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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.cgiar.org |
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Media
contact:
Dr Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
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10 November 2005
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on Climate Change and Combating Desertification
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from 12 CGIAR centers attended a meeting of the Inter-Center Working
Group on Climate Change at ICRAF headquarters in Nairobi, 12–14
October 2005. The purpose was to prepare project proposals for a new
Systemwide program on climate change. With the recent upsurge in natural disasters, there is increasing interest in helping farmers to reduce their vulnerability to environmental hazards. Dr Richard Thomas, who represented ICARDA at the meeting, stated that the CGIAR is in a unique position to strengthen farmers’ coping strategies by helping to improve their ability to adapt to climate change. Dr Ian Noble of the World Bank informed participants of opportunities for funding such projects and the Bank’s interest in projects for the North Africa and Near East region. The proposal to initiate a Systemwide program will be discussed by the Center Directors Committee shortly.
Following this meeting, the UNCCD held its 7th Conference of the Parties (COP7), 17–28 October, in Nairobi. Key issues discussed were the need for a vision for the convention and a means of securing the budget. Developing countries expressed dismay that donors were no longer prepared to maintain current funding for serious environmental issues threatening land users. However, interventions by influential personalities, including Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai from Kenya, during the second week emphasized the need for continued support by the donors. During the meeting, Dr Thomas manned an exhibition booth for the Desertification, Drought, Poverty and Agriculture Consortium with ICRISAT staff, and participated in the launch of two books jointly published by ICARDA and several donor agencies. The publications were: (1) A Partnership Framework for Financing UNCCD Implementation; and (2) Partnerships for Sustainable Land Management. The proceedings of the 3rd SUMAMAD Project, a joint UNESCO-UNU-ICARDA activity, was also launched at the COP7 meeting. Climate change and desertification will become increasingly important as part of ICARDA’s efforts to sustain livelihoods of over 2 billion people (approx 1/3 of the global population) living in the drylands. For more information contact: Dr Richard Thomas |
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 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.