Part V Future Outlook for Research and Development on Cash Crop Halophytes and Foundation of ISHU, a New Scientific Society Introduction to Part V - Gold Medal award The Concerted Action "Sustainable Utilisation of During this meeting the new International Society Halophytes in the Tropical and Dry Regions" lasted of Halophyte Utilisation (ISHU) was founded. Many from May 1996 until May 2000. It ended at the time activities and individual groups branched out after that when the EXPO 2000 started. This event allowed the meeting. The following chapter summarizes the first members to present their achievements, concepts and two years' activity of the new society. It will continue future goals conveniently to a large audience. in many ways and we expect that several more Until May 2000 the following activities were volumes will develop, presenting research and devel­ prepared: opment of halophyte production systems with irriga­ tion using saline and other unconventional waters. We 1. A presentation of halophytes and their utilisation in have compiled the list of publications in this volume the Botanical Garden of the University ofOsnabrueck in order to serve as a resource book for future devel­ as part of the OBE 2000, a regional activity mainly opments. At the end of this volume we provide a list covering soil problems of various kinds. with all species names reported to be salt tolerant to a certain degree. 2. A presentation of halophytes in the Hall "Nutrition" at the EXPO 2000 in Hannover, together with com­ monly used vegetables. 3. Opening to the public the pilot projects of the Concerted Action of the European Community, "Sustainable Utilisation of Halophytes" in Morocco, Tunesia, Egypt, Italy, Spain and Germany. 4. Selling halophyte meals for one week to the stu­ dents of the University of Osnabrueck. 5. The development of a home page within the frame of the OBE 2000, the University of Osnabrueck and the Institute of Environmental Systems Research: www.usf.uni-osnabrueck.de/projects/ expo 2000. This home page was visited during the lead time of the EXPO 2000 almost 100,000 times with 62,000 visit­ ing from outside of the University and covering all continents. For this achievements received the Concerted Action a Gold Medal from the EXPO 2000 for world wide projects (Figure 1). A part of the closing activities of the Concerted Action "Sustainable Utilisation of Halophytes in the Tropical and Dry Regions" organised the group a Fig. 1. Gold medal for international projects awarded to the workshop at the Botanical Garden of the University of Concerted Action project "Sustainable halophyte utilisation in the Osnabrueck, the meeting from which many chapters Mediterranean and subtropical dry regions" by the EXPO 2000 in of this book originated. Hannover, Germany. 199 H. Lieth (ed.), Cash Crop Halophytes: Recent Studies, 199. © 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers. The foundation of an International Society of Halophyte Utilisation (ISHU) 25.06.2002 in Osnabrueck/Germany Deliberations at the founding session. The official registration can be undertaken with the The undersigning persons agree to found an inter­ assistance of the Secretary and the Treasurer. national society for the development of halophyte The President is empowered to undertake all steps utilisation. to enact the foundation of the society in the intention The society will be named the "International of the founding members. Society for Halophyte Utilisation". Out of the found­ ing members we elect as: Signatures: Helmut Lieth, Vito Sardo, Noomene Sleimi, Chedly Abdelly, Mokhtar Zarrouk, A.I Joshi, Jose President - Helmut Lieth Ramon Noriega, Xiaojing Liu, Hassan EI-Shaer Vice-President - Hassan EI-Shaer After the founding session the following persons arrived Secretary - Marina Mochtchenko and joint the new society: Cherif Harrouni, Salma Daoud, Ajmal Khan, Benno Boeer, Nebiha Mohammed, Treasurer - Vito Sardo. Amnon Bustan, Michael DePew. As members of the governing board we select Atef From this meeting the following resolution was Hamdy, Xiaojing Liu and Ramon Noriega. formulated (Table 1). This resolution served success­ The President is asked to undertake necessary fully as bond for the activities of the members of the action for a legal registration of the new society. society. Table 1. Resolution to initiate the new international Rand D society "International Society of Halophyte Utilisation" (lSHU) The participants at the final meeting of the EU CA group "Sustainable Utilisation of Halophytes" on occasion of the EXPO 2000 agreed to present a resolution to the public through the internet. After some discussion the following text was adopted: Resolution I. The network of experts for halophyte utilisation and the use of unconventional irrigation water developed by the EU CA group be enlarged and structured as a new Association (NGO) or private corporation. 2. The scope of the new organisation will be the promotion of the sustainable utilisation of halophytes through research, application and education. 3. The importance and feasibility of halophyte production systems be demonstrated through pilot projects in relevant countries. 4. Private enterprise be encouraged to implement trial plantations and/or halophyte utilisation projects. 5. A governing board for the new organisation be developed expediently. 6. The new board be asked to have international organisations and/or funding agencies as well as private investors approached to explain the importance of future halophyte utilisation and request funding and support for special projects identified by members ofthe new association. 7. The new association will issue a biannual or quarterly newsletter. 8. Assist in the creation of environmental awareness groups world wide, related to the future importance of utilising halophytes. 9. Assist in the development of an international gene bank of halophytes. 10. Preliminary Center for the governing board be the institute of Environmental Systems Research at the University of OsnabruecklGermany.' Contact address: [email protected] or [email protected]; [email protected] or [email protected] Signed by: N. Sleimi/Tunisia, C. Abdelly/Tunisia, M. ZarrouklTunisia, V. Sardo/Italy, A. J. Joshi/India, J. R. Noriega/Mexico, X. LiulChina, H. M. El Shaer/Egypt, Ch. Harrouni/Morocco, S. Daoud/Morocco, M. A KhaniPakistan, B. Boeer/UAE, Nebiha Mohamed/Ethiopia-UAE, A. BustaniIsrael, M. DePew/USA, H. LiethiGermany. Persons interested in the newly developing activity are kindly requested to contact the preliminary headquarter via e-mail to [email protected] 'Since 2001 the preliminary center is moved to the following address: Marina Mochtchenko, Johann Heinrich-Lieth. Str. 2, D-52525 Kuerten-Duerscheid, Tel/Fax: 49 2207 706920. The old address may still be used. 201 H. Lieth (ed.), Cash Crop Halophytes: Recent Studies, 201. © 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Activities of ISHU Summary of the activities of ISHU and the Concerted RECENT ACTIVITIES Action project "Sustainable Utilisation of Halophytes FOR RESEARCH AND in the Tropical and Dry Regions". DEVELOPMENT WORK BY Actions undertaken by the Steering Committee ISHU MEMBERS since the foundation in May 2000. Due to the intensive workload during the years 2000 The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have greatly affected and 2001 it was impossible to get the people together research possibilities in the Near East region. This for the registration procedure. The organisational and included the cooperative projects on halophytes and scientific work, however, began immediately. saline irrigation systems. The editorial work for this In 15-22 September 2001 was the first Congress volume and especially for the Quest conference in organised in Huanghua, China by Xiaojing Liu. The Doha/Qatar was also delayed. results of the meeting were published in 2002 in the The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture book "Proceedings of International Symposium on (lCBA) in Dubai maintained its work at home and Halophyte Utilisation and Regional Sustainable opened new cooperative projects in countries outside Development ofAgriculture" compiled by Xiaojing Liu of the war-affected area. See ICBA Strategic plan and Helmut Lieth. The table of content is shown in 2000-2004, Annual report 2000 and Biosalinity News Table 1. vol. 3. 2002 and volume 4.2003. In 2002 two meetings were organised. January 2002 The working group in Osnabriick was able to in Doha/Qatar the meeting entitled "QUEST 2002 for continue a project in the AmudaIjev Delta region MENA" was organised by Benno Boeer. The abstract of Usbekistan which they had started in 2001 as volume of that meeting, prepared by H. Lieth,U. an INTAS-Aralsee project: see homepage Herpin, B. Boer and A. Kotb was published prior to < www.usf.uni-osnabrueck.de/proj ects/ aral> . the meeting. From this Volume we present in Table 2 Our member, Dr. Boeer continued his work also as the statements by Boer et al. member of the UNESCO Doha office, mostly outside The final wording of these recommendations in the war-affected region. form of an activity programme is presently in prepara­ Our member Ramon Noriega cooperated with the tion by the Supreme Counsel of the Environment of Ocean Desert Enterprise (ODE), Amsterdam in devel­ the State of Qatar. oping a saline systems project in the Colorado Delta April 2002 a meeting in CairolEgypt was organised area of Mexican Baja California. by Hassan EI-Shaer as a starting point for halophyte The evaluation meeting for the project was utilisation in inland semideserts as fodder bases for organised by Jeanette Hock in April 2003, during sheep and goats. The proceedings of this conference which the working group presented the plan for the are still in preparation. development of an entire saline systems-based com­ Due to the intense work load the governing board munity whose income stems initially mainly from decided to delay the official registration and have the agriculture and forestry and some services to a nearby administrative work executed within the frame of the nature reserve.