Seoul-102
                                                          1998.6.5
                                              Akira Mizushima/MAFFIN

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 Agriculture Working Group Report - DRAFT
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I. Background
At present, to accelerate our field's research is indispensable
subject for all people in the Asia Pacific area for sustainable
development of the agriculture, forestry and fisheries (herein
referred to as "Agriculture") which deal with earth environment
change, population increase and stable production of the food.

As the climate change affects agricultural production in all
various countries deeply, the living of the people in this area is
deeply related mutually.  Therefore, the research of the
Agriculture in every country must make move forward by the
collaboration of the researchers in this area.

Moreover, the international collaborative research for that will
promote that the network of the researchers connects each other
closely.

APAN is the basis for us to promote our purpose powerfully.  Also,
we believe that the cooperation of the computer scientist and the
Agricultural researcher promotes this more effectively.  As the
Agricultural research is based upon the synthesis of all learning,
we would like to develop Agricultural research through the
cooperation with the scientist of all fields on APAN.  Then, we
want to try to distribute our research result among the people in
all countries through APAN.


II. The elapse
1. March, '98:
  a. The APAN committee at Tsukuba resolved the establishment of
     agriculture, forestry, and fisheries working group by the
     proposition of MAFFIN.  (The abbreviated name: Agriculture WG.)
  b. The temporary person in charge in this WG is Mizushima/MAFFIN.
2. March, '98:
  a. Applies to the APAN resource allocation subcommittee for the
     resource allocation to APBionet with Bioinformatics WG.
3. May, '98:
  a. Started WG's mailing list and a home page for our WG into WWW
     of APAN.


III. The policy of the activity
As for us, our region is proud that are filled with all the
phenomena along with the diversity.  At the same time, we know
that all the phenomena in our region link each other deeply, too.
GBA (Global Biodiversity Assessment) consist of UNEP (the United
Nation Environmental Program, 1995) give following signification
Biodiversity. 
    - Organismal diversity 
    - Ecological diversity 
    - Genetic diversity 
    - Cultural diversity 

In specialty, cultural diversity means human diversity, our
research field includes that synthetically.  Recently, molecular
evolution theory pointed out there is deep correspondence relation
between human evolution and agricultural activity.  After all this
is a view that there are correspondence relations with
    - Diversification of agricultural style developed in each area,
    - Diversification of human language, 
    - Heritable specialization of human society. 

As agricultural research products from practical use of APAN give
productiveness to all people, our WG will act based on our
cooperation and respect for each diversification.


IV. The present goal
Because our research field is a variety, almost, it sets about the
build for the common research environment.  The APAN Resource
Allocation Sub-Committee is deliberated to the virtual network on
APAN for our WG.  It will be formed by the name of APBionet by the
collaboration between our WG and Bioinformatics WG.

1. The build of Digita1 Library for an Agricultural research, 
  a. Information databases of the bibliography and documentation,
  b. Satellite remote sensing and GIS for earth/environment
     monitor & research,
  c. Genome Information System for the Bioscience research. 
2. Network Collaboration Systems. 
3. The international conference and the symposium by the network.
4. The Training for the build, management and control of the
   Digital Library System and/or Network. 


V. The discussion item about Seoul meeting
1. The election
  a. WG's chairman
  b. WG's secretariat
  c. The contact person in charge according to the field

VI. The action plan