Topcon, Vatican cooperate on global agriculture program

pan>)--Topcon Positioning Systems (TPS), in cooperation with the Vatican and
Pope Benedict XVI, is developing a global agriculture initiative
Person and Technological Innovation.
“The fact that the resources of the Vatican, through its dioceses around
the world, will be closely involved in the selection of young people to
learn the latest technology, ensures the programs success.”
The program is designed to introduce young people in developing
countries to technologies and applications of precise positioning in the
global agriculture markets. Initial training will be conducted at the
Topcon training facilities in Concordia (Modena), Italy.
Countries targeted for the first projects will be Cameroon, Ethiopia and
Ghana.
The joint program is a result of a meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and
Ray OConnor, TPS president and CEO, and Ivan Di Federico, TPS chief
strategy officer, at the Vatican.
The classes at the TPS training facilities will consist of 12 students
from African nations. The students will be chosen by clergy in the
respective diocese and trained by Topcon and Topcon Tierra staff in the
latest agriculture technologies.
As part of the program, Topcon test facilities will also be established
in Angola, Brazil and Honduras. Established facilities already exist in
the United States, Australia and Europe. Topcon will provide precise
agriculture positioning instruments for the testing and training.
When the program is firmly established, other companies will be invited
to participate. These will include tractor manufacturers, seed, chemical
and fertilizer suppliers and accessory manufacturers. TPS secured free
seed from a French partner, Caussade, to cultivate about 75 acres in
Cameroon.
OConnor said, The Person and Technology Innovation program is the
largest Corporate Social Responsibility program in the history of the
company. It will not be a one-shot program ... train the people and turn
them loose. It will have a far greater impact than that.
The program, he said, will model established train-the-trainer
programs. The students will be expected to return to their country and
serve as trainers for the next generation of students eager to learn the
newest agriculture technologies.
OConnor praised Pope Benedict XVI for his compassionate view of the
world, his innate understanding and his eagerness to work with companies
like Topcon, which have the resources and the will to make a positive
difference in our world.
The fact that the resources of the Vatican, through its dioceses around
the world, will be closely involved in the selection of young people to
learn the latest technology, ensures the programs success.
Di Federico said, By using the most sophisticated technologies in the
marketplace today, the project focuses the importance of using the most
sustainable and respectful use of environmental resources.
He said, The key to success in agricultural endeavors is not the
quantity of the land available, but how to achieve the greatest
efficiency in the lands use. In many countries, agriculture is a step
to mere survival.
The use of modern technologies to enhance yields while saving time and
money will go a long way to help struggling nations grow and prosper.
Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc. (TPS) designs and manufactures
precise positioningproducts andsolutionsfor theglobalsurveying,
construction, agriculture, civil engineering, mapping and GIS, asset
management and mobile control markets. TPS parent company, Topcon
Corporation(Tokyo Stock Exchange 7732), was founded in 1932.

Information Source: Business Wire