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.cgiar.org
1 April 2004
For more information contact:
Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
Agriculture Minister of Azerbaijan Appreciates ICARDA's Efforts
H.E. Dr Irshad Aliev, Minister of Agriculture in Azerbaijan, in his opening statement at the First National Coordination and Planning Meeting held in Baku, Azerbaijan on 3 March 2004, commended ICARDA's efforts to increase productivity and establish sustainable agricultural systems. Dr Raj Paroda, ICARDA Regional Coordinator for CAC, chaired the meeting.
H.E. Dr Irshad Aliev, Minister of Agriculture, Azerbaijan, opened the National Coordination and Planning Meeting on 3 March 2004.
   Dr Aliev particularly appreciated the approval of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded project entitled "Improving Rural Livelihoods through Efficient On-Farm Water and Soil Fertility Management in Central Asia" because "it addresses the specific needs of resource poor farmers." He emphasized the importance of soil and water management to sustainable agricultural development in Azerbaijan.
   Dr Aliev stressed that scientists must work in close collaboration with farmers to provide them with appropriate farming practices for increased productivity and, subsequently, improved livelihood. He highlighted the importance of establishing demonstration sites and improved information dissemination mechanisms in different areas of Azerbaijan to cover a large number of small-scale farmers, and pledged his full support for the implementation of the project. He also expressed his gratitude to ADB for extending natural resource management research support to his country.
   More than 25 scientists from various collaborating research institutions participated in the meeting. During the meeting, Dr Bahram Aliev, National Team Leader for the ADB project, presented a workplan for 2004, which was finalized based on suggestions of participants.

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
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