I C A R D A    N e w s

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: www.icarda.cgiar.org
For more information contact: Dr Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
 
 
14 July 2005
Tunisia-ICARDA Partnership Boosted
The partnership between Tunisia and ICARDA was forged about the same time ICARDA was established some 27 years ago. Not only has this partnership contributed to agricultural research and development in Tunisia, it has yielded initiatives with far-reaching significance to the region as a whole.
H.E. Mohamed Habib Haddad (left), Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Tunisia, discussed the achievements and future plans of the Tunisia-ICARDA collaborative program with Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy (center), Director General, and Prof. Dr Magdy Madkour, Assistant Director General (International Cooperation), ICARDA. Prof. Dr El-Beltagy presented an ICARDA plaque to H.E. the Minister in appreciation of his strong support to the ICARDA-Tunisia collaborative program. H.E. Sadok El Korbi (right), Minister of Research, Technology and Development of Competency, Tunisia, in his meeting with Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy and Prof. Dr Magdy Madkour, praised the collaborative achievements between ICARDA and IRA Medenine. Prof. Dr El-Beltagy presented an ICARDA plaque to H.E. the Minister to thank him for his continued support.

At a meeting with H.E. Nadhir Hamada (right), Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Tunisia, Prof. Dr El-Beltagy and Prof. Dr Madkour discussed prospects for future collaboration in the area of genetic resources and genebanks, the implementation of UN conventions, and protection of the environment.
The Tunisia-ICARDA partnership received a boost when H.E. Mohamed Habib Haddad, Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, sent an invitation to Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy, Director General of ICARDA, to visit Tunisia to review the past achievements and plan for the future.

Prof. Dr El-Beltagy visited Tunisia on 19-24 June 2005 and held meetings with various ministers, ambassadors, scientists of national agricultural research institutions, and other partners. He was accompanied by Prof. Dr Magdy Madkour, ICARDA's Assistant Director General for International Cooperation, and Dr Mohamed El-Mourid, Coordinator of ICARDA's North Africa Regional Program.
The ICARDA delegation with H.E. Mr Gamal Eldin Bousleimi, the Wali of Medenine (second from left). Standing in the middle is Dr Houcine Khattali, Director of the Institute of Arid Zones, Medenine.

Meeting at the Institute of Arid Zones, Medenine. Left to right: Dr Mohamed El-Mourid, Coordinational of ICARDA's Regional Program for North Africa; Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy, Director General of ICARDA; Dr Houcine Khattali, Director of the Institute of Arid Zones, Medenine; and Prof. Dr Magdy Madkour, Assistant Director General (International Cooperation), ICARDA.

ICARDA delegation with the Director and staff of the Institute of Arid Zones, Medenine.

In his meeting with H.E. Mohamed Habib Haddad, the DG highlighted the major achievements of collaborative research in Tunisia and praised the active role of national researchers. Future plans were discussed, particularly focused on water scarcity, desertification and poverty alleviation.
Meeting with the staff of the National Institute for Agricultural Research of Tunisia (INRAT). The Director of INRAT, Dr Amor Chermiti, is seen on the right of Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy (center). On his left is Prof. Abdelaziz Mougou, Director of the Institution for Research and Agricultural Higher Education (IRESA). Visit to research facilities of INRAT. The Director of the Institute, Dr Amor Chermiti, briefing Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy on research under way at the Institute.

At a meeting with H.E. Sadok El Korbi, Minister of Research, Technology and Development of Competency, collaboration between ICARDA and IRA Medenine was praised. H.E. Sadok El Korbi suggested that in addition to the ongoing projects with IRA, collaborative activities in the areas of biotechnology, valorization of cactus, economic returns, ICT, monitoring desertification and conserving agrobiodiversity and other natural resources should be considered. The DG welcomed the suggestions and assured that appropriate projects in those areas will be developed for donor support.
Meeting with the Director and staff of the National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia (INAT). Seen in the picture are Dr Abderrazak Daaloul, Director General, Agricultural Production, Ministry of Agriculture; and Prof. Fethi Lebdi, Director of INAT. Visit to the Centre International de Technologie de l’Environnement de Tunis (CITET). Seen in the middle is Dr Belgassim El-Hanshy, Director of CITET.

At a meeting with H.E. Nadhir Hamada, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, the DG and the Minister discussed prospects for future collaboration in the area of genetic resources and genebanks, the implementation of UN conventions, and protection of the environment.

In his meetings with all three ministers, the DG advocated a proposal for Tunisia to join as a member of the CGIAR. All three ministers welcomed the proposal and promised to follow it up with the Government. The DG also expressed appreciation for the visionary leadership of the President of Tunisia and his Government's decision to allocate 1% of the GDP to scientific research.
Visit to Guermassa village—meeting with farmers and field tour.

Prof. El-Beltagy and his delegation also met the Walis of Tataouine and Medenine in the south of Tunisia. During these meetings, the Walis welcomed the ICARDA delegation and expressed appreciation for ICARDA's support for agricultural development projects in the region. The DG thanked them for their hospitality. The DG hosted a working lunch for Ambassadors and Representatives of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Syria accredited to Tunisia. During the luncheon meeting, the DG made a presentation on the work and achievements of ICARDA in the dry areas.
Visit to El-Galaat, Ouled Chehida Community.

The DG and his delegation also visited Institut National Agronomique de Tunis (INAT), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique de Tunis (INRAT), Institut des Régions Arides (IRA Medenine), and Centre International de Technologie de l'Environnement de Tunis (CITET). At each institution, collaborative projects with ICARDA were presented by NARS collaborators and prospects for enhancing the collaboration were discussed.
ICARDA delegation with the Center's staff of the North Africa Regional Program, based in Tunis.
A visit for the ICARDA delegation was organized to an agro-pastoral project in southern Tunisia (PRODESUD), funded by IFAD, in the Tataouine region. The ICARDA delegation was received by the Director General of Agriculture in Tataouine and by the project coordinator. ICARDA collaborates closely with PRODESUD through the Mashreq and Maghreb project. ICARDA backstopped PRODESUD to implement and institutionalize the community approach through the elaboration of community development plans. The delegation also visited field activities of the project as well as farmers associations of two communities, namely, Germessa and Ouled Chehida. This was an occasion to show how ICARDA's community approach empowers agro-pastoral communities.

The DG's visit ended with optimism that collaboration between Tunisia and ICARDA is bound to be stronger in the years to come.

About ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.cgiar.org) serves the entire developing world for the improvement of barley, lentil, and faba bean; and dry-area developing countries for the on-farm management of water, improvement of nutrition and productivity of small ruminants (sheep and goats), and rehabilitation and management of rangelands. In the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region, ICARDA is responsible for the improvement of durum and bread wheats, chickpea, pasture and forage legumes and farming systems; and for the protection and enhancement of the natural resource base of water, land, and biodiversity.

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org) is a strategic alliance of countries, international and regional organizations, and private foundations supporting15 international research centers that mobilizes cutting-edge science to promote sustainable development by reducing hunger and poverty, improving human nutrition and health, and protecting the environment.
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