International Society ofEnvironmental and Rural Development
CharterI Name
The name of the organization shall be the International Society of Environmental and Rural Development(hereinafter also referred to as ISERD).

II Philosophy of ISERD
Recently, in developing countries, subsistence agriculture is being converted to export-oriented mono-culture,and the amounts of agricultural chemicals applied to the farmland are increasing every year. The appliedchemicals in farmland cause serious environmental problems downstream such as eutrophication, unusual
growth of aquatic plants, decrease in dissolved oxygen and accumulation of bottom mud in water resources. Also,
there seem to be many cases in which people apply agricultural chemicals without understanding its impact tohealth and food safety. Therefore, it is necessary to promote and enhance understanding of sustainable ruraldevelopment among local stakeholders including farmers.
Sustainable rural development aims to meet human needs while preserving the natural environment. As it should
cover not only social and economic development but also natural environment conservation, no single
organization can achieve sufficiently the aspirations of sustainable rural development. Collaboration amonginternational, governmental and non-governmental organizations, together with the academe and scientific sector,
is indispensable.
The knowledge and intelligence accumulated in universities and research institutions are also expected to makethe programs facilitated by the international, governmental and non-governmental organizations more adequately
implemented and meaningful to societal development. However, these cases especially those implemented
locally have been scattered without having been summarized well or recorded in annals of academic or scientificsocieties.
So, the International Society of Environmental and Rural Development founded in 2010, aims to discuss anddevelop suitable and effective processes or strategies on sustainable rural development focusing on agriculturaland environmental aspects in developing countries.
The ultimate goals of the society are to contribute to sustainable rural development through social and economic
development in harmony with the natural environment, and to support the potential or capacity building of local
institutions and stakeholders in the rural area with academic background.

III Purposes of ISERD
The primary purposes of ISERD are to:(a) contribute to sustainable rural development through social and economic development in harmony with thenatural environment; and(b) support the potential or capacity building of local institutions and stakeholders in the rural area withacademic background.
In order to enhance the realization of the primary purposes of ISERD, the secondary purposes are to:(a) facilitate interaction among international, governmental, non-governmental organizations and localcommunities;(b) hold conferences or symposia on environmental and rural development;1(c) edit the International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development;(d) confer ISERD awards based on scientific achievement, research article, review article, technical report orposter presentation; and(e) encourage and develop local awareness concerning sustainable rural development.

IV Membership of ISERD
There shall be two categories of membership:(a) Individual(b) Organizational
An application for membership of ISERD shall be submitted to the secretariat of ISERD, Institute ofEnvironmental Rehabilitation and Conservation (Japan) in writing or by other appropriate means.

V Council of ISERD
The affairs of ISERD shall be governed and managed by the ISERD Council.
The ISERD Council shall comprise of the following post-holders:(a) President, who shall be responsible for the administration of all orders, policies and resolutions of theCouncil(b) Deputy Presidents, up to 4 persons, who shall perform the duties of the President in the absence of thePresident and shall carry out any other duties assigned by the President or the Council(c) Executive Secretary, who shall be responsible for holding and coordinating conferences or symposia, andmanaging membership(d) Editor-in-Chief, who shall be responsible for the editorial processes of the International Journal ofEnvironmental and Rural Development which are carried out by the Managing Editors(e) Managing Editors, up to 4 persons, who shall be responsible for the reviewing and editing of research
articles, review articles and technical reports of the International Journal of Environmental and RuralDevelopment(f) Treasurer, who shall be responsible for the financial affairs of ISERD(g) Regional Vice Presidents, 1 person per country, who shall be responsible for providing advice on andcoordinating ISERD activities and memberships in the country(h) Special Councilors
The Councilors comprising of the President, the Deputy President(s), the Executive Secretary, the Editor-inChief, Managing Editors, the Treasurer and the Regional Vice Presidents shall meet, either face-to-face orvirtually, at least once a year.
All ISERD Councilors have a term of office for a period of two years and renewable. ISERD Councilors areapproved by the Members following a process devised by the Council.
The Council may devise supplementary policies and procedures or any other provisions for the smoothfunctioning of ISERD provided that the terms are not contradictory to the purpose and spirit of the Charter.

VI ISERD Awards
ISERD confers Award of Outstanding Scientific Achievement, Award of Sustainability Promotion, Award ofExcellent Paper or Award of Excellent Poster Presentation based on scientific achievement, research article,review article, technical report or poster presentation. Award Screening Committees are formed under ISERD
Councilors and take responsibility for screening and conferring each type of ISERD Award.
Also, an honorary title, Hornarary Fellow is given in recognition of one’s exemplary and lasting contributions to
the field of environmental and rural development through ISERD more than 10 years.

VII Amendments and Dissolution

2The Charter may be amended by the approval of two-thirds of all ISERD Councilors and Members. ISERD may
be dissolved by decision of two-thirds of all Councilors and Members.

VIII Transitory Provisions
The first set of ISERD Councilors is appointed by the Founding Members of the Society for the period from theenactment of the Charter to the end of December 2011. Subsequently, Councilors shall be approved by all
members of ISERD in a formal procedure devised by the Council.
At the 15th Council meeting, the terms of office of current and new councilors were approved to serve during2024 and 2025.

3

Appendix I
The Councilors each with a term of office up to the end of December 2025 and shall remain in office until the next ISERD Council Meetingare as follows:
President:•Prof. Dr. Mario T. Tabucanon, United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability
Deputy President:•Prof. Dr. Bunthan Ngo, Royal University of Agriculture, Cambodia•
Prof. Dr. Eiji Yamaji, The University of Tokyo / Institute of Environmental Rehabilitation and Conservation, Japan•Dr. Chuleemas Boonthai Iwai, Khon Kaen University, Thailand
Executive Secretary / Editor-in-Chief of IJERD:•Prof. Dr. Machito Mihara, Tokyo University of Agriculture / Institute of Environmental Rehabilitation and Conservation, JapanManaging Editors:•Dr. Narong Touch, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Japan•
Dr. Santa Pandit, Institute of Environmental Rehabilitation and Conservation, Japan•
Prof. Yoshiko Tanahashi, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Japan (Adviser)
Treasurer:•Dr. Lalita Siriwattananon, Rajamangala University of Technology Thayaburi, Thailand
Regional Vice Presidents:•Dr. Shafiqullah Rahmani, Ghanzni University, Ministry of Higher Education, Afghanistan•
Prof. Dr. Barry N. Noller, The University of Queensland, Australia•Dr. Sinisa Berjan, University of East Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina•
Dr. Buntong Borarin, Royal University of Agriculture, Cambodia•
Prof. Dr. Ping Li, Institute of Grassland Research, China•
Prof. Dr. Dieter Trautz, University of Applied Sciences, Germany•
Dr. Sri Wahyuni, Islamic University of Riau, Indonesia•
Dr.Kasumi Ito, Nagoya University, Japan•
Prof. Dr. Nang Hseng Hom, Yezin Agricultural University, Myanmar•
Prof. Dr. Junaid Alam Memon, Institute of Business Administration Karachi, Pakistan•
Prof. Dr. Anthony Makinano Penas, Bohol Island State University, Philippines•
Dr. Tarek Ben Hassen, Qatar University, Qatar•
Dr. Adcharaporn Pagdee, Khon Kaen University, Thailand•
Dr. David R. Ader, University of Tennessee, USA•
Dr. Nguyen Khoi Ngwia, Cantho University, Vietnam

Appendix IIIn order to promote research on sustainable development and recognize the achievement of researchers, the Society may grant the followingAwards at ICERD based on each criterion:
1. Award of Outstanding Scientific Achievement
In recognition of series of excellent research contribution to the advancement of knowledge in a specific science research field (mainlybased on the number of published first authored or corresponded papers in IJERD)
2. Award of Sustainability Promotion
In recognition of excellent research contribution to the advancement of knowledge in a specific area on sustainable development oreducation for sustainable development (mainly based on the contents of the latest contributed paper in IJERD)
3. Award of Excellent Paper
In recognition of excellent research contribution to the advancement of knowledge in a specific area given through oral or poster
presentation (mainly based on the contents of the latest contributed paper in IJERD)
4. Award of Excellent Poster Presentation
In recognition of excellent research contribution to the advancement of knowledge in a specific area given through poster presentation-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This Charter was enacted in January 2010, at the Royal University of Agriculture, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
This Charter was amended in January 2012, at the Council Meeting held in Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
This Charter was amended in January 2013, at the Council Meeting held in Angkor Paradise Hotel, Siem Reap, Cambodia
This Charter was amended in January 2014, at the Council Meeting held in Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi, Thailand
This Charter was amended in March 2015, at the Council Meeting held in Bohol Island State University, Bohol, Philippines
This Charter was amended in January 2016, at the Council Meeting held in Royal University of Agriculture, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
This Charter was amended in February 2018, at the Council Meeting held in Grand Amara Hotel, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
This Charter was amended in February 2019, at the Council Meeting held in Kasetsert University, Sakon Nakhon, Thailand
This Charter was amended in February 2020, at the Council Meeting held in Angkor Paradise Hotel, Siem Reap, Cambodia
This Charter was amended in September 2020, at the Special Council Meeting held by Zoom
This Charter was amended in March 2022, at the Council Meeting held by Zoom
This Charter was amended in March 2023, at the Council Meeting held in Angkor Paradise Hotel, Siem Reap, Cambodia
This Charter was amended in March 2024, at the Council Meeting held in Bayashita KKU Hotel, Khon Kaen, Thailand4