Reporter Volume 25, No.6 October 7, 1993

By ANN WHITCHER
Reporter Editor

Potential conflict between protecting biological diversity and the
growing demand for food will be the subject of the 10th annual World
Food Day Teleconference, a three-hour program to be aired from George
Washington University Oct. 15 and viewed here at noon in the
Information and Technology Center, 120 Clemens, North Campus.
	Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.
	"This is the third year we've sponsored this event," said
Allan Canfield, senior academic adviser and adjunct faculty member in
the Department of Communication. The event, to coincide with "Food
Week" (Oct. 11-17), "fits in with the notion that we're becoming
global in our consciousness and that we have global and local
responsibilities," said Canfield, faculty mentor to the UB student
chapter of the World Hunger Interest Group (WHIG).
	The biodiversity/food theme reflects a number of interlocking
concerns of the United Nations and U.S. organizing groups. They
include the continuing rate of deforestation in tropical countries,
the need for more sustainable systems of agriculture, and effects of
population growth on efforts to combat hunger. Discussion will center
on challenges in the Western Hemisphere.
	More than 1,000 "receive sites" in the U.S., Canada, Latin
America and the Caribbean are expected to participate. The program
will be carried throughout the hemisphere by the U.S. Information
Agency's WorldNet system. Special study materials in both English and
Spanish have been funded by the U.S. Agency for International
Development and the Regional Office for Latin America of the U.N. Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
	Organized by the U.S. National Committee for World Food Day, a
coalition of 450 private voluntary groups, the teleconference is
supported by the FAO and U.S. government agencies. FAO
Director-General Edouard Saouma will open the program in a greeting fr
on Plant Genetic Resources; Geoffrey Hawtin, director of the
International Board for Plant Genetic Resources; Sally Mackenzie,
Purdue University microbiologist; and Hope Shand, research director,
Rural Advancement Foundation International, a private sector group
working with grassroots conservation movements worldwide.
	"During the third hour, there will be an opportunity for
talk-back," said Allan Canfield. "With about 400 universities in the
Western Hemisphere participating, talk-back from our end isn't likely,
though we did get through last year."
	The middle hour will feature two films: "Green GoldQFrom the
Maya to the Moon," (New Mexico State and Purdue), a study of the
botanical value of food crops and the need to preserve genetic
diversity; and "Seeds" (Bullfrog Films), a look at better methods of
mechanized farming, biotechnology and seed production.
	According to Patricia Young, coordinator of the Food Day
committee and teleconference organizer, "The theme combines the
interests of environment, development economics, agriculture and
biology. Interest in Latin America is also growing. Especially in the
countries surrounding the Amazon basin, there seems to be an awareness
of the issues and the interaction of deforestation, development and
biodiversity loss."
	Special "study/action" packets of materials have been sent to
all participating schools by the national Food Day office.
Participation at individual sites ranges from a single class to
several hundred students, faculty and community guests. Canfield and
others at UB who study food issues, hope to develop an undergraduate
course on world hunger.
	Continuing education credits for participation in the
teleconference will be offered by the American Dietetic Association,
the American Home Economics Association and, through the Catholic
University of America, for clergy and social service professionals.
	Beyond the closed-circuit hook-up, networks and stations that
will offer all or part of the World Food Day program include: the
AgSat Network, the Black College Satellite Network, the Catholic
Telecommunications Network of America, PBS Adult Learning Satellite
Service, Vision Interfaith Satellite Network and individual PBS,
educational TV and cable stations.
	Maggie O'Connor of the UB Community Action Corps will host a
table on CAC services prior to the event. In an Oct. 20
paycheck-stuffer, UB employees will be directed to two agencies that
fund hunger relief: the Boston-based OXFAM and the local "Friends of
the Night People."