbit has become important of organic meat production for the poor producers in the tropical developing countries. However, some constrains of the production such as lacks of information of raising technology, feed utilization, diseases, marketing and consumption for the producers as well as researchers. Therefore a regional Workshop of organic rabbit farming is necessary to share experiences of research and development among researchers, producers and consumers to make them available for enhancing the production
Goals of the International Rabbit workshop under MEKARN project are:
- To share scientific results and experiences of rabbit production development during bird flu in the South East Asian Countries.
- To suggest short and long-term strategies for organic rabbit development for meat while feed price crisis.
- Build up the MEKARN Rabbit Network (MERANET) for research and development collaboration
- To produce the recommendation leaflet of organic rabbit farming
Delegates: 50
- Researchers, producers, technicians and officers from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh and other countries.
- Participants of World Rabbit Association are welcomed.
- Vietnam (25), Laos (3), Cambodia (7), Thailand (2), Bangladesh (2), Sri Lanka (1), Philippines (2), Indonesia (1), others (3).
- Dr. TR Preston, Dr. R. Leng, Dr. Brian Ogle, Dr Steven Lukafts (WRSA), Dr. Huynh Kim Giao (Dept of Animal production, Ministry of Agric.& Rural dev. Vietnam), Dr Ngo Van Man, Mr Nguyen Van Cong (NL Univ)
Workshop fund, travel and accommodation fee
- MEKARN will offer fund for Dept of Ani. Sciences, CTU to organize the workshop
- MEKARN will pay for the MEKARN members, invited speakers and presenters
- Other participants will pay themselves
- There is no registration fee
Activities
- Overview and Scientific papers presentation, posters and films
- Round table discussion of long-term strategies for organic rabbit development for meat while feed price crisis.
- Round table discussion of producing recommendation leaflet of organic rabbit farming
Duration: 2 days
Tentative progam
First day
- Presentations of overview and scientific papers
Second day
- Visit experimental and production rabbit farms
- Round table discussion:
* Regional network
* Producing recommendation leaflet
First day
8.00 8.10 Welcome speech (Dr. Nguyen An Tuan, Rector)
8.10 8.20 Inauguration speech (Dr. Huynh Kim Giao Director of Dep. Of animal productiont, Ministry of Agric and Rural Dev)
Introduction: Dr. R Leng Dr. Nguyen Van Thu
8.20 8.45 First keynote lecture: The trend of animal production adapted to the World food crisis (Dr. TR Preston, MEKARN Scientific Adviser).
8.45 9.10 Second keynote lecture: The rabbit: the roles of herbivores production under the feed crisis based on natural digestive tracts (Prof Dr R Leng, Australia)
9.10 - 9.40 Coffee break
9.40 10.05 Third keynote lecture: The role of the organic rabbit farming for the poor alleviation (Prof Dr. Steven Lukefahr , WRSA President, USA)
10.05 10.30 Rabbit production development in Thailand.
10.30 10.55 Rabbit production development in Bangladesh
10.55 11.20 Experiences for rabbit research and development in Vietnam (Assoc Prof Dr Dinh Van Binh, Goat and Rabbit Center, Bavi, Vietnam)
11.20-11.45 Activities of research and transfer technology of rabbit production at Cantho University. (Dr. Nguyen Thi Kim Dong, CTU, Vietnam)
11.45 13.30 Lunch
Introduction: Dr. TR Preston, Cantho University
Dr. Steven Lukefahr
13.00 17.30
- Eighteen scientific papers relevant to organic rabbit farming presented (10min/presentation)
- Coffee break (20min)
- General questions and comments (30 min)
Second day
8.00 11.30 Visiting the experimental farms and family farms in Cantho
11.30 13.00 Lunch
13.00 17.00 Round tables
- Round table 1: Recommendation leaflet of the workshop
- Round table 2: building up the Regional Rabbit network
18.00 Farewell dinner
Budget planed by Mr. Nguyen Van Cong Nong Lam University
Scientific consultant: Dr. TR Preston
Contact person: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Thu
Email: nvthu@ctu.edu.vn
Fax: 8471 830814
Invitation and calling titles and full text of papers:
- Invitation: 10 June 2008
- Titles: deadline 10 July 2008
- Full text: deadline 25 Sep 2008