World Neem Conference @ Coimbatore
The Fifth World Neem Conference would start on November 21, acting as a platform to share knowledge and latest technologies in the field of neem and its research activities. "About 400 delegates from 30 countries are expected to attend the conference and exchange their experiences in the field," Neem Foundation Chairman Ramesh C Saxena told reporters today. He said the conference, with the theme 'neem for a safe and healthy world', will cover all aspects on neem such as agriculture, cosmetics, pharmacology and veterinary medicine. The students working in the field of research in neem and entrepreneurs looking for manufacturing and marketing eco-friendly products would have the opportunity to meet the specialists during the four-day conference, Saxena said. Former minister of Malaysia Sulaiman Haji Daud will be the chief guest of the conference, in which Malcolm K Wegener from the University of Queensland, Australia, would be the guest of honour. The foundation secretary general Pramila Thakkar said it has plans to plant 80 million neem saplings across the country within 10 years. It would also sensitise the National Highways Authority on the need to plant neem saplings alongside the highways.