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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 |
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For
more information contact:
Dr Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
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16 February 2005
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Described by the BBC as ‘Lebanon’s economic champion’ and by CNN as the ‘vision of prosperous Lebanon,’ Mr Hariri, who served as Prime Minister during 1992-1998 and 2000-2004, played a charismatic role in the economic recovery of Lebanon after 15 years of civil conflict. He also helped revive Lebanon’s tourism industry. He played a major role in organizing the national reconciliation conference which led to the Ta’if Accord that paved the way for the end of the civil war in 1990. Mr Hariri’s government accorded great support to ICARDA’s work in Lebanon, continuing the country’s hospitality to the Center since its establishment in 1977. Indeed, the idea of starting ICARDA emerged from the Arid Land Agricultural Development (ALAD) program which was working in Lebanon in cooperation with the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI). ICARDA’s first field research stations were established in Terbol and Kfardan in the Beka’a Valley of Lebanon and continued to operate even during the period of civil conflict. These stations are functioning to date. The nearly three decades of cooperation in agricultural research between ICARDA and Lebanon has benefited the entire West Asia and North Africa region through the development of improved crop varieties and agricultural practices, land and water management initiatives, and conservation of the precious crop biodiversity. Commenting on the sad news, ICARDA Director General, Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy, said, “Mr Hariri’s death is a great shock to the entire ICARDA family and the people of Lebanon. He will be remembered for his achievements to rebuild Lebanon after many years of civil war and for the humanitarian actions to support the education of thousands of Lebanese through the Hariri Foundation. The ICARDA family will always remain grateful to Mr Hariri for his strong support. Lebanon was the original home of ICARDA and the partnership between the Lebanese national program and ICARDA in agricultural research and training is very important to the Center. It is our hope that stability will prevail to keep the country on the track of economic growth and prosperity.” Lebanon/ICARDA Collaboration Research experiments started on Terbol and Kfardan stations in 1978/1979, with core experimentation procedures used in breeding and crop management as ICARDA was still in the early stages of its establishment. By 1980, some promising varieties were developed and tried in farmers’ fields for preliminary Farmer Verification Trials (FVT). In 1985, ICARDA initiated a cooperative project with LARI in order to carry out large-scale FVTs. With the improvement of security conditions, the FVT reached the northern and southern coastal areas. The outcome of this cooperative project was the release of 25 high-yielding varieties of cereals and food and forage legumes. ICARDA is the main source of germplasm of cereals and legumes for breeding programs in Lebanon. Lebanon is also a partner in other major ICARDA projects including the GEF/UNDP-funded dryland agrobiodiversity project and that on integrated crop/livestock production systems in low rainfall areas of West Asia and North Africa (the Mashreq/Magreb project). The Board of Trustees Chair, Dr Margaret Catley-Carlson, the Board members, management and staff of ICARDA from 44 countries extend their heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr Hariri and the people of Lebanon. |
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.