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.cgiar.org
Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
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| Farmers and researchers discuss the performance of a new wheat production technology in a farmer’s field in Shirvan in northeast Iran. |
According to Iran’s Commerce Ministry, the country is a major consumer of wheat and needs more than 11 million tons a year. Officials of the Jihad-e-Agriculture Ministry attribute wheat self-sufficiency to sound farm management, accelerated research activities, increased production and distribution of quality seed and implementation of training programs.
In a letter to ICARDA, Dr Ali Ahoonmanesh, Deputy Minister and Head of the Agricultural Research and Education Organization (AREO), expressed his gratitude to the Center’s contribution to this achievement. “Attaining wheat self-sufficiency is a crucial matter for the economy and welfare of our people. And since we do believe that ICARDA has had a remarkable contribution in achieving this great success through strengthening cereal research in the dry areas of Iran, I would like to seize this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to ICARDA management and scientists for their valuable contribution in this regard.”
ICARDA has been collaborating with AREO since 1990 and the Center helped to establish the Dryland Agricultural Research Institute (DARI) in 1993. In the last 10 years, ICARDA has trained more than 750 researchers from DARI and other institutes in the country, and Iran has released 12 improved varieties of various crops and produces improved seed.
In 1995, ICARDA and DARI scientists identified several problems which affected wheat production in dry areas of Iran including the use of local varieties with little or no tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, poor understanding among farmers of the effects of sowing dates, sowing methods and seed rate on yields. Researchers suggested improved wheat varieties, and developed better crop management practices that recommended specific sowing methods, such as the use of drills and ducks-foot cultivators, appropriate fertilizer use, and weeding. In the 2002/03 season, the recommended technologies were adopted in more than 85,000 ha in four provinces, a dramatic rise from the 4000 ha in the previous season.
Iran hopes to increase wheat production to 17 million tons in successive years and improve the production of other crops including corn and sugarcane.
About
ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.cgiar.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 62 members and 16 Future Harvest Centers that mobilizes cutting-edge
science to promote sustainable development by reducing hunger and poverty,
improving human nutrition and health, and protecting the environment.