and the Mediterranean
Programs, Projects and Links
Institute of the Mediterranean
ICARDA
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas
Mission
ICARDA's mission is to improve the welfare of poor people and
alleviate poverty through research and training in dry areas of the developing
world, by increasing the production, productivity and nutritional quality of
food, while preserving and enhancing the natural resource base.
The environment in dry areas is harsh, stressful and variable, and agriculture
in these areas faces more complex challenges than in areas with adequate
rainfall.
ICARDA is committed to the advancement of agricultural research; free exchange
of germplasm and information for research; protection of intellectual property
rights, including indigenous knowledge of farmers; human resources development;
the sustainable use of natural resources; and poverty alleviation, particularly
among women and children.
ICARDA pursues this mission in partnerships with national agricultural research
systems in developing countries and with advanced research institutes in
industrialized countries. While most of ICARDA's collaborative activities with
its partners are formalized as written agreements, some joint research is also
carried out informally based on the center's personal contacts with colleagues
in various institutions.
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.
Geographic
Mandate
The geographic mandate of
ICARDA covers the countries of Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA),
as well as developing countries with subtropical and temperate dry areas.
Collectively referred to as "dry areas" these areas account for an estimated
one-third of the world's land. ICARDA also has a major interest in improving
agricultural productivity in the highlands. In the WANA region alone, highlands
constitute about 40% of the total land area and contribute nearly 30% of the
region's agricultural production. In WANA, highlands are found in Turkey, Iran,
Afghanistan, and Pakistan in the east; and in Algeria and Morocco (the Atlas
mountain range) in the west.
There are several organizations that maintain efficient links with the
countries of the Mediterranean. One is the
International Center for
Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)
ICARDA meets this challenge through research training and dissemination of information. The responsibilities of ICARDA include 32 countries, but of primary interest to us are Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Libya, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey.
The average per capita GNP in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey is a little over $1000 and the population is expected to increase by over 30% by the year 2025. The Gaza strip, Algeria and Syria are only a little better off. The rural populations are even worse off. The most important natural resource in these countries is rainfall. Despite its scarcity, rainfall is poorly managed and much of it is lost through runoff and evaporation. Water harvesting is crucial for any research and development project. Egypt is the only one of these countries that uses irrigation for agricultural production so there the efficient use of irrigation is critical.