One of the major aims of the HarvestZinc project is

i) to raise awareness among the end-users (farmers and agronomists...) of the importance of zinc in human nutrition and crop production, and

ii) to introduce the HarvestZinc project in terms of its mission and its results achieved so far.

The "Zinc Days" event is a major collaborative effort of the project to contribute to this mission and goal of the project. This event represents an important delivery activity of the project.

"Zinc Days" event is highly useful forum for farmers, agronomists and other end-users (like students) and provides very valuable basic information through oral presentations and educational materials such colour brochures/booklets, factsheets, various colour pictures of Zn deficiency symptoms from different food crops. Presentations made are generally focussed on the following topics:

i) soil and management factors affecting availability and root uptake of zinc

ii) why plants need zinc

iii) soil and foliar zinc fertilizers and application methods

iv) zinc fertilization of selected crops

v) role of zinc-biofortified crops in yield and human nutrition

vi) role of zinc in human nutrition and health

Following five Zinc Days have been organized in 2011:

May 10, 2011: Quzhou, Hebei (CHINA) organized by China Agricultural University (total number of participants: 235)

June 2, 2011: Ludhiana (INDIA) organized by Punjab Agricultural University (total participants: 185)

July 27, 2011: Chiang Mai (THAILAND) organized by Chiang Mai University (total participants:160)

August 15, 2011: Weinan-Xian (CHINA) organized by Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University (total participants: 285)

December 6, 2011: Campinas-SP (BRAZIL) organized by the Instituto Agronomica-Campinas (total participants: 185)

The Next Zinc Days Events in 2012

The next expected Zinc Day events will be in Pakistan, Zambia, Turkey and Mexico. When fixed, the dates of these zinc days will be announced through this website.

Selected Pictures from Zinc Days: