NEEM 2002, the 4th World Neem Conference was held in Mumbai from 27th - 30th November. The Venue, the elegant seaside Taj Lands End Convention Center was not perfect, but it was just as close to that as possible!

The Conference was attended by all those who hold an interest in Neem - from scientists, research scholars, policy makers, entrepreneurs and industrialists to organic growers.

The Conference was inaugurated by the former Union Minister and noted environmentalist Mr. Mohan Dharia who set the tone with his unabashed admiration for the neem tree and devotion to the comprehensive promotion of this immensely useful tree.

A stirring Key Note address was delivered by the noted expert and Director, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow – Dr. P. Pushpangadan.

The Poster Session was inaugurated by Mr. Suresh Prabhu - Chairman, Task Force for River Linkage, a Member of India's Parliament and a former Union Minister for Environment & Forests.

During the four day deliberations about 140 papers were presented, divided into 18 sessions. There were in all 90 oral presentations divided into 16 sessions and 51 poster presentations divided into 2 sessions.

As the Neem tree holds the promise of providing enterprenurial opportunities and employment at the village level in Asia and Africa, the Conference was principally sponsored by the Ministry of Small Scale Industries & Agro Rural Industries, Govt. of India. Logistic and finanacial support was also extended by:

M/s. Godrej Agrovet Ltd. - Mumbai
M/s. Godrej Industries Ltd. - Mumbai
M/s. E.I.D Parry (India) Ltd. - Chennai
M/s. P.J. Margo Pvt. Ltd. - Bangalore
Khadi Village Industries Commission - Govt. of India,
M/s. Spic Henkel Ltd. - Chennai
National Oilseeds & Vegetable Oils Development Board - Ministry of Agriculture,Govt. of India
M/s. Fortune Biotech Ltd. - Hyderabad

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development - Mumbai

The support and sponsorship generously extended by the government agencies and industry went a long way in making the Conference a success.

Eminent experts were invited to deliver plenary lectures. They covered almost all the key aspects of Neem's potential.

Prof. H. Schmutterer - Highlights of three decades of Neem (Azadirachta indica) and Chinaberry (Melia azedarach) Research in Germany

Dr. R.C. Saxena - Management of insect pests with Neem: Global Perspective.

Dr. M.C. Gopinathan - Intellectual property rights and Neem.

Dr. Gerard Bodekar - Neem in Health Care: An overview.

Dr. S.A. Van der Esch - Neem Research - An Italian experience.

Dr. B.N. Vyas - Utilization of Neem products in enhancement of fertilizer use efficiency.

Dr. S.N. Venugopal - Review of indigenous medical knowledge of neem & its contemporary relevance.


Dr. S.R. Singh - Role of Small-Scale Industries in harnessing the true potential of Neem products.

Dr. H.M. Behl - Neem: From disenfranchised tree to an industrial crop.

Dr. S.S. Pillai - Constraints in the development of Neem Industry.

Dr. S.D. Sadekar - Therapeutic efficacy of Neem in livestock - with special reference to antihepatotoxic activity of neem leaves in calves.

Dr. Vijayalakshmi Mojumder - Neem for Nematode Management.
Welcome extended to the Delegates in poetic verse
By Mr. N.B. Godrej – Chairman, Steering Committee – NEEM 2002
World Neem Conference, 27th November, 2002

Mumbai, India

We welcome you to Mumbai
We hope you have a pleasant stay.
There’s much to do and much to see
So please go on a visiting spree.
But if you want to talk of Neem
We’ve put in place the greatest team.
Who needs a chemical revolution
When we have natural evolution?
For in its struggle for survival
The Neem tree takes on every rival
And over time it has built
An arsenal for blight and wilt.
And now these chemicals are prized
Above those that are synthesized.
Harsh side effects can be spared
When we use what was prepared
So carefully by evolution.
A naturally contrived solution –
In India now the greatest news is
Neem has been put to many uses.
Our market now is hundred crore
Or perhaps a little more,
But if we get our act just right
A thousand crore is in our sight.
For our foreign friends and scholars,
That is two hundred million dollars.
And difficult as it may seem
That could well be the scope for Neem
If government could pave the way
Encourage us and not say nay,
They could save urea for the nation
By easing the strict regulation.
All we need is a simple noting
That would permit urea coating
With just a modest rise in price.
Then farmers could produce more rice
And save the environment as well
If we could be allowed to sell
Pre-coated urea with ease of use
And please spare us another excuse.
We can’t afford to go so slow.
China already has plans to grow
Neem trees on a grandiose scale.
In comparison our efforts pale.
In the next few days, we have in store
Discussions on all this and more.
And we are sure you’ll be inspired,
Your imagination will be fired.
And it is not enough to preach
If we really want to reach
An appropriately ambitious goal
Each of us must play a role.
If Neem is to reach its potential
I think it is most essential
That each of us has a dream
In which the wondrous worth of Neem
Is used to improve our health
And bring prosperity and wealth.
And if this message has been heeded
The conference would have succeeded.