Food Safety- Breakout session “More than one billion of the world population are hungry and more than two billion are sickened each year from the food they ate. Agriculture is exacting a heavy biological cost, but health policy and programs often stop at the clinic door.” Food safety has for a longtime been ignored in the talks regarding food security, despite food borne diseases being considered the number one killer in the world. This has further been compromised as food security has been stretched based on the high demands. Furthermore, over the years little investments have been directed to this area. Delia Grace, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) The suggested way to addressing food safety being from farm to folk, which includes the long chain from production to consumption, this includes; from harvesting, to the informal markets, to the storage, as well as areas of waste. Mycotoxins, which are very toxic fungus found in major crops and have been reported to contaminate over 25% of the world produce, are of great interest to researchers.

"Agricultural research and nutrition go hand in hand with regards to food security." This was the opening remark for the Science Forum 2013. With that, key factors in research regarding major crops like maize and rice, and the requirement of genetic research, need to be put in place. The innovative transfers of research findings is very essential especially to the farm levels; through networking and partnership, exchange is promoted among international agricultural centres, institutes and scientists. Maggie Gill, ISPC Council Member and Science Forum 2013 Chair Funding bodies allocate funds for agricultural research institution in partner countries, with the role for its member organizations being to support European agricultural research and development to promote knowledge transfers. This would contribute to success of international agriculture research for development. System level-objectives of these funding bodies include reformation which focuses on reducing rural poverty, improving food security in terms of quantity, quality and affordability, improving nutrition and health, and a sustainable management of environment and natural resources.

“Strict” Border Restrictions are not enough to curb Pests and Diseases!! Insane as it sounds, that is the reality of things. Pests and Diseases management has been part of scientific discussions since time immemorial with regard to agricultural production systems. With this year’s conference theme, “Agricultural development within the rural-urban continuum”, pest and diseases was not left behind, and this brought great discussion among scientist from all over the globe. Stephan Winter Leibniz-Institute, Braunschweig, Germany Amazing interactions between plant viruses, their vectors and their hosts plants was reported by Stephan Winter, a virologist from Leibniz-Institute, Braunschweig, Germany. According to Winter, plant viruses can travel long distance as far as United State from Africa, to Europe. This has been made possible by international trade of planting materials, vegetables and cut flowers, enabling pests and diseases of economic importance to cross strict boarders. Generally, several driving factors have been found to contribute to this menace, scientist are committed to find solutions for the control and containment of pests and diseases.These include, cultural measures, biological control of the pest, use of tolerant crop varieties against plant diseases among others.

Crop biotic stresses (DPG Session) The Board of the German Society Phytomedicine (DPG -Deutschen Phytomedizinischen Gesellschaft) as part of Tropentag, organized an award ceremony to celebrate one of its member with outstanding scientific achievements in the field of Phytomedicine. The 2013 Anton de Bary Medal was presented to Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kranz in recognition for his scientific work in the areas of tropical and subtropical plant pathology and epidemiology of pathogens. The award consists of a medal named Anton de Bary on one side and bears the name of the award winner on the back, and a certificate that contains the focus of the presentation The 2013 Anton de Bary Medal ("http://dpg.phytomedizin.org/de/die-dpg/auszeichnungen-preise/")

Session: Plant Production Systems within the rural-urban continuum Chair: Anthony Whitbread, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany With the ever rising effects of climate change, adaptation of crops and advanced scientific research at genetic levels, are facing major challenges due to the segregation effect on the unstable crop genotypes. The session of Plant Production systems covered a broad area dealing mainly with agricultural production, from crop protection aspects to crop modeling to combat climate change, with the aim of creating a sustainable agricultural system. The lead paper, by Manuel Tamo, an insect ecologist from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), presented a crop protection aspect specifically focusing on Biological Control. Manuele Tamo, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Benin.

"Agricultural development within the rural-urban continuum” By Prof. Dr. F. Asch; for Organizing committee, Prof. Dr. S. Dabbert, President, University of Hohenheim ”According to projections of the UN, 70% of the global population will be living in urban areas by 2050” ”on this basis, Prof. Dr. F. Asch, officiated and welcomed the over 800 participants, and at the same time thanked the main sponsors of Tropentag conference.

Introducing Minette de Asis. PhD Student in Agriculture Economics at Humbolt University in Berlin Nationality; The Philippines Position;Senior student Reporter 2013 Responsibility; Editor Here is Minette

INTRODUCTORY TRAINING Topics: Social Media, Photo and Video Editing By Andreas Riechel and Roland Altenburger Introduction to Social Media Session Photography Session Videography Session