1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The successful implementation of area-wide pest control programmes integrating the use of sterile insects with other control technologies against a number of key veterinary, medical and plant insect pests, such as various fruit flies, moths, screwworms, and tsetse species, clearly demonstrates a peaceful application of nuclear technology. Over the last 40 years, FAO and IAEA have played, and they will continue to play, a critical role in supporting their Member States in the development and application of these environment-friendly pest control methods.

The concept of area-wide integrated pest management, in which the total population of a pest in an area or region is targeted, is central to the effective application of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) and is increasingly being considered for related genetic, biological and other pest control technologies. Insect movement, occurring sometimes over long distances, is generally underestimated. As a consequence, most conventional pest control can be described as localized, un-coordinated action against segments of a pest population, resulting very often in an unsustainable spiral of insecticide application and eventual resistance. However, an area-wide integrated approach adopts a preventive rather than a reactive tactic, whereby all individuals of the pest population are targeted, requiring fewer inputs and resulting in more cost effective and sustainable control.

In June 1998 FAO and IAEA sponsored the First International Conference on Area-Wide Control of Insect Pests Integrating the Sterile Insect and Related Nuclear and other Techniques in Penang, Malaysia with the participation of almost 300 participants from 63 Member States and 5 international organizations. This Conference greatly increased awareness concerning the area-wide approach for insect pest control programmes. Since then, many new technical innovations have been introduced and a better regulatory framework is being developed for integrating SIT with other control methods.

Area-wide insect pest control programmes are logistically complex and managerially intensive, and thus require a broad coalition of stakeholders committed to ensure success. These critical, but largely non-technical issues often determine success or failure of area-wide programmes. This second Conference will address both the technical and managerial components of operational area-wide programmes and will have as its theme the "Effective Implementation of Operational Area-Wide Programmes".

2. LIST OF TOPICS

The Conference will include issues faced by the international community dealing with area-wide and trans-boundary insect pest problems. In line with the theme of the Conference, papers contributing to operational area-wide programmes, management of area-wide programmes, commercialisation, public health, biodiversity, biotechnology, and regulatory and trade issues, are especially welcome. Invited speakers, supported by contributed papers and posters, will review these topics. Contributions are also welcome on the following topics:

1. Advances in Area-Wide Control since the 1st International Conference
2. Experiences in Management of Area-Wide Programmes: Successes and Failures
3. Non-Technical Requirements for Successful Area-Wide Programmes
4. Commercialisation and the Role of Agro-industry
5. Economic and Environmental Assessments, Decision Making Tools
6. Regulatory Control, Trade Issues, Systems Approaches
7. Integration with Augmentative Biological Control, Mating Disruption or other Environment-Friendly Technologies
8. Attractants, Monitoring, Mass Trapping,Suppression Techniques
9. GIS, Aerial Release, Guiding Systems
10. Colony Maintenance, Mass Rearing, Shelf-life
11. Radiation Biology, Dosimetry, Dose Optimization
12. Behaviour, Ecology, Quality Control, Competitiveness`
13. Genetics,Molecular Biology
14. Population Genetics, Cryptic Species Complexes
15. Cytoplasmic Incompatibility, Hybrid Sterility, Inherited Sterility

3. PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

• Plenary Lectures
• Theme Specific Sessions: keynote addresses, contributed oral presentations, and posters.
• Panel Discussions/Discussion Forum

4. TARGET AUDIENCE

The conference aims to foster a broad exchange of information between regulatory authorities, operational programme managers, scientists, animal and plant protection specialists, public health practitioners, as well as the private sector.

5. DOCUMENTS AND WEB SITE

Information on the Conference as it becomes available, including all registration forms will be placed on this conference web page.

A preliminary programme of the Conference will be sent to participants before the meeting. It will also be available on the above-mentioned web sites.

6. PARTICIPATION

All persons wishing to participate in the Conference are requested to complete a Participation Form (Form A) and send it as soon as possible to the competent official authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, national FAO committee, or national atomic energy authority) for subsequent transmission to the IAEA Secretariat. A participant will be accepted only if the Participation Form is transmitted through the government of a Member State of the sponsoring organizations or by an organization invited to participate.

Participants whose official submissions have been received by the IAEA will receive further information on the Conference approximately two to three months before the meeting. This information will also be posted on the conference web page mentioned above.

7. SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CONFERENCE

Scientific contributions on issues falling within the topics outlined in Section 2 may be submitted to the Conference. All contributions, apart from invited review presentations, must present original work and should not have been published elsewhere.

In order to provide ample time for discussion, the number of contributions that can be accepted for oral presentation is limited. Therefore poster sessions will also be arranged. The sponsoring organizations reserve the right to refuse the presentation or publication of any paper that does not meet the expectations based on the information given in the extended synopsis.

(a) Submission of extended synopses

Persons who wish to present a paper or poster at the Conference must submit an extended synopsis (in English) together with the completed Form for Submission of an Oral Presentation (Form B1) or a Poster (Form B2) and the Participation Form (Form A) to the competent national authority for official transmission to the IAEA in time for them to be received by the IAEA by 12 November 2004. The synopsis must also be sent electronically to the IAEA Scientific Secretariat, e-mail: InsectConf131@iaea.org.

Authors are urged to make use of the following Extended Synopsis Template in Word 2000:

The specifications and instructions for preparing the synopsis and using the synopsis template are given in the attached "Instructions on how to prepare the extended synopsis and how to submit it electronically. Attached to this announcement is a sample extended synopsis.

The synopsis will be considered by the Programme Committee only if the Participation Form A and the Oral Presentation or Poster submission Form B1 or Form B2 have been received by the IAEA through the official governmental channels.

(b) Acceptance of scientific contribution

Authors will be informed of whether their contribution has been accepted by the Programme Committee on the basis of the extended synopsis submitted. At the same time, authors of accepted contributions will be advised if the synopsis has been accepted for oral presentation or for presentation as a poster, and they will also be informed of the assigned oral presentation or poster number and session of presentation. The accepted synopses will be reproduced in unedited form in the Book of Extended Synopses.

8. PROCEEDINGS

It is intended that the proceedings of the Conference will be published as a book by an external publisher and that all participants will receive a free copy of the proceedings. Participants with contributions selected for publication in the proceedings will receive instructions for the preparation and submission of their paper.

9. EXPENDITURES

No registration fee is charged to participants.

As a general rule, the IAEA does not pay the cost of attendance, i.e. travel and living expenses, of participants. However, limited funds are available to help meet the cost of attendance of selected specialists mainly from developing countries. Generally, not more than one grant will be awarded to any one country.

If governments wish to apply for a grant on behalf of one of their specialists, they should address specific requests to the IAEA Secretariat to this effect. Governments should ensure that applications for grants:

1. are submitted by 12 November 2004, and
2. are accompanied by a duly completed and signed Grant Application Form (see attached Form C) as well as an Estimate of a valid travel agent of the flight costs from/to the nearest city or capital in their country and Vienna.

The grants awarded will be in the form of lump sums that usually cover only part of the cost of attendance.

Applications that do not comply with conditions (a) and (b) cannot be considered.

10. EXHIBITION

A limited amount of space will be available for commercial vendors´ displays/exhibits during the Conference. Interested parties should contact the Scientific Secretary before 12 November 2004.

11. WORKING LANGUAGE

The working language of the Conference will be English. All communications, synopses and papers must be sent to the Conference Secretariat in English.

The Final Programme and Book of Extended Synopses will be distributed at registration.

12. ACCOMMODATION

Detailed information on accommodation, hotel reservation form and other administrative details will be available on the Conference website. There is a wide range of accommodation, with hotel room rates ranging from approximately US $40 to 250 per night (with breakfast), while room rates in apartments range from approximately US $30 to 65 per night.

13. VISA

If you require a visa to enter Austria ("Schengen visa"), please submit the necessary applications to the nearest diplomatic or consular representative of Austria as early as possible (please note that this procedure may take up to three weeks). An invitation letter can be provided upon request to facilitate obtaining a visa.

14. CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION

The Participation Form A and the Form for Submission of an Oral Presentation (Form B1) or Poster (Form B2), together with two copies of each synopsis, and, if applicable, the Grant Application Form C, should be sent to the competent official authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, national FAO committee, or national atomic energy authority) for transmission to the IAEA.

Subsequent correspondence on scientific matters should be sent to the Scientific Secretaries (Mr. J. Hendrichs and Mr. A. Robinson) and correspondence on administrative matters to the IAEA Conference Service Section (Ms. H. Schmid).

15. CONFERENCE SECRETARIAT

Scientific Secretariat of the Conference:

Mr. Jorge Hendrichs
Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture
International Atomic Energy Agency
P.O. Box 100
Wagramer Strasse 5
A-1400 Vienna, Austria

Telephone No.:	(+43 1) 2600 21628
Telefax No.:	(+43 1) 2600 7
E-mail:	J.Hendrichs@iaea.org
E-mail address for paper submission:	InsectConf131@iaea.org

Mr. Alan Robinson
FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory in Seibersdorf
International Atomic Energy Agency
P.O. Box 100
Wagramer Strasse 5
A-1400 Vienna, Austria

Telephone No.:	(+43 1) 2600 28402
Telefax No.:	(+43 1) 2600 7
E-mail:	A.Robinson@iaea.org

Administration and organization:

Ms. H. Schmid
Division of Conference and Document Services
Conference Services Section
IAEA-CN-131
International Atomic Energy Agency
P.O. Box 100
Wagramer Strasse 5
A-1400 Vienna, Austria

Telephone No.:	(+43 1) 2600 21316
Telefax No.:	(+43 1) 2600 7
E-mail:	H.Schmid@iaea.org