DRAFT 6/23/2003

Statutes of the Pan American Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture

• Article 1 Name, Legal Status and Domicile
• 1.1 The name of the organization to be: Pan American Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture hereafter referred to as PanAFITA.
• 1.2 PanAFITA is to be an autonomous, non-political, non-profit making Association under American law.
• 1.3 Its domicile is Turlington 1012, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
• Article 2 Vision and Mission
• 2.1 PanAFITA is the coordinating body and catalyst of its National Member Organizations and individual associates (NMO/IA).
• 2.3 PanAFITA's mission is to facilitate the exchange of information and experiences, and to promote the advancement of knowledge in the area of Information Technology in agriculture, in order to enhance the development and competitiveness of agriculture and agribusiness in the Americas.
• 2.4 To accomplish these missions PanAFITA will:
• enrich the activities and harmonize the efforts of its member organizations and individual associates and all working units;
• initiate, propose, participate in, and contribute to new activities and projects;
• initiate, participate in, and contribute to projects at the American continents;
• organize international congresses, seminars and Fora;
• promote the publication of articles, reports and recommendations;
• initiate and maintain contacts with similar organizations on an international level.
• Article 3 Membership
• 3.1 Membership within PanAFITA is subject to observing the Statutes and all obligations arising from them.
• 3.2 Full membership of PanAFITA is to be vested in one body in any country of the Americas representing sufficient nationwide interest or activities related to its objectives. To qualify for Full Member status, the national body must be, as the Federation itself (i.e. 1.2) an autonomous, non-political, non-profit making association. The General Assembly is to determine the eligibility of bodies to join PanAFITA as Full Members.
• 3.3 Companies and individuals resident in Northern, Central or South American countries are automatically affiliate members of PanAFITA when joining the national member organization of their country of residence.
• 3.4 In those countries where there is no national Full Member, Associate Membership is to be open to any individual or institution or company prepared and qualified to support actively the aims of PanAFITA. They are called Individual Associated Members or Institutional Associated Members, respectively. Admission to Associated Membership is to be decided by the Executive Board of PanAFITA.
• 3.5 Individual associates are expected to strive towards establishing formal Information Technology in Agriculture associations in their countries of residence.
• 3.6 The signing of Affiliate Society Agreements with national organizations outside the Americas, or of Letters of Intent for co-operation as well as decisions for PanAFITA to become a member of other organizations is subject to approval by the General Assembly.
• 3.7 Honorary Membership may be awarded to a person with outstanding merits for PanAFITA on the proposal of the President or the official Representative of a Full Member organization and upon the decision of the General Assembly.
• 3.8 Any Full Member of PanAFITA may resign by giving the General Secretariat at least six month's notice in writing before the end of the calendar year.
• 3.9 Any Full Member acting against the interests of PanAFITA, failing to pay its fees in time or not participating in PanAFITA bodies and activities is liable to expulsion by a two-third vote of the General Assembly.
• Article 4 Organs and Management
• 4.1 Principle organs of PanAFITA are:
• the General Assembly, composed of the nominated representatives of each Full Member, the individual associates and the members of the Executive Board (see Article 5);
• the Executive Board, composed of the Officers of PanAFITA (see Article 6).
• Article 5 General Assembly
• 5.1 The General Assembly is the legislative body of PanAFITA, determining the general policy.
• 5.2 The General Assembly:
• elects and discharges Officers;
• approves the budget;
• approves the accounts and the Auditors report;
• takes all necessary measures to ensure the proper functioning of PanAFITA;
• adopts Rules of Procedure in accordance with the Statutes;
• establishes and dissolves the Nominations Committee, Committees, Sections and other bodies of PanAFITA.
• 5.3 Meetings of the General Assembly are to be held every two years. They are chaired by the President. Extraordinary meetings of the General Assembly may be convened at the direction of the President or at the request of at least one-third of the Members of the General Assembly. At least thirty days written notice must be given for all meetings. The President may invite organizations and other individuals to attend the meetings of the General Assembly if deemed appropriate.
• 5.4 The right to voting is vested in the Full Members and to one individual associate per country of residence, to be indicated by the majority of the vote of their fellow countrymen present at the General Assembly. Unless otherwise stipulated in the Statutes, the decisions of the General Assembly are taken by a simple majority of votes of the Members present. Full Members are entitled to nominate up to three delegates with voting privileges, depending on the size of their national membership.
• In the event of a Full Member delegate being unable to attend the General Assembly, the delegate's vote can be cast by proxy. In the event of there not being a quorum of at least one half of the Full Members, the meeting is empowered to suspend standing issues in order that business may proceed, decisions taken being subject to ratification by the General Assembly. If there is a tied vote the President has a casting vote. Voting is to be by show of hands, unless the majority requests a secret ballot. In certain circumstances the General Assembly may reach its decision by correspondence.
• Article 6 Executive Board
• 6.1 The Executive Board is in charge of:
• the bi-annual strategic plan and the annual operational plans;
• the affairs of PanAFITA;
• the effective use and management of funds of PanAFITA as laid down in its budget;
• all other necessary activities to ensure the proper functioning of PanAFITA
• 6.2 The Officers of PanAFITA listed below are elected by the General Assembly for a two year term of office:
  • the President;
  • the President Elect;
  • the Secretary General;
  • the treasurer;
  • three elected Executive Members (from 3 different countries).
  The President is elected for a maximum of one term, and the other Officers for a maximum of two consecutive terms. The Executive Board determines the functions of the Officers itself.
• 6.3 In the event of no suitable person coming forward to assume an Executive position, the Executive can co-opt or appoint a person at its discretion (even if this person was already elected for two consecutive terms).
• 6.4 If the President is unable to act, the President Elect acts on his behalf.
• 6.5 In civil and financial matters PanAFITA is to be represented jointly by the President and the Secretary General.
• 6.6 The Executive Board is entitled to establish Steering Committees, Working Groups or ad hoc Committees to accomplish efficiently the tasks of PanAFITA.
• 6.7 The Executive Board formulates Rules of Procedure subject to the approval of the General Assembly. These Rules will be revised as necessary.
• 6.8 The Executive Board meets at least once a year.
• 6.9 The daily business of PanAFITA is performed by the General Secretariat.
• 6.10 All monetary transactions and related accountability requirements are performed by the Treasurer.
• Article 7 Committees and Sections
• 7.1 Committees and Sections or other bodies may be established by the General Assembly to deal with particular items of its program. They are established and dismissed by the General Assembly according to the needs of the PanAFITA, as defined in the Rules for Committees and Sections. Committees and Sections or other bodies may co-opt for their qualifications individuals who are not Members of PanAFITA. Committees and Sections are structured and managed in accordance with the PanAFITA Rules for Committees and Sections as formulated by the Executive and adopted by the General Assembly. Chairpersons and Secretaries of all Committees and Sections will report on activities to the General Assembly at least once per year, and should meet once every two years.
• Article 8 Finances
• 8.1 The resources of PanAFITA consist of:
• the fees of the Members;
• income from certain activities connected with the achievement of the mission of PanAFITA;
• income from the sale of, and subscription to, certain publications or the sale of copyrights;
• subsidies, grants or gifts, subject to acceptance by the Executive Board.
• 8.2 The amount of the annual fees of the Members is to be determined by a decision of the General Assembly taken by a two-third majority of the votes in an ordinary meeting. Honorary Members are not to be required to pay fees.
• 8.3 The accounts of PanAFITA will be examined and audited annually under direction of the Executive, and approved by the General Assembly at least every two years.
• 8.4 The financial year of PanAFITA is to be the calendar year.
• 8.5 The positions of the Officers of PanAFITA are to be honorary.
• Article 9 Language
• 9.1 The working language of PanAFITA is English.
• Article 10 Disputes
• 10.1 Disputes concerning the functioning of PanAFITA and the interpretation of the Statutes or Rules of Procedure and which can not be settled satisfactorily, may be submitted to a Board of Arbitration consisting of three members, one member to be chosen by each of the parties to the dispute and the third member, who shall act as President and be appointed by the General Assembly of PanAFITA. The Board of Arbitration shall establish its own Rules of Procedure.
• Article 11 Amendments
• 11.1 The Statutes may only be amended by a decision of the General Assembly taken by three-quarter majority of the votes in an ordinary meeting.
• Article 12 Dissolution
• 12.1 PanAFITA can be dissolved only by adoption of an amendment to the Statutes providing specifically for such dissolution, for a procedure of selecting liquidators and for the disposal of assets.
• 12.2 In case of dissolution of PanAFITA the remaining funds will be devolved to non-profit organizations.
• Article 13 Coming into Force
• These Statutes became effective after adoption by the General Assembly.