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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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Food
security a major concern at Arab Summit on
Economic and Social Development |
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ICARDA's
participation in the Private Sector and Civil Society Forum held in
Kuwait, 17-18 January, has helped identify new opportunities for research
collaboration and funding. The Forum, organized by the League of the
Arab States and the government of Kuwait, was a prelude to the Arab
Economic, Social and Development Summit. There were over 500 participants
from all Arab countries, regional and international organizations
and the private sector. Numerous issues were discussed, including
the global financial crisis, trade and investment, energy, infrastructure
development – and most crucially, food security, agricultural
development and environmental challenges such as climate change and
water shortages.
ICARDA was represented by Dr Mahmoud Solh, Director General, and Dr Ahmed Moustafa, Regional Coordinator, ICARDA-APRP. Dr Solh was a panelist in the session on Food Security and Agricultural Policies. His presentation highlighted the impacts of ICARDA's research – on food production, natural resource management and rural livelihoods – in dry areas worldwide, and in Arab countries in particular. "Food security in the Arab world cannot be achieved without science and technology," he said. "We need integrated research in three key areas – natural resource management, crop and livestock production, and policies and institutions. We also need to take research outputs to the field and community levels with the full involvement of all stakeholders, particularly the farming communities." He also stressed the need to strengthen national R&D capacity, and draw the younger generation into agricultural research. The session on Food Security was moderated by Dr Adel El-Beltagy, former Director General of ICARDA. During the Forum Dr Solh met with senior officials from a number of organizations: the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, Islamic Development Bank, Arab Authority for Agriculture Investment & Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Sudan, Global Forum for Agriculture Research, Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, Investment Development Authority of Lebanon, and the Arab Fertilizers Association. He received very positive feedback on how the Center is perceived across the region, and its continuing role in imroving food security and livelihoods. In addition, Drs Solh and Moustafa visited key partner institutions, to discuss research challenges and opportunities in the region, and the status of ongoing and new projects. Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD). Dr Solh met with H.E. Abdulatif Al Hamad, AFESD President; Dr Ahmed Osman, Director, Technical Department; Dr Asaad Moustafa, Economic Adviser; and Mr Samir Jarrad, Agricultural Economist. AFESD has long been a supporter of ICARDA’s research, development and capacity building programs. It funds a range of activities across the region, including the ongoing development of bio-containment facilities at ICARDA headquarters. Dr Solh provided an update on major activities, and expressed his gratitude to H.E. Al Hamad, for his personal interest in and support for agricultural development.
Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR). The ICARDA delegation met with H.E. Jasem Habib Al Badr, Director General and Chairman; Eng. Faisal Al Sedeqi, DDG for Agriculture Affairs; and Ms Salwa Al Oraifan, Director of Plant Research and Nurseries Department. They discussed progress on the regional date palm project and the new APRP project on technology transfer. H.E. Al Badr expressed his appreciation for ICARDA's efforts, and requested that collaborative research with PAAAFR be expanded, especially on protected agriculture and irrigated forages. Discussions also covered rangeland rehabilitation in Kuwait, for which a concept note has been developed jointly by ICARDA and PAAAFR. |
About
ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.org) is one of the 15
international research centers supported by the Consultative Group on
International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). ICARDA 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.