ICARDA News

INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN THE DRY AREAS
P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria
Phone: (963-21) 2213433, 2213477, 2225112, 2225012
Fax: (963-21) 2213490, 2225105; E-mail: ICARDA@CGIAR.ORG
28 November 2002
For more information contact:S.Varma@cgiar.org
Agriculture Minister Commends Syria–ICARDA Cooperation
Cooperation between ICARDA and its host country was highly commended by H.E. Dr Noureddin Mona, Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, Syria, at the opening of the 18th Coordination Meeting of Joint Scientific Cooperation, held at the Center's headquarters 2–3 October 2002.
    "It is a great asset to have researchers representing more than 40 different nationalities gathered here at ICARDA with the common objective of alleviating poverty and combating desertification," said H.E. the Minister.
    H.E. Dr Mona expressed appreciation to ICARDA Director General Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy for the "great efforts" made by the Center to help further the development of the agricultural sector in Syria. He thanked the researchers and scientists from ICARDA and the Syrian national program for their dedicated efforts.
    Prof. Dr El-Beltagy welcomed H.E. the Minister; Mr Abdul Ghafour Sabuni, Secretary, Baath Arab Socialist Party, Aleppo Branch; Prof. Dr Ibrahim Osman, Director, Atomic Energy Agency, Syria; and all participants. He said the Center was honored to host the meeting, under the patronage of H.E. the Minister, which is "clear and practical evidence of
The 18th Coordination Meeting of Joint Scientific Cooperation between the Syrian National Program and ICARDA was held at the Center's headquarters, 2–3 October 2002. H.E. Dr Noureddin Mona, Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, Syria, leafs through one of the publications on display outside the meeting room, with Mr Abdul Ghafour Sabuni (second from left), Secretary, Baath Arab Socialist Party, Aleppo Branch, and ICARDA Director General Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy (left). Behind is Dr Abdul Fattah Azzouz, Member, Municipal Council.
the great importance given to scientific research by the host country, Syria, under the leadership of President Dr Bashar Al-Assad.”
    "Development of Syria's national agricultural research program will lead to increased agricultural production and help fuel the economy. Agricultural research also helps enhance the welfare of people and protect the natural resource base," Prof. Dr El-Beltagy said.
"Since agriculture in fragile ecosystems of the dry areas is unstable, and the world's priorities for agriculture keep changing, ICARDA's research program must continuously evolve to keep in line with the changing needs of the world's dry areas," the Director General said.
    Poor countries face many hardships, and the problems of water shortage, desertification, and biodiversity degradation are becoming more acute. Nonetheless, the application of new scientific tools, such as biotechnology, remote sensing, geographic information systems, crop modeling, techniques for improved water-use efficiency, and expert systems can help us to meet these challenges, Prof. Dr El-Beltagy said.
    He stressed the importance of global conventions, such as those on biodiversity, desertification and climate change.
    In his speech, Dr Faysal Maya, Director Government Liaison, ICARDA, and General Coordinator of the ICARDA–Syria Program, said that the participation of H.E. Dr Mona is clear indication of the Minister's personal interest in the Center and his commitment to the evolution of the agriculture sector and sustainable development in Syria and the region.
    Dr Maya reviewed some of the many successes of the national program in Syria, including development of high-yielding and stress-resistant varieties of wheat, barley, lentil, and chickpea. He also emphasized the importance of the training offered by ICARDA to increase the efficiency of the national researchers.
    Syria joined the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) in 2002, with a pledge of US$500,000 annually.

ICARDA's (www.icarda.org) mission is to improve the welfare of people and alleviate poverty through research and training in dry areas of the developing world by increasing production, productivity, and nutritional quality of food, while preserving and enhancing the natural resource base. ICARDA is a Future Harvest Center.
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