Rural areas, where more than 70% of human beings live and work, have been in the past and will be in the future an important field for prevention.  Nowadays, rural health care is facing an evident gap if compared to the urban one in terms of research and prevention, also in developed countries.

Rural activities do no split clearly into “living time” and “working time”: farmers usually work at home or in the immediate vicinity.  Elderly and children are often involved. Trained agricultural  workers guarantee a sound use of the land against the risks of environmental pollution and disasters. Healthy employers and workers promote also food quality.

Any action addressed to promoting health and well-being in rural communities is therefore also addressed to the protection of human and environmental health. For these reasons, it is necessary to enforce the Rural Health Network and to put together all the different expertises necessary to carry out a holistic approach.

Also Occupational Medicine as a discipline did its first steps in agriculture. In 2006, the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) will celebrate a centennial of activity. Based on this background, the International Association of Agricultural Medicine and Rural Health (IAAMRH) has planned to organize its 16^th International Congress in Italy.

The hosting structure will be the local Health Unit of Lodi, old historical town with agricultural traditions, placed 30 Km far from Milan. The International Centre for Pesticides and Health Risk Prevention and the Occupational Health Unit of the Local Unit of Lodi, specialized in Agriculture since foundation, will organize and hold the event. The IAAMRH Congress will take place just after the ICOH Congress and both events are subsequent and officially linked.

In Italy, and specifically in the Region of Lombardy, significant expertise on agriculture has been accumulated over time. The Event will therefore be also a unique opportunity for Italian Scientists and Public Health personnel to exchange opinions and information with the international Rural Health network.

We are looking forward to meet all of you in Lodi and to have the pleasure of hosting you in a typical and friendly rural Italy.

                        Claudio Colosio                                                             Eugenio Ariano