Mission Statement
TAA: THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION
(Bringing together those concerned
with the role of agriculture in sustainable development, throughout the
world.)
The Tropical Agricultural Association (TAA) is a Professional Association
of individuals and corporate bodies concerned with the role of agriculture
for development throughout the world. TAA is a Charity registered in England
and Wales (Registered Charity Number 800663), and has as its mission:
To be an association which brings together individuals and organisations
from both developed and less-developed countries to enable them to contribute
to international policies aimed at reducing poverty and improving livelihoods.
To encourage the efficient and sustainable use of local resources and by
raising the productivity of both agriculture and related enterprises to increase
family incomes in the rural sector. Particular emphasis is given to rural
areas in the tropics and subtropics and to countries with less-developed
economies in temperate areas.
Agriculture is deemed to include farming (crops and animals), forestry
and agro-forestry, fisheries and wider rural development issues, including
those in urban and peri-urban areas. It includes the disciplines of agriculture,
biology, agronomy, soil science, crop protection, agricultural engineering,
agricultural economics, rural sociology, geography, environmental science,
ecology, animal health and production and related disciplines.
The Association sees Agriculture both as a commercial business and as a
way of life. In this context it promotes the sustainable use of inputs and
technologies in order to raise outputs and to encourage evolution from poverty
and subsistence farming towards wealth-generating but sustainable commercial
farming.
The Association recognises the need to conserve biodiversity and the need
to arrest and reverse the degradation of the natural resource base on which
agriculture depends.
The Association recognises the interrelated roles of farmers, scientists
(agriculturists, economists, sociologists, etc.) and other people living
in rural areas (stakeholders) in achieving a convergent approach to rural
development, including recognition of the importance of the role of women,
the effect of AIDS and other social issues on the rural economy.
The Association encourages the undertaking of agricultural research and
the application of indigenous and accumulated knowledge, together with research
results, in order to improve the livelihoods, health and welfare of producers,
traders and consumers.
The TAA contribution is achieved through discussion, debate, the transfer
and dissemination of information derived from the wealth of knowledge and
experience which exists within its worldwide membership, and through its
association with the Global Forum on Agricultural Research for Development
(GFAR). The Association’s Tropical Agriculture Award Fund (TAAF) assists
aspiring young tropical agriculturists to embark on suitable careers by giving
them relevant experience in the field.
The TAA aims to facilitate the establishment of a global network of National
or Regional branches each with its own membership and programme of activities,
and to coordinate their activities from its central office. The principal
coordinating instrument is the TAA executive committee which oversees the
production of a quarterly global newsletter, maintains a detailed database
of members and maintains a webpage, (www.taa.org.uk) on which are published
the activities of the Association. It is also a source of information on
all aspects of agriculture and rural development.