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: www.icarda.org
27 July 2006
                             Media contact: Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
 
Tenth General Conference of AARINENA Held in Yemen
The Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA) held its 10th General Conference in Sana'a, Yemen, on 25-27 June 2006. Participants in the meeting included representatives of NARS in the NENA countries, international organizations, APAARI (Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Institutions), FARA (Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa), FORAGRO (Forum for the Americas for Agricultural Research and Technology Development), and IFAP (International Federation of Agricultural Producers). Dr Mahmoud Solh, ICARDA Director General; Prof. Dr Magdy Madkour, ADG-IC; Dr Ahmed Moustafa, APRP Regional Coordinator; and Dr Nihad Maliha, Library Manager, attended the meeting.
Left to right: Dr George Ayad, Regional Director for IPGRI WANA;
Dr Abdelnabi Fardous, President of AARINENA and DG, NCARTT, Jordan; Dr Mahmoud Solh, ICARDA DG; H.E. Prof. Jalal Ibrahim Fakirah, Minister, MAI, Yemen; Prof. Adel El-Beltagy, GFAR Chair;
Dr Hashim Al-Shami, FAO Representative in Yemen; Dr Ismail Muharram, Chairman, AREA; and Dr Abdelwahed Mukred, Vice Chairman, AREA.
H.E. Dr Jalal Fakirah, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation in Yemen, opened the meeting and welcomed the participants. Dr Abdelnabi Fardous, AARINENA President; Dr Ismail Muharram, Chairman, Agricultural Research and Extension Authority (AREA); Dr Mahmoud Solh; Prof. Adel El-Beltagy, GFAR Chair; Dr George Ayad from IPGRI; and Dr Hashim Al-Shami, FAO representative in Yemen, made statements at the opening ceremony.

In his statement, Dr Solh noted the existing linkages between AARINENA and ICARDA in agricultural research in the CWANA region. He said AARINENA's secretariat is located in ICARDA's Jordan office in Amman.

The conference discussed the activities and achievements of the sub-regional programs in Mashreq, Maghreb, Nile Valley and Red Sea, West Asia, and the Arabian Peninsula. Participants shared the reports of activities of the Date Palm Global Network, Olive Network, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Network, and the Cotton Network.

A new executive committee of AARINENA was elected during the meeting. Dr Ahmed Albakry, Oman, and Dr Ismail Muharram, Yemen, emerged as the new President and Vice President, respectively.

For more information contact: Dr Nihad Maliha
  

About ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.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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