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
27 March 2008
Media contact: icarda-media@cgiar.org
 
Expert Consultation on "Developing a Small Ruminant Research and Development Strategy for Rural Poverty Reduction"
An Expert Consultation on "Developing a Small Ruminant Research and Development Strategy for Rural Poverty Reduction in Non-Tropical Dry Areas of the Near East and North Africa" was held at Cairo, Egypt, 9 - 11 March 2008.

The participants included senior representatives of IFAD, ILRI, FAO, University of Florida/GL-CRSP, World Bank, CIRAD, INRA, ACSAD, AAAID, and Swiss College of Agriculture, ICARDA, NARS and Universities from Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Syria, and Turkey. Over 60 participants attended the consultation.
From left to right – Dr Ed Rege, Director Biotechnology ILRI, Dr Mohammed Mirreh, Senior Expert FAO Egypt, Dr Irena Hoffman, Livestock Production Chief FAO, Mr Tawfiq El Zabri, Country Program Manager IFAD, Dr Mahmoud Solh, Director General ICARDA, Dr Muhammed Fadel Wardeh, former Head of Animal Resources ACSAD, an Egyptian farmer, and Dr Shirley Tarawali, Director People, livestock and environment ILRI.

Dr Ayman Abu Haddid President of ARC Egypt inaugurated the consultation and welcomed the participants. Representatives of ICARDA, IFAD and ILRI also made presentations at the opening session.

Presentations were made by invited key speakers and a number of key issues emerged during the discussions. During the three days key small issues relating to ruminants research and development priority were identified for the NENA region.

Participants were then grouped into three key areas (pastoral system, mixed crop-livestock system, and intensive or intensifying system) for detailed discussions. Research questions, available results so far, dissemination pathways and partners for various R & D issues and future priority research areas were identified.

Closing statements were made by Dr Mahmoud Solh, Director General of ICARDA, Mr Tawfiq El Zabri on behalf of IFAD, Dr Ayman Abu Hadid, President of ARC Egypt and Dr Shirley Tarawali Director PLE of ILRI.

The outputs of this expert consultation and a follow up electronic consultation (Challenge Dialogue with experts from institutions and countries in the NENA region that could not participate)) will be used to develop a small ruminant research and development strategy in the NENA region.
 

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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