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
1 March 2007
                             Media contact: Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
 
Iran, ICARDA Sign Updated Memorandum of Understanding
Dr Mahmoud Solh (left), Director General of ICARDA and Dr Jaffar Khalghani (right), Deputy Minister for Research and Head of AREO signed an MoU on 16 February, on collaboration between ICARDA and Iranian research institutions. Other in the picture are Dr Ahmed Amri (second left), Coordinator, Iran-ICARDA program; and Zeaoddin Shoaei, DG of International Relations, AREO.
ICARDA and the government of Iran have signed an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a 5-year workplan (2007-2011) for Iran-ICARDA collaboration. The agreements were signed by Dr Mahmoud Solh, Director General and Dr Jaffar Khalghani, Deputy Minister for Research and Head of the Agricultural Research and Education Organization (AREO).

The agreements were the highlight of a visit by Dr Solh to Iran, 16-19 February 2007. Accompanied by Dr Ahmed Amri, Iran-ICARDA Coordinator, and Dr Mohammad Roozitalab, Adviser to Iran's Deputy Minister for Research, Dr Solh met with several leaders and policy makers, including Dr Khalghani, Dr Mohammad Reza Jahansooz, Deputy Minister for Crop Production; and Dr. Peyman Falsafi, Deputy Minister of Extension; as well as the DGs and Deputy DGs of eight AREO institutes.

Dr Jahansooz and the DGs of the main collaborating institutions were present at the signing ceremony. All partners acknowledged the strong support provided by ICARDA in institutional and human resource capacity building, germplasm exchange, and implementation of joint research projects which have contributed significantly to agricultural development in Iran. Dr Khalghani stressed the special place of ICARDA among international and regional organizations; and the need to expand collaboration even further.

The meeting with Dr Jahansooz and Dr Falsafi (Deputy Ministers for Crop Production and Extension, respectively) focused on the need to develop and transfer appropriate technologies in several areas - conservation agriculture, diversification of cropping systems (introduction of forages and fruit trees), water harvesting, water-use efficiency, crop-livestock integration, development of barley and wheat varieties for different zones, and yield gap analysis (to be conducted by graduate students).

These meetings led to several important recommendations to strengthen collaboration between Iran and ICARDA. H.E. the Minister of Agriculture of Iran and the DGs of various collaborating institutions will visit ICARDA during 2007, to discuss details of implementation.
  

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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