The Arabian Peninsula Regional Program (APRP) promotes regional cooperation in research, capacity building and human resource development in countries of the Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. Three main research themes, namely, water resource management; forage production and rangeland management, and protected agriculture represent the framework of the program research activities. Major emphasis is laid on strengthening national institutional and human resource capacity, technology transfer and information technology, and networking. APRP is financially supported by AFESD, IFAD, and OPEC.

Collaborative projects

To enhance farmers' income in the mountain terraces of Yemen, cultivation of cash crops in greenhouses was introduced in collaboration with national research partners. Three plastic houses were constructed in farmers' fields in Al- Mahweet, Yareem, and Al-Turba, using a participatory approach. The cost/benefit analysis of plastic house cultivation revealed that the total cost of these constructions could be recovered in three seasons. Several farmers in each location expressed an interest in the investment in plastic houses.
     The extensive use of chemicals to control diseases and

pests in greenhouses results in complex problems of resistance build-up in the causal organisms, and health and environmental hazards. An Integrated Production and Protection Management (IPPM) program was developed and implemented by APRP in all the Arabian Peninsula countries to provide greenhouse growers with simple techniques for crop protection, thereby reducing the use of hazardous chemicals. Application of IPPM techniques in Sa'ada area in Yemen, helped to cut down pesticide application per growing season (4-5 months) of cucumber crop from an average of 20 to 2-3 sprays. Similar results were obtained in other countries in the region. Soil solarization is part of the IPPM, which could provide growers with safe and effective methods for soil sterilization instead of using chemicals. The technique was developed and simplified for growers and a technical handbook was published.
     Priority indigenous grass species have been identified in most countries of the Arabian Peninsula. Shrub species have also been identified in the northern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Seed multiplication fields for indigenous grasses are now established in the UAE, Sultanate of Oman, Yemen and Qatar, whereas shrub seeds are being produced in large quantities (5 tonnes per season) in Saudi Arabia. Following the establishment of a successful seed technology unit in the UAE in 2002, another one is under establishment in Oman to promote the seed production of indigenous forages.
     A newly developed Soil-less Vertical Growing System for the production of strawberry was adopted in Kuwait. The technology was transferred successfully to three growers in Wafra and Abdaly areas. An agroeconomic appraisal was conducted to compare the new and the traditional systems. The study revealed a major reduction in production cost of the new system by 50-65%. In addition, production per m² was doubled, production season was longer, and major savings were achieved in water, fertilizers, and labor with the new system.
     Four new project proposals have been developed: (1) Development of Information Technology Systems for Agriculture and Natural Resource Management in the Arabian Peninsula; (2) Elevating Income of the Yemeni's Rural Family through Transfer of Technology and Training of Rural Women on the Production of Cash Crops Using Protected Agriculture Techniques, (3) Enhancing Seed Multiplication of Indigenous Forage and Range Plants in the Arabian Peninsula, and (4) Adoption of Protected Agriculture Techniques in Afghanistan for Rural Development Utilizing Marginal Lands and Less Water to Produce Cash Crops.
     The APRP website (www.icarda.org/aprp) was further developed and restructured. Most of the APRP publications have been up-loaded to the site. A "Weather Station Network" for the Arabian Peninsula has been established. Eleven automatic weather stations were supplied to all the AP countries for installation at pre-specified locations. Most of these stations have been connected through telephone lines. The Expert Systems in Arabic for crop protection in cucumber and the irrigation and fertigation management program for greenhouse crops are active on the Internet.

Workshops and coordination meetings
The Second APRP Regional Technical Coordination Meeting was held in Kuwait in January , and brought together over 38 scientists from all the Arabian Peninsula countries. This was followed by the Second Regional Steering Committee Meeting, which was hosted by AFESD and attended by 20 participants from the Arabian Peninsula countries, and donor and ICARDA representatives.
     The Third APRP Regional Technical Coordination Meeting was held in Sana'a, Yemen. Over 60 participants from AP countries, universities (Sana'a and UAE), FAO, and ICARDA attended the meeting. Participants discussed their research activities and future plans. A brainstorming meeting followed on 2 October to discuss the prospects of the continuation of the APRP activities. The use of biotechnology and molecular fingerprinting was stressed for conserving and protecting national agrobiodiversity in the Arabian Peninsula. Following the above meetings, the Third APRP Regional Steering Committee Meeting was held in October in Sana'a, Yemen.
     APRP scientists participated in several international and regional workshops. These included the (i) "Regional Conservation Forum of the World Conservation Union (IUCN)", held in Kuwait; (ii) "International Conference on Waste Water Management and its Effects on the Environment in Hot and Arid Countries," held in Muscat, Oman; (iii) "Halophytes Workshop," held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; (iv) "Combating Desertification," held in Dhofar, Oman; (v) "Sustainable Management of Water Resources in Arid Environments," held in Dubai, UAE; and (vi) "Abu Dhabi Declaration on Perspectives of Arab Environments," jointly organized by UNEP, ESCWA and CAMRE and hosted by the Federal Environmental Agency of the UAE in Abu Dhabi.

Human resource development
A training course was organized in July in collaboration with the Central Laboratory for Agricultural Expert Systems (CLAES) and the Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate (CLAC) in Cairo, Egypt on the "Information Technology Systems for Agriculture and Natural Resource Management in the Arabian Peninsula (ITAP)." Fourteen participants from the Arabian Peninsula countries attended. Another training course was organized on seed production and processing of indigenous forage species, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in UAE. Fifteen participants from the Arabian Peninsula countries attended. The course emphasized the field techniques of seed production of four indigenous grasses (Cenchrus ciliaris, Panicum turgidum, Coelachyrum piercei and Lasiurus scindicus).