A brief history

Researchers from a number of European countries established a network on animal waste utilisation in 1976. It was restructured in 1990 when the number of working groups was reduced to two and ad hoc expert groups created to address specific issues. The last workshop on animal waste utilisation was held in Gb'dollo in Hungary in October 1996. It was decided at this workshop to expand the network to include municipal and industrial wastes. The network was renamed RAMIRAN (Research Network on Recycling of Agricultural and Industrial Residues in Agriculture) to reflect this change. 

First meeting

Was held in Rennes, France in May 1998 and was attended by 136 delegates from 26 countries. The theme was "Management Strategies for Organic Waste Use in Agriculture" under the chairmanship of the network coordinator Mr J.E.Hall of the UK. The conference was divided into five parts:

• Management strategies for organic waste use in agriculture.

• Agronomic value of organic wastes.

• Measurement, modelling and control of gaseous emissions.

• Processing and handing of wastes.

• Environmental impacts.

 The proceedings (RAMIRAN 1998 8th International Conference on Management Strategies for Organic Wastes Use in Agriculture) were edited by Dr. Jose Martinez and Marie-Noelle Maudet of Cemagref Rennes and published by FAO and Cemagref. Dr. Jose Martinez was elected the new Network Coordinator at this conference.

Establishment and main activities

1976 Solna Sweden by 24 delegates representing 15 countries as European Cooperative Network on Animal Waste Utilization with six sub-networks and five liaison centres.

1988 Publication of  'Guidelines for an Economical an d Environmentally safe Use of Slurry on Agricultural Land'. Replacement of sub-networks by two working group

1998 Expansion of the activity on Recycling of Agricultural, Municipal and Industrial Residues in Agriculture RAMIRAN.

2000 Colleagues from all European countries, and Japan, Canada, USA, and Mexico were present Publication of 14 proceedings on workshop or consultations.

Network Coordinators

1976 Per-Erik | Lohm

1990 -1998 Jeremy E. Hall | UK

1998-2006 José Martinez | France

2006 Harald Menzi and Thomas Misselbrook |Switzerland and UK