"No need for rocket efforts to implement the accumulated knowledge”, Christel Weller-Monongua opens the keynote presentation session of Tropentag 2014 with her cogent statement. Christel has worked in the development cooperation field for over 25 years now and she is convinced that there is no need for the research, if the results don't reach the farmers. ( Continue . . . )

Many of our student reporters this year are trying out scientific journalism for the first time at Tropentag. But Vitalii Korol, last year’s videographer from Ukraine, enjoyed his experience so much that he’s back for more. You may be wondering, though – why are students the reporters at a formal academic conference in the first place? (Continue...)

“When can nature pay for biodiversity conservation? Can local communities prosper by protecting wildlife?“ Miroslav Zámečník addressed these questions during the opening plenary session. Blog post by Pin Pravalprukskul and Juan José Egas. (Continue...)

Voices from around the world fill the entrance hall of the Study and Information Center this morning, as Tropentag Conference participants line up for registration. The energy level is high, and colleagues greet each other with smiles and handshakes, many with poster tubes over their shoulders, ready to present their research in the coming days. But whom exactly might you find on the campus of the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague this morning?

“If the students are happy – I am happy” – Sarah Glatzle has the right attitude for her position: She is the organizer of the ATSAF-Student Reporters program. Every year at Tropentag, twelve students learn in workshops to report about scientific themes resented at the conference. Sarah not only has to handle the chaotic creativity of the student reporters—her work starts even earlier with the selection of them. “There was even an application from Trinidad-Tobago,” tells Sarah, “but unfortunately only students from European Universities can apply.” Otherwise the traveling costs would be too high to be covered by ATSAF. Learning by doing – you cannot plan everything. Sarah knows that the only way to handle the unexpected is to be flexible. Rooms are locked, material is in the wrong place – lots of problems have to be solved behind the scenes to keep the Conference working. But the stressful moments last only for a few hours and there are, of course, many positive experiences. Last year the students surprised her with flowers for her support. Next year Sarah is going to do her pHD research in Brazil about integrated crop- livestock system – let’s hope she has next year nevertheless the time to help the students.

Originating from the big city of Prague Vojtěch never imagined he would once study “Sustainable rural Development”. After experiencing rural landscape at the edge of Capetown (South Africa) put him into contact with agricultural sciences. With his specific interest to advance villages in the Tropics and Subtropics Vojtech is looking forward to learn more about sustainable technologies like fruit drying and energy supply from biogas and solar panels. He is especially looking forward to host young researchers from the whole world and give them a good experience at his home faculty.

Rachel Friedman, with a first degree in environment science and masters in science communication, has a passion for translating technical findings for development practitioners and the general public. With experience in blogging and social media, she is excited to report on the research presented at the Tropentag conference 2014, Prague. (Continue...)

Vitalii Korol from Ukraine is a master student of Sustainable Resources Management in the Technical University of Munich. He participated in Tropentag 2013, and he is back as a senior reporter to share the previous experience with newcomers, and ( . . . )