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Highlights
of the Year
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Highlights of the Year |
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The year 2002 was marked both by the recognition of ICARDA's contributions to agricultural research in the dry areas and by new challenges. Most noteworthy among the new challenges was ICARDA's key role in forming a consortium of 10 CGIAR centers to rebuild agriculture in the war-torn and drought-plagued Afghanistan. The Center continued its efforts with increased momentum to strengthen its partnership with national programs, sister centers, advanced research institutes and donors. The year saw increased participation of ICARDA in global conventions and in implementing their recommendations, and in the CGIAR Systemwide initiatives. Some of the highlights of the work on promoting science in the service of the poor are presented here. Progress made in specific research projects is reported in subsequent chapters. |
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Rebuilding
Agriculture in Afghanistan
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 H.E. Mr Hamid Karzai (right), President of Afghanistan, discusses the status of agriculture in his country and the work of the Future Harvest Consortium to Rebuild Agriculture in Afghanistan with ICARDA Director General Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy in Kabul on 7 October. |
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| Topping
ICARDA’s research agenda in 2002 was its efforts to rebuild agriculture
in Afghanistan. In January, ICARDA convened a meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan,
attended by representatives from 34 international organizations and 10
CGIAR centers, to lay the foundation for action plans for rebuilding agriculture
in Afghanistan. The first task of the ICARDA-led Future Harvest Consortium to Rebuild Agriculture in Afghanistan entailed shipping 3500 tonnes of certified seed of improved wheat varieties to meet Afghan farmers' urgent needs. This 200-truck convoy was followed by a smaller, but no less important, shipment of seed from ICARDA headquarters, including Afghan landraces, stored in ICARDA's genebank, for testing, release, and further multiplication. The Consortium’s research agenda goes much beyond seed systems. It organized four needs assessments that gleaned information from farm families throughout the country on (i) seed and crop improvement, (ii) soil and water management, (iii) livestock, forage and range, and (iv) horticulture. Information from these assessment missions was reviewed and discussed at a wrap-up meeting held at ICARDA in November 2002, and will form the basis for a wide range of crop, livestock, and infrastructure rehabilitation projects in 2003 and beyond. |
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 Foundation seed production at ICARDA's research farm for distribution to Afghanistan farmers. |
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 Improved wheat seed, provided by the Consortium for spring 2002 planting, being unloaded in Afghanistan. |
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 Participants in the Future Harvest Consortium needs assessment workshop, held at ICARDA, Aleppo. |
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 H.E. Mr Sayed Hussain Anwari (center), Minister of Agriculture, Afghanistan, visited ICARDA in 2002. Here, Dr Adel El-Beltagy (left), Director General, shows him the quality of wheat seed processed in the Center's Seed Laboratory. |
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| ICARDA has developed a strong relationship with the Afghan members of the Consortium, cemented by a meeting between Afghanistan's President, H.E. Mr Hamid Karzai, and Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy, Director General of ICARDA, in Kabul in October. A high-level Afghan delegation led by the Minister of Agriculture also visited ICARDA in the summer, following a visit by a delegation led by the Deputy Minister. On each occasion, plans were set for rehabilitation efforts, including laboratories, and for human resource development. The objective is food security, and improved nutrition and income for Afghan farm families, while protecting the environment. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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25th
Anniversary
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| In
May, ICARDA celebrated its 25th anniversary, with a program of seminars
delivered by distinguished experts in policy and biotechnology research,
attended by high-ranking international, regional and national scientists
and administrators, and ICARDA staff. Prof. Dr El-Beltagy made a comprehensive
presentation in which he highlighted the achievements made and the work
that remains to be done to improve the production systems in the dry areas.
The 25th Anniversary program echoed the need for continued donor support
to agricultural research and development in the world's dry areas. The Anniversary was marked by the release of a commemorative volume entitled "ICARDA25: A Promise of Hope," written by Dr Mohamed A. Nour, former Director General of the Center. |
 Researchers and research administrators from throughout Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) met at ICARDA headquarters on 8-10 May to integrate regional agricultural research priorities into the agenda of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The group worked with recommendations reached earlier at five sub-regional priority-setting meetings organized by ICARDA in 2001/02. |
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