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
3 August 2006
                             Media contact: Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
 
Strengthening Partnership with Algeria and Tunisia
H.E. Mohamed Habib Haddad (left), Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Tunisia, receives Dr Mahmoud Solh and Dr Abdelmajid Slama, ICARDA Board Member (right), in his office.
Dr Mahmoud Solh, Director General, visited Algeria and Tunisia on 13-16 and 16-19 July 2006, respectively. During the visits, he met with top government officials and NARS leaders and discussed the prospects of enhancing the existing partnerships between ICARDA and the two countries.

In Algeria, he met with H.E. Dr Said Barakat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Mr Omar Ait Ameur, Advisor to the Minister; and Mr Mohamed Fouad Rachdi, Director, Education, Research and Extension in the Ministry. He also met with Dr Kamel Feliachi, Dr Ali Zeghida, Dr Youcef Daouad, and Ms Nadia Hajares, Directors General of the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique d'Algérie (INRAA), Institut Technique des Grandes Cultures (ITGC), Institut National Agronomique (INA), and Centre National de Contrôle et de la Certification des Semences et Plants (CNCC), respectively.

In Tunisia, he met with H.E. Mohamed Habib Haddad, Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources; H.E. Taieb Hadhri, Minister of Scientific Research, Technology and Development of Competencies; H.E. Nadir Hamada, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development; H.E. Abderrazak Daaloul, State Secretary for Fisheries; and Prof. Abdelaziz Mougou, President, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles (IRESA). He visited the Institut des Régions Arides (IRA), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique de Tunisie (INRAT), Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie (INAT), and Technology Park Borj Cedria/Biotechnology Center.

Dr Mahmoud Solh with Algerian NARS leaders at INRAA headquarters in Algeria.
Major issues discussed included the possibility of Algeria and Tunisia joining the CGIAR; increasing and stabilizing wheat, forage and livestock production; marginal water management and use; combating desertification; use of biotechnology to enhance crop and animal production; and establishment of a gene bank; incentives and market policies; impact assessment of the national agricultural and rural development plan; human capacity development; and more involvement of the Tunisian and Algerian experts in agricultural research.

Dr Solh was impressed by the achievements of the institutions he visited and the motivation of scientists and NARS leaders in the two countries. He thanked the governments and institutions for collaborating with ICARDA in promoting scientific research in the region.

Dr Abdelmajid Slama, an ICARDA Board member, accompanied Dr Solh on his visit to Tunisa, while Dr Mohammed El Mourid, NARP Regional Coordinator, accompanied him to both countries.
  

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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