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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
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Media
contact: Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
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Syria/ICARDA
Collaborative Program Celebrates 25th Anniversary
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The meeting was held under the patronage of H.E. Dr Adel Safar, Syria's Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, represented by Dr Majd Jamal, Director General of the General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR). Prof. Dr Mohammad Nizar Akeel, Chancellor of Aleppo University; the Deans of Faculties of Agriculture in Damascus, Aleppo, Al-Baath and Teshreen Universities, and the Head of Agricultural Engineers in Syria were also present. Over 100 national scientists and researchers participated. They represented various organizations: the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, Ministry of Irrigation, Faculties of Agriculture at Syrian universities, Atomic Energy Commission, GCSAR, Directorate of Extension, General Organization for Seed Multiplication, Syrian Steppe Development Project, Al-Hoss Development Project, Al-Zawieh Development Project, Directorate of Badia, Directorate of Animal Health, Center for Agricultural Policy, Plant Production Directorate, Farmers Union, Agricultural Engineering Syndicate, Aleppo Chamber of Agriculture, and Aleppo Chamber of Industry. Dr Mahmoud Solh, ICARDA Director General, opened the meeting. He thanked the Minister of Agriculture and the Syrian Government for their strong support to ICARDA and the collaborative program between Syria and ICARDA in agricultural research and development. Dr Solh highlighted ICARDA's mission and global mandate. He said the Center targets poverty alleviation through diversification of livelihoods, improvements in crop and livestock productivity, and sustainable management of natural resources. Dr Jamal thanked ICARDA management and staff for organizing the conference, and read a message from H.E. Dr Safar. In his message, Dr Safar conveyed his greetings to ICARDA and Syrian scientists involved in the collaborative program, and congratulated them for their achievements. He commended the Center for bringing a rich pool of expertise from all over the world to Syria to help alleviate hunger and poverty in dry areas. He highlighted ICARDA's role in increasing agricultural production and building human resources in Syria and elsewhere in the dry areas. Dr Jamal reiterated the continued support of Syria and the Ministry of Agriculture to ICARDA. He highlighted the goals of the joint program, which works closely with farmers to improve production and achieve sustainable development. He spoke of the success of the program, which attracted the Nobel Laureate Dr Norman Borlaug, who visited ICARDA and Syria in 2005 and commended these achievements. Dr Ahmad El-Ahmad, Assistant Director General (Government Liaison) and coordinator of the joint program, described the program's achievements over the past 25 years. These cover many areas - genetic improvement of crops, supplemental irrigation, water harvesting, fertilizer use, crop rotations, technology packages, integrated pest control, genetic resources, integrated research management in Khanasser Valley, socio-economics, small ruminant management, and training. To mark the 25th anniversary, ICARDA presented a Vallerani water harvesting machine to the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform. Also, awards were presented to those who have contributed significantly to the success of the collaborative profram: Dr Muhammad Walid Tawil, Eng. Ali Shehadeh, Eng. Muhi Din Jebbe, Eng. Fawzi El-Badewi, Dr Adnan Shuman, Dr Faysal Maya, Dr Samir Sebae Ahmad, Dr Essam Naji, and Eng. Bashar Baker. Dr Noureddin Mona, Dr Hasan El-Ahmed, Dr George Somi, Dr Jumaa Abdulkareem, Eng. Rasheed Kanbar, Eng. Yaseen Swiedan, and Eng. Bassam Sarraj were honored in absentia. Mr Rafiq Al-Azem, Mr Kassem Al-Arab, Dr Ahmad Merae, and Mr Hamdi Ram Hamdani were honored posthumously. |
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.