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
Website: http://www.icarda.cgiar.org
The
Seventh ICARDA–Central Asia and the Caucasus
Regional Coordination Meeting was held in Yerevan,
Armenia, 26–28 September, hosted by the Ministry of
Agriculture.
The inaugural session was co-chaired by ICARDA
Director General Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy and First
Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Armenia, Dr Samvel
Avetisyan. The First Deputy Minister of Regional
Management and Coordination, Mr Vache Terteryan,
welcomed the participants on behalf of the Government
of Armenia and expressed appreciation for ICARDA’s
support to the agricultural research system in the country
and called for further strengthening the collaboration.
Prof. Dr El-Beltagy welcomed the 45 participants,
including the heads of seven national agricultural research systems (NARS)
in the region, ICARDA scientists, and representatives of other international,
non-governmental, and donor organizations. He then briefed the audience
on ICARDA’s activities, especially those in CAC, which began with
a needs assessment workshop in Tashkent in 1995.
H.E. Mr. Manuk Tokuzyan (third from right), First
Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of Government
Bodies in Armenia; H.E. Mr Vache Terteryan (fourth
from right), First Deputy Minister of Regional
Management and Coordination, Armenia; and Dr
Samvel Avetisyan (second from right), First Deputy
Minister of Agriculture, Armenia, meet with ICARDA
Director General Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy (second
from left), in Yerevan.
Dr Raj Paroda, Regional Coordinator, ICARDA–CAC, presented the annual report, highlighting achievements in genetic resource conservation, germplasm enhancement, natural resource management, and human capacity building. He also
Participants of the Seventh ICARDA-CAC Regional Coordination Meeting, with H.E. Mr Vache Terteryan (front, ninth from right), First Deputy Minister of Regional Management and Coordination, Government of Armenia.
The heads of NARS presented country reports for the 2002/03 cropping season. They took the opportunity to express appreciation for ICARDA’s support in the area of human resource development, stressing the importance of both specialized and English language training courses for the region’s scientists.
On day 2, nine ICARDA scientists made presentations: Drs J. Valkoun, M. Mosaad, R. Malhotra, Ali A. El-Moneim, A. van Gastel, S. Ceccarelli, M. Suleimenov, Ms B. Hartwell, and Mr Y. Azhigaliev.
The results of collaborative activities carried out in the 2002/03 cropping season and the proposed work plan for 2003/04 were finalized in group discussions; one focused on germplasm enhancement, the other on soil and water management.
Special sessions on developing project proposals on mountain agriculture and biodiversity management were held on 28 September, chaired by Prof. Dr El-Beltagy and Dr Mohan Saxena, ICARDA’s Assistant Director General (At-Large). Drs Francis Turkelboom and Jan Valkoun introduced the concept papers, which was followed by discussion on action to be taken to move the proposals forward.
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.