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
11 March 2007
                             Media contact: Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
 
JICA and ICARDA Sign Memorandum on Capacity Building
Mr Yosuke Tamabayashi (left) and Dr Mahmoud Solh sign a Memorandum of Understanding on a joint JICA-ICARDA training program for students from CWANA countries.
Capacity building has always been a key component of ICARDA's agenda, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been a strong supporter of these efforts. JICA delegates in Syria, Mr Yosuke Tamabayashi, Deputy Resident Representative, and Mr Ahmad Tawam, Program Officer, visited ICARDA headquarters on 26 February to discuss capacity building activities to be implemented by ICARDA with JICA funding.

Mr Yosuke Tamabayashi and Dr Mahmoud Solh signed a Memorandum of Understanding on implementation of joint ICARDA-JICA training activities in the CWANA region, for the period January 2007 to March 2008. At the signing ceremony, Dr Solh acknowledged JICA's continued support to ICARDA. He also noted the increasing focus on rebuilding capacity in post-conflict Iraq, especially the emerging opportunities in Kurdistan; and the need to support ICARDA's emerging programs in small ruminant research.
Mr Yosuke Tamabayashi, JICA Deputy Resident Representative to Syria (3rd left) discussed implementation of joint training programs with Dr Mahmoud Solh, ICARDA Director General (3rd right), Dr William Erskine, ADG Research (right), and Dr Ahmed Sidahmed, Director, KMD and Acting Head, HRDU (2nd right). Others in the picture are Dr Giro Orita (2nd left), ICARDA Consultant; and Mr Ahmad Tawam, JICA Program Officer.

The overall program, planned for 10 years, includes seminars, workshops and other capacity building activities. JICA's financial support of about US$ 300,000 for Jan 2007 to March 2008 will provide training opportunities primarily for students from Afghanistan and Iraq, and a limited number of students from Syria and other CWANA countries. The program is being implemented under the Japanese and Syrian Government Agreement signed in 2004 for a five-year (2004-09) annual plan of training courses/seminars and workshops on 'Crop Improvement and Seed Technology' under JICA's Third Country Training Program; and another five-year (2005-10) annual plan of training courses, seminars and workshops on 'Enhancing Human Resources Development in Iraq' under JICA's Technical Cooperation Project, signed in 2005.
  

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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