Theme:
"Harnessing synergies of sustainable agriculture and biodiversity towards food and nutrition security and improved livelihoods"
The Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (CE SAIN) and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) are organizing the CE SAIN – SEARCA Joint International Conference 2024: Fourth International Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (SAIN4) and the Third International Conference on School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement and Enterprise (SHGBEE3) on 19-22 November 2024 in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The conference aims to foster knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovation focused on sustainable agriculture, nutrition, and biodiversity in the community. The SAIN4 and SHGBEE3 Conference will feature a dynamic blend of networking such as keynote speeches, plenary sessions, parallel sessions, oral and poster presentations, and mobile workshops at agricultural technology parks, farms, and biodiversity conservation areas in Angkor Wat.
The Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (SAIN) has adopted the name of Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (CE SAIN) of the Royal University of Agriculture with the overall goal of fostering private-sector innovation, agricultural research, education, training, and extension, and public-sector capacity building through improved collaboration and knowledge sharing that is focused on improving food and nutritional security in Cambodia. SAIN refers to the approach of "Transforming the Agri-Food System" through agricultural innovation research and demonstration, extension to farmers and stakeholders, learning opportunities to students, and networking to exchange information and research findings to leverage agricultural development.
The School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement and Enterprise (SHGBEE) program brings together the interconnectedness of agriculture, education, nutrition, biodiversity enhancement, economics, and enterprise towards achieving food and nutrition security among school children, their families, and the communities. Building on the successes of SEARCA's School-plus-Home Gardens Program (S+HGP), SHGBEE adds focus on biodiversity enhancement and enterprise. SHGBEE's overall goal is to improve the nutritional condition and dietary habits of school-aged children by diversifying and enabling year-round production of locally adapted vegetables through school and home gardening. This also included improving the knowledge and skills of students and teachers in participating schools. Eventually, the school gardens led to the development of home gardens. This contributed to reducing expenses, creating savings, and providing an alternative source of income for families in the community.