Call for Application
“Sustainable Food Production and Food Security in Developing Countries – Quality Management and Resource Use Efficiency along Agri-Value Chains”
11–19 March 2018 in Witzenhausen, Germany
followed by a visit to the world's leading trade fair for food processing technology Anuga FoodTec 2018,
20–23 March 2018 in Cologne, Germany
Overview of the seminar
The seminar and trade fair visit is offered by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in the framework of the program Alumni Special Projects (www.daad.de/alumni-special-projects). The interna-tional DAAD Alumni Seminar is organized and hosted by the Department of Agricultural Engineering in the Tropics and Subtropics of the Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences of the University of Kassel (www.uni-kassel.de/fb11agrar/en/sections/agrartechnik/home.html), Prof. Dr. Oliver Hensel and DITSL Witzenhausen (www.ditsl.org). The costs will be mainly covered by funds from the DAAD provided by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The seminar targets Germany Alumni from developing countries (DAC country nationals) who studied, carried out research or worked in Germany for at least 3 months and are presently living and working in their home countries. The Alumni should be professionally involved in the agricultural/food technology sec-tor and/or with agricultural/food technology in the framework of rural or urban, public or private sector de-velopment, and/or are working for academic, educational or development organizations, NGO's, donor agencies or private enterprises. The prospective participants should be potential multipliers in a position to spread the acquired knowledge and experience and/or take decisions on implementation.
The main objective of the seminar is to promote exchange between the participants in the field of sustaina-ble food production, facilitate international scientific cooperation and qualify the participants in the field of smart and adapted agricultural technology, development and equipment. The seminar will foster exchange of experiences, establishment of international networks between the participants, scientific discourse on technology development and design of equipment, and international academic cooperation in this field. It will stimulate and promote ideas for joint research, strategy development and knowledge transfer.
The seminar is scheduled in the run-up to the Anuga FoodTec 2018 in Cologne (www.anugafoodtec.com), the world largest trade fair for all aspects of food processing industry. The guiding theme of Anuga FoodTec 2018 is “Resource efficiency”. A more protective and at the same time more efficient use of natural resources will be the key competence of future societies. Exhibitors will be presenting a variety of solutions for strengthening competitiveness and reducing the use of energy, water and food in production. In 2015 Anuga FoodTec attracted over 1,500 exhibitors and 45,000 trade visitors from 139 countries.
The Topics
The main topics covered during the DAAD Alumni Seminar are:
- Resource use efficiency along agri-value chains adapted to local conditions in the participants' home countries
- Workshops and seminars on topics such as post-harvest technology, resource efficiency and certi-fication of sustainable food technology
- Sustainable food production and food security in developing countries
- Aspects of quality management along agricultural value chains
- Efficient use of energy during production and processing
- Scientific working in quality of agricultural products and foods
- Sustainable management with resources
Participants’ Profile
Eligible for participation are Alumni who meet the following requirements:
- Germany Alumni from developing countries (DAC country nationals) who have stayed in Germany for at least three months for study or research purposes.
- A proven working background in the field of agriculture/ food technology or similar disciplines.
- To act as potential multipliers, e.g. people who are in a position to spread the acquired knowledge and experience.
- Adequate language proficiency which is essential to actively participate in the workshops and dis-cussions as the seminar will be held in English.
- Women are particularly encouraged to apply.
Tentative Program
The seminar in Witzenhausen will include:
- Papers and case studies presented by the participants (Alumni) and invited experts
- Group work and group discussions
- Lectures, seminars and practical workshops
- Excursion to the university’s extension farm Frankenhausen
- Demonstrations and field trials at the Department of Agricultural Engineering in Witzenhausen
It is necessary to participate in the whole program: seminar, trade fair visit and social program.
Cost Coverage
The project covers the following costs:
- International return ticket (economy) to Frankfurt and from Frankfurt/Cologne
- Transport from Frankfurt airport to Witzenhausen (by train)
- Transport from Witzenhausen to Anuga FoodTec 2018 in Cologne (by bus)
- Transport from the Hotel in Cologne to Frankfurt Airport/ Cologne Airport
- Entrance fees and transport to the visited projects during the excursions
- Entrance fees at the Trade Fair in Cologne
- Accommodation and living expenses during the stay in Witzenhausen and Cologne
- Travel health insurance and visa costs for the stay in Germany
Please note: All other costs, such as transport costs from participants’ home town to their home airport or travel costs for visa application in the home country have to be borne by the participants.
Please keep in mind that living expenses are only covered partly during your stay in Witzenhausen as well as in Cologne.
Application Requirements and Process
If you are interested, please send your application latest by 17th of December 2017 via email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The application (in English language) must include the following documents in one single pdf file:
- A letter of application, stating your motivation for participation and your special interest in the topic.
- A short CV with passport size photograph: » Download application form
- An abstract based on the participant’s own involvement in the field of food processing tech-nology and agricultural engineering with reference to his/her home country on the subject of “Sustainable Food Production and Food Security in Developing Countries – Quality Management and Resource Use Efficiency along Agri-Value Chains” (the main topics are listed above; abstracts must not exceed one page; please use font type “Arial”, font size 11, 1.5 line spacing).
- A short description of your present duties/ position and your personal professional goals, indi-cating your envisaged field of activities and duty level.
- An overview on seminars, workshops or conferences visited in Germany after finishing your studies in Germany.
The PDF-document has to be named ‘Last name_First name_country’ (e.g. Stamp_Katharina_Germany).
Please note: Completeness of personal data mentioned in the online application form will affect your eligibility as a participant.
With your application you agree that your data (name, organization, email) is given to selected company representatives and that you might appear on pictures which will be published on the DAAD website after the event.
With your application you commit yourself to participate in the whole program (expert seminar, trade fair visit and social program).
The program of the visit of the trade fair Anuga FoodTec 2018 is prepared by the DAAD.
All applicants will be informed about the results of the selection process in January 2018.
Travel Dates
The date of arrival in Germany will be 11 March 2018
(arrival at Frankfurt International Airport, FRA).
The date of departure from Germany will be 24 March 2018
(departure from Cologne/ Frankfurt).
Detail information for applicants
Coordination office
For any further questions please contact the organizational team:
Mrs. Katharina Stamp and Mrs. Franziska Böhm
DITSL Witzenhausen
Steinstrasse 19
37213 Witzenhausen, Germany
Tel: +49 (0) 5542 607 35
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Further links:
» Department of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Kassel
