International Commission of Agricultural Engineering - CIGR (Commission Internationale du Genie Rural) founded in 1930 in Liège, Belgium, is the highest non-governmental world organisation in the field. Its membership includes American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), Asian Association for Agricultural Engineering (AAAE), European Society of Agricultural Engineers (EurAgEng), Latin American and Caribbean Association of Agricultural Engineering (ALIA), South and East African Society of Agricultural Engineering (SEASAE), Euro Asian Association of Agricultural Engineers (EAAAE), Association of Agricultural Engineers of South-Eastern Europe (AAESEE), and many national societies.
The main missions of CIGR are to
stimulate the development of science and technology in the field of Agricultural Engineering,encourage education, training and mobility of young professionals,encourage interregional mobility,facilitate the exchange of research results and technology,represent the profession at a worldwide level,work towards the establishment of new associations, both at national and regional level, and to the strengthening of existing ones, and toperform any other activity that will help to develop Agricultural Engineering and allied sciences.The structure of CIGR is divided by seven technical Sections and various working groups. Each technical Section is charged with promoting and developing its respective field of science and technology as it relates to agricultural engineering. The CIGR Working Groups are appointed by the Executive Board to carry out studies on specific subjects of international importance and interest.
CIGR Technical Sections:Section I: Land and Water EngineeringSection II: Farm Buildings, Equipment, Structures and EnvironmentSection III: Equipment Engineering for Plant ProductionSection IV: Rural Electricity and other Energy SourcesSection V: Management, Ergonomics and Systems EngineeringSection VI: Postharvest Technology and process EngineeringSection VII: Information SystemsCIGR Working Groups:Earth Observation for Land and Water Engineering Working GroupAnimal Housing in Hot Climate Working GroupRural Development and the Preservation of Cultural Heritages Working GroupCattle Housing Working GroupAgricultural Engineering University Curricula Harmonization Working GroupRural Landscape Protection and Valorisation Working GroupImage Analysis for Agricultural Processes and Products Working Group1930-1950 Prof. Georges Bouckaert1950-1962 Prof. Armand Blanc1963-1967 Prof. Eladio Aranda Heredia1967-1969 Honorary Doctor Pierre Regamey1969-1974 Prof. Karel Petit1974-1979 Mr. Fiepko Coolman1979-1980 Mr. Talcott W. Edminster1985-1989 Prof. László Lehoczky1989-1991 Prof. Paul McNulty1991-1994 Prof. Giuseppe Pellizzi1995-1996 Prof. Egil Berge1997-1998 Prof. Osamu Kitani1999-2000 Prof. Bill Stout2001-2002 Prof. El Houssine Bartali2003-2004 Prof. Axel Munack2005-2006 Prof. Luis Santos Pereira2007-2008 Prof. Irenilza de Alencar Naas2009-2010 Prof. Søren Pedersen2011-2012 Prof. Fedro Zazueta