Around 50 international researchers as well as representatives of the UNESCO headquarter in Paris participated in the 'kick-off workshop' of ZEF's Uzbekistan project taking place at ZEF from November 27-30.The workshop wrapped up the research results of the project on "Economic and ecological restructuring of land and water use in the region Khorezm, Uzbekistan" so far and consolidated the plannings for the third and last research phase due to end in 2011.

Two stranded ships in a desert-like landscape formed a scene which made

the biggest impression on the jury and visitors for ZEF's photo

exhibition. The exhibition, which was organized on the occasion of ZEF's

10 year anniversary, consisted of pictures handed in to ZEF's first

photo competition covering ZEF's research activities. The winning

photographer is Conrad Schetter, ZEF senior researcher and coordinator

of ZEF's project on 'Local governance and statehood in the Amu Darya

Region'. "With these photos we can show another dimension of our

research", says Schetter, "and I am glad that people took some time to

have a look at 'real life' scenes of the environments we work in".

Talking convincingly on Gossypium hirsurim L. brought ZEF PhD

student Kirsten Kienzler from Germany the first place in the competition

for the best graduate student paper held during the conference. Ms.

Kienzler is doing her PhD research in the framework of ZEFs project on

"Economic and Ecological Restructuring in Khorezm, Uzbekistan". In her

presentation at the conference she showed the results of her research so

far on the 'Influence of Nitrogen Sources and Timing on Fertilizer

Uptake Efficiency of Irrigated Cotton' (Gossypium hirsurim L.).