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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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Research
Collaboration with Australia's Private Sector
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ICARDA's
research is targeted primarily at the poor, but generates significant
spillovers to other stake- holder groups, including large-scale commercial
farmers and agri-business. These spillovers provide the basis for
new linkages between ICARDA, national research programs in developed
countries, and the private sector.
Prof. Kadambot Siddique, Director of the Institute of Agriculture, University of Western Australia, and Mr Geoff Smith, Chief Executive Officer of the Council of Grain Grower Organizations (COGGO), Australia, visited ICARDA headquarters during 10-13 December 2006. The purpose of their visit was to explore opportunities for collaboration and funding; and to discuss progress and future plans for two ACIAR-funded projects, on plant health management in pulses in the CWANA region and germplasm conservation and crop production in Iraq. The visitors also met ICARDA scientists: genetic resources, biotechnology, the various crop breeding units, and the ACIAR-ICARDA-Iraq project. Mr Smith presented a seminar on COGGO activities, describing current projects and potential investment opportunities. Dr Mahmoud Solh, Director General of ICARDA, and Dr William Erskine, ADG-Research, held meetings with the visitors on 12 December. Two key areas were identified for collaboration between ICARDA, COGGO, and the University of Western Australia: Ascochyta blight resistance in kabuli chickpea, and Fusarium head blight resistance in spring bread wheat. Australian growers are battling both problems. ICARDA has developed (and continues to develop) several resistant varieties of both crops, that have been released in Australia or are potentially suited to Australian conditions. These initiatives will be partly funded by COGGO, which is an umbrella organization representing producer associations for a range of crops, and is keen to support research that will improve productivity and competitiveness of Australian agri-business. The work will also involve other international partners, specifically the use of Fusarium 'hot spots' damp areas in Iran, near the Caspian Sea to develop new wheat varieties with resistance to Fusarium head blight. These will be combined with outputs from NARS/ICARDA research in dry areas, to produce widely adapted, resistant, high-yielding varieties. ICARDA already works with the University, primarily through the Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA). This partnership will be expanded and formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding for undergraduate and post-graduate training, co-supervision of thesis research, joint publications, and arrangements for sabbatical leave for scientists from the two institutions. Dr Solh emphasized the priority areas for training to build national research capacity in the CWANA region: plant breeding and molecular genetics, natural resource management, water management, and integrated disease and pest management. |
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.