Welcome Message from Dr. Huqu Zhai

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

On behalf of the Chinese Conference Organizing Committee, I am delighted to invite all of you to participate in the 27th Conference of the International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE), which will be held in Beijing China, August 16-22, 2009.

China is a big agricultural country with a huge population and a long history of farming and the tradition of intensive cultivation. Since 1978, Chinese agricultural and rural economy has experienced an extraordinary growth, leading to drastic poverty reduction. This is not only a great achievement in the Chinese history, but also a large event in human economic development, which has attracted the worldwide attention.

China is a founding member of the IAAE. However, to date, China has never had the opportunity to host the conference. With the support of the IAAE executive committee and the approval of the State Council, China will host this triennial event of the IAAE in 2009 for the first time, which will not only provide a unique opportunity for delegates from other countries to observe and understand China and its fast-changing agriculture, but also provide a forum for the Chinese agricultural economists to learn development and reform experiences in other countries.

As China's leading agricultural research entity, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) owns a big team of researchers engaged in the area of agricultural economics. They would like to take the opportunity to see more close communication and cooperation with the international counterparts.

With the benefit of 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing has become more attractive. We are eagerly looking forward to the fall of 2009 when participants from every corner of the world in the field of agricultural economics gather in Beijing.

Dr. Huqu Zhai
President of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Chairman of the XXVII International Conference of Agricultural Economists Organizing Committee

Welcome Message from Dr. David Colman

To all members, old and new,

On behalf of the Executive of IAAE I warmly welcome you to the 27th International Conference of IAAE in Beijing.

Dr. Huqu Zhai is right to point out that China was a founding member of IAAE but has not had the opportunity to host one of its conferences until now. The suggestion that this should be remedied was first put forward over 20 years ago, but it was not until 2003 at the 25th Conference that the decision to start planning for Beijing was taken. It is very exciting that preparations are now complete, and that an challenging programme has been organised by Vice-President Professor Johann Kirsten and his team under the general theme “The New Landscape of Global Agriculture”. Given the impact on agriculture of the current dramatic events in the global economy and of climate change, the conference provides a timely opportunity to assess what that landscape might be in the next decade and beyond.

The programme owes a great deal to the paper submissions by new and old members, proposals submitted for workshops, symposia and discussion groups. It also owes a great deal to those who have accepted to prepare and present plenary papers, and to sponsors who have offered support to assist attendance by many participants and to assist the costs met by the Local Organising Committee. IAAE offers its thanks to all of these, and special thanks to the local organisers and those IAAE members who have put so much time into preparing the intellectual and social programmes. Their contributions and your active participation in the conference is what makes these IAAE conferences so memorable.

The professional, social and cultural opportunities offered by this conference in Beijing are exceptional and I am sure you will have an unforgettable experience, particularly those of you who are new members. Finally on behalf of the IAAE I wish to express my thanks and appreciation to the Local Organising Committee for their warm welcome, and to add my own.

Dr. David Colman
President of the International Association of Agricultural Economists