participatory barley breeding, and have made substantial progress in incorporating genetic resistance to diseases and pests in wheat. A particularly important Moroccan success has been the breeding of wheat varieties that are resistant to Hessian fly, a pest that causes devastating damage to the crop in several parts of ICARDA's region.
        Collaboration has extended to other crops. Morocco has been testing and refining the winter chickpea technology developed by ICARDA in partnership with its sister Center, ICRISAT. INRA has taken this a step further by applying this technology to advance sowing dates of other crops, such as mustard, sunflower and maize. Morocco has been coordinating the faba-bean research network for the Maghreb countries since ICARDA transferred faba-bean improvement research to Morocco in 1991.
        Morocco and ICARDA have worked together to preserve plant genetic biodiversity, saving it for future generations. Joint collection missions have so far resulted in a total of 2,656 new accessions.
        There has been important collaborative work on pasture, forage and livestock. This dates back to 1978 and includes a very wide range of work. There have also been joint efforts in the field of biotechnology, agroecological characterization and farming systems research.
        Training in particular has been a key element in ICARDA's technology delivery strategy. Therefore, 614 young Moroccan researchers and technicians have been trained in a variety of courses at ICARDA headquarters and elsewhere since 1979. ICARDA scientists have guided the M.Sc. and Ph.D. thesis research of several Moroccan students. Moreover, ICARDA has supported Moroccan scientists in a large number of international scientific events, where advances in collaborative research were presented. ICARDA has also deputed its Sation Operations Manager to help INRA by advising on the improvement of the physical infrastructure and operation of its research stations.
        The high quality researchers and technicians available today in Morocco are benefiting the whole ICARDA region in a variety of scientific fields, ranging from Hessian fly resistance breeding to agroecological characterization, rapid rural appraisal, and technology transfer methodologies.
        "I am delighted that H.E. the Minister is pleased with the relationship between ICARDA and Morocco," says Prof. El-Beltagy. "We are happy with it too. ICARDA can only succeed in its mission to raise food production and, at the same time,  protect the natural-resource base if it works together with the national systems.
        "We are certainly getting that collaboration from Morocco. ICARDA's efforts in strengthening agricultural research and training in Morocco  since 1977 has come back in the form of a lively and committed research partner. Indeed, today ICARDA has several Moroccan scientists on its own senior research staff at its headquarters, working on  topics from rangeland to crop breeding. It is a partnership that will continue to grow."

is Excellency Mr Hassan Abouyoub, Minister of Agriculture of Morocco, has paid generous tribute to ICARDA's collaboration with Morocco.
        "We have a highly positive assessment of ICARDA's work in Morocco and of our cooperation with you," he told Board of Trustees Chairman Dr Alfred Bronnimann and Director General Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy. "We have high respect for your scientists. We need you, and hope our cooperation will grow stronger every day. There is no alternative but working together to face the challenges of dry-area agriculture."
        Dr Bronnimann and Prof. El-Beltagy were paying a courtesy call on the Minister in Rabat during ICARDA's Program Committee and Board of Trustees meetings in the city from 17 to 23 February. They were accompanied by ICARDA's North Africa Regional Coordinator Dr Mohamed Mekni and by Dr Abdul Aziz Arifi, Director General of Morocco's national research organization, INRA (Institut de la Recherche Agronomique).

        Prof. El-Beltagy described ICARDA's growing emphasis on water-use efficiency, and His Excellency strongly endorsed the need for more attention to this important area of research throughout the region. Trade balance, he argued, should be assessed in terms of water-use efficiency and cost. By exporting fruit and vegetables, the countries of the region were, in effect, exporting scarce water to developed countries, and any gains in export were artificial because this element was not being taken into account.
        The Minister also endorsed ICARDA's vision and its new Medium-Term Plan, on which he was briefed by Prof. El-Beltagy during the meeting. Prof. El-Beltagy also explained the concept of ICARDA research affiliates in the region who will be the focal points of scientific networks in the region. They would thus be working for the betterment of their own NARS as well as others.
        ICARDA's relationship with Morocco dates back to the Center's inception in 1977. Collaboration started with exchanges of germplasm and visits. Since 1986, several ICARDA scientists have been posted to work in Morocco in different areas of research. Between 1986 and 1996, ICARDA also supplied 654 germplasm nurseries, each containing large numbers of improved lines of various crop species, to Moroccan researchers.
        From these beginnings, the relationship has developed into a full collaboration, with Moroccan scientists taking responsibility for important components of ICARDA's research. ICARDA and Morocco have a joint program for