Allow me to warmly thank the organizers of this important Conference forgiving me the privilege of welcoming and addressing you all. For me it is an honor and a pleasure. I would also like to thank them for having brought us together in the wonderful city of Cape Town, to discuss one of the main current challenges worldwide which are, without doubt, Agriculture. Agriculture is, indeed, one of the most ancient professions known from the beginning of civilization. However, it has taken unprecedented prominence today due to a progressive increase of world population- reaching more than 7 billion people- that makes necessary to improve our ability to supply food in view of assuring food security. These days will be dedicated to cover a wide spectrum of themes related to “Agriculture and Institutional Innovations and Developments” in this field. The Conference, composed of 13 tracks divided in 92 sessions, tackles important topics on agriculture and allied fields.I am sure that each one of you will identify subjects of his/her interest and will benefit from many fruitful and enriching discussions.
