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
8 November 2007
Media contact: Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG), Ravi R. Prasad (r.prasad@cgiar.org)
 
ICARDA and Libya Sign MOU to Strengthen Collaboration
H.E. Dr Abubaker Al-Mansouri (center), Minister of Agriculture in Libya, and participants of the ICARDA-Libya coordination meeting held at ARC Libya.
On 23 October, His Excellency Dr Abubaker Al-Mansouri, Minister of Agriculture in Libya; Eng. Mohammed Ferkach, Director General of the Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Libya; and Dr Mahmoud Solh, Director General of ICARDA, signed a new agreement to boost collaboration between Libya and ICARDA for the next five years through the support of a trust fund from Libya. The signing ceremony was held at ARC headquarters in Al-Baida, Jabal Al-Akhdar.

Under the new agreement, ICARDA and ARC will launch an integrated program of research-for-development in Libya covering three major areas - water harvesting, improving cereal productivity, and improving small-ruminant productivity. Three key objectives of the agreement are to: (i) upgrade agricultural research in Libya in order to serve Libyan agricultural and rural development needs, (ii) link ARC Libya to all relevant CGIAR Centers through ICARDA, and (iii) strengthen collaboration between ARC and ICARDA to contribute to sustainable agricultural development and food security in Libya.
Signing a new agreement of cooperation between Libya and ICARDA. Seated: His Excellency Dr Abubaker Al-Mansouri (center), Minister of Agriculture in Libya; Eng. Mohammed Ferkach (left), Director General of ARC Libya and Dr Mahmoud Solh (right), Director General of ICARDA. Standing: Dr Ali Kafu (left) presenting the agreement to H.E. the Minister, and Dr Mohamed El Mourid (right), Regional Coordinator of ICARDA's North Africa Regional Program.
This new development in Libya-ICARDA relations follows the visit to ICARDA of Eng. Mohammed Ferkach in May 2006 and the signing of a Letter of Intent for Collaboration, between ARC-Libya and ICARDA. In response, Dr Mahmoud Solh, Director General, led an ICARDA delegation to Libya, 22-26 October 2007. The delegation consisted of Drs Theib Oweis, Mohamed El Mourid, Zewdie Bishaw, Koffi Amegbeto, Habib Ketata and Ms Radhia Amor.

Officials and scientists from Libya and the ICARDA delegation held a coordination meeting at ARC headquarters at Al Baida under the auspices of the General People's Secretariat for Agriculture, Animal and Marine Wealth in Libya. In their opening statements, H.E. Dr Al-Mansouri and Eng. Ferkach hailed ICARDA's experience in working on cereals, small ruminants, and water resources in the region and expressed their keen interest in strengthening collaboration with the Center.

Dr Solh thanked H.E. Dr Al-Mansouri and Eng. Ferkach for their invitation, hospitality and confidence in ICARDA; and briefly reviewed previous collaboration between ICARDA and Libya. He assured them of ICARDA's keenness to further strengthen this partnership.
Dr Mahmoud Solh and ICARDA delegation visiting the Documentation Center at ARC, Libya.
Three committees consisting of scientists from ICARDA and ARC were formed to develop project concept notes on water harvesting, wheat and barley productivity, and small-ruminant productivity. Following two days of intensive discussions, draft project concept notes on the three topics were prepared, and discussed during the plenary session.

The final meeting resulted in the approval of the proposals and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between ARC and ICARDA, for the implementation over a five-year period of the three projects, with funding by ARC-Libya.
  

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.
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