The USA and ICARDA-there at the birth....

The United States played a critical role in establishing ICARDA. Prior to the Center’s formal establishment in 1977, the Ford Foundation provided funding for ICARDA’s precursor, the Arid Lands Agricultural Development program, based in Beirut, Lebanon. This program was the nucleus of what was to eventually become ICARDA. Since then US support has been generous.

...and still an important supporter

Since ICARDA’s establishment in 1977, the United States’ contribution to ICARDA has been significant in terms of both financial and scienti-fic support. It funds both core scientific research and special projects.
    In October 1998, Mr Ryan C. Crocker, US Ambassador to Syria, visited ICARDA Headquarters at Tel Hadya, near Aleppo, to see for himself the extent and depth of the research, some of which is supported by USAID. He recorded in the Center’s Visitors’ Book his “great appreciation of ICARDA’s work to improve the lives of millions.”
    US collaboration with ICARDA, supported by restricted project grants, falls into three main areas: crop-related research, fodder- and livestock-related research, and technology-related projects.