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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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CAC
NARS Review ICARDA’s Draft Strategic Plan
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Dr Willie Erskine, Assistant Director General (Research) of ICARDA, chaired the meeting. He thanked the participants for sending their written comments on the draft Strategic Plan prior to the rountable discussion. Dr Abdushukur Khanazarov, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Uzbekistan and Director General, Uzbek Scientific-Production Center for Agriculture (UzSPCA), opened the meeting. Dr Raj Paroda, Regional Coordinator, ICARDA-CAC, welcomed the participants. Dr Kamil Shideed, Director, Mega-Project on Poverty and Livelihoods Analysis, ICARDA, summarized the draft Strategy. He emphasized that drought is one of the major constraints to sustainable agricultural development and to improving the well-being of the poor in dry areas. Drought-tolerant varieties of crops, water-saving technologies, and soil conservation practices could greatly contribute to the overall goal of poverty alleviation and economic growth in the dry areas, he said. The participants appreciated the opportunity to review the draft Strategic Plan and made useful suggestions. Their comments centered around crop diversification, conservation tillage, varietal improvement, conservation and use of genetic resources, water-saving technologies, livestock management, post-harvest technologies, and market opportunities. Specific suggestions included the following: (i) CAC has its own peculiarities and these should be reflected in the Strategic Plan; (ii) the major problem relating to water in CAC is its management, and not so much its shortage; (iii) groundwater is to be considered as an additional source of water and should be appropriately used; (iv) some of the CAC countries are not food importers; (v) issues relating to natural resources management, especially salinity management, should be better reflected, with particular attention to the Aral Sea problems; (vi) necessary emphasis should be placed on extension activities geared towards technology transfer; and (vii) an integrated approach is required when looking at crop and livestock systems, especially crop diversification, feed production and rangeland improvement. Participants also suggested that an annual implementation plan should be developed to ensure the successful realization of the Strategic Plan, and that the involvement of the regional programs should be better highlighted in the document. Dr Erskine thanked the participants and assured them that their comments will be incorporated in the revised version of the Strategic Plan. For more information contact: Dr Willie Erskine |
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.