Asian Regional Conference on Goats (ARCG 2019)
October 20-23, Chitwan, Nepal

“Goats for food, nutrition and economic security in the developing world.”

First Announcement
The Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) is the first state-owned technical university in Nepal that established under a land grant model with the mandate of three functions: education, research, and extension. AFU aims to produce internationally competent human resources to promote education, research, and development in the field of agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry, and allied disciplines. Since being established, AFU has engaged in organizing various national, regional, and international conferences, as well as seminars and symposiums, to meet its vision and mission.
 
Goats (Capra hircus) are very social, curious, gentle, independent and intelligent creatures that were first domesticated by human beings in 10,000 BC. The largest goat population in the world remains in Asia (59%) followed by Africa (35%). Goat husbandry is becoming the most popular enterprise among the rural as well as urban youths in Nepal. Goat, the “poor man’s cow” contributes about 20.4% to the total meat production in the country and ranks second after buffalo (54.3%). Goats are considered a living bank account, as they can be converted into cash when needed by farmers. Thus, this species has made a great contribution to sustaining the livelihoods of rural smallholders in the developing world.
 
In this context, AFU/Faculty of Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Fisheries is organizing an Asian Regional Conference on Goats (ARCG 2019). The conference is tentatively scheduled for 20-23 October 2019, and is organized in association with the International Goat Association; Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock Development, Department of Livestock Services, Nepal Agricultural Research Council; Heifer International Nepal; the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization. The conference’s main aim is to gather researchers, academicians and development entities to exchange knowledge and technologies generated in the field of goat research and development across the globe.
 
Proposed thematic areas

• Goat as a source of food and economic security in the developing world
• Goat production policies, socio-economics, and value chain development
• Goat husbandry management
• Goat feeding and nutrition management
• Phenomics, genomics, and biotechnology for enhanced goat production
• Health management and disease control
• Advancement in goat product processing

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Important dates:
Call for Abstract
Deadline for Abstract Submission
Notification of acceptance and call for full papers
Deadline for submission of full papers
Review/feedback on full papers
Re-submission of full papers
Early registration deadline
On-spot registration
Conference dates
Post conference tour

December 15, 2018
June 01, 2019
July 01, 2019
August 15, 2019
September 01, 2019
September 30, 2019
September 30, 2019
October 20, 2019
October 20-23, 2019
October 23, 2019

Registration fee
Participants’ category
National Delegates representing INGOs/NGOs:
National Delegates representing GOs:
Association and Individual Delegates:
Student Delegates:
Participants from SAARC Nations:
Foreign Delegates:

Early registration
NRs 10,000
NRs 6,000
NRs 5,000
NRs 4,000
USD 200*
USD 400*

On-spot registration
10,500
6,500
5,500
4,500
210*
410*

(*includes shuttle service to conference center, 4 lunches and a gala dinner)

Chief patron
Prof. Dr. Ishwari Prasad Dhakal, Vice Chancellor
Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal
 
Patron
Prof. Dr. Mana Raj Kolakshyapati, Registrar
Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal
 
Chief advisor
Dr. Beth Miller, President
International Goat Association, USA
 
Advisors
Dr. Lucia Sepe, Vice-President
International Goat Association, Italy
Dr. Bimal Kumar Nirmal, Director General
Department of Livestock Services
Dr. B.N. Mahato, Executive Director
Nepal Agricultural Research Council
Dr. M.S. Chauhan, President and Director
Indian Society for Sheep and Goat Production and Utilization, Central Institute for Research on Goats, India
Prof. Dr. Nanda P Joshi, Associate Professor
Michigan State University, MI, USA
Dr. Dhanaraj Ratala, National Project Director
Food and Agriculture Organization, Nepal
Dr. Shubha N. Mahato, Country Director
Heifer International Nepal
 
Organizing Chair
Prof. Dr. Sharada Thapaliya, Dean
Faculty of Anim. Sci., Vet. Sci. and Fisheries
Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal
 
Organizing Secretary
Dr. Nirajan Bhattarai, Asst. Professor and Head
Department of Anim. Breeding and Biotech.
Faculty of Anim. Sci., Vet. Sci. and Fisheries
Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal
 
Co-Secretaries
Raju Kadel, Chief
Goat Research Station
Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Nepal
Dr. Himal Luitel, Asst. Professor
Center for Biotechnology
Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal
 
Scientific & Regional Conferences (S & R C) Committee
Chair: Dr. Lucia Sepe, International Goat Association
Members:
Juan Capote, Noemí Castro Navarro, Herve Hoste, Nazan Koluman, Paula Menzies, Tilahun Sahlu, Felipe Torres-Acosta, Carina Visser
The S & R C Committee of IGA assists in overall planning, implementing and organizing the regional meetings. Additionally, this Committee is responsible for working with the ICG and RCG host country Scientific Committee to recruit invited speakers, finalize the scientific program schedule, review and select oral abstract presentations, and review and select poster award nominations.
 
Co-organizers/Collaborators
For further detail, please contact:
ARCG 2019 Secretariat
Faculty of Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Fisheries, Agriculture and Forestry University, Chitwan, Nepal
Mobile: +977 9855060704
Email: arcg2019@afu.edu.np
Website: www.afu.edu.np/vet/arcg2019
 
Organizers

• Faculty of Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Fisheries, Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal
• International Goat Association

 
Co-organizers

• Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Department of Livestock Services, Directorate of Livestock Production (DoLP), Hariharbhavan, Lalitpur
• Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Singhdurbar Plaza, Kathmandu
• Heifer International Nepal, Hattiban, Lalitpur
• Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Nepal
• Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Institute for Research on Goats, India

 
Potential collaborators

• University Grants Commission, Nepal
• USAID/KISAN- II Project, Nepal
• Nepal Veterinary Association (NVA), Kathmandu
• Nepal Animal Science Association (NASA), Kathmandu
• International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
• International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Kathmandu
• Tribhuvan University, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Sanepa, Laliptur
• Purwanchal University/HICAST, Kathmandu and NPI, Bharatpur
• NIC Asia Bank Limited, Nepal

 
Air connectivity
Nepal has one international airport, Tribhuvan International Airport, located at Kathmandu. There are a few direct long-distance flights to Nepal. Getting into Nepal from Europe, America or Australia will almost always involve a stop in the Middle East or Asia. About two dozen airlines serve Nepal from abroad.
 
Security issues
Nepal is safer than many other countries around the globe, possibly due to the friendly behavior, religious nature and natural kindness of the Nepalese people. In Nepal, tourists are considered as the avatar (form) of God and are always very welcoming.
 
For further detail, please contact:
ARCG 2019 Secretariat
Faculty of Animal Science, Veterinary Science, and Fisheries
Agriculture and Forestry University, Chitwan, Nepal
Mobile: +977 9855060704
Email: arcg2019@afu.edu.np
Website: www.afu.edu.np/vet/arcg2019

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