ACSAD Holds 4th Conference to Unify Arab Efforts to Develop Grain Cultivation

CAIRO, (ST) – Activities of the 4th conference of the officials of the scientific research and guidance in the Arab region started recently in Cairo. The two day- event was held by the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands “ACSAD” to discuss prospects for the development of wheat and barley cultivation in the region and future plans to increase their productivity.

During the opening ceremony, the Egyptian Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Salah Eddin Hillal expressed appreciation for the role of the Arab Center for the development of agriculture in the Arab countries through research stations that contributed to the development of natural and human resources, particularly in arid and semi- arid areas and enhancing food security.

Director of the Arab Organizations and Federations’ Department Mohamed Khair Abdel Qader called on the Arab countries to take advantage of ACSAD as a research scientific center and provide support financially whereas the center, despite the limited financial resources realized many achievements and goals, especially with regard to the achievement of sustainable Arab agricultural development.

Director of the Center Dr. Rafiq Ali Saleh said that “the Arab food bill in the Arab countries exceeds $ 80 billion a year and that makes the issue of sustainable agricultural development as a matter of destiny.”

He pointed out that ACSAD paid special attention to grain production in the Arab countries, especially wheat and barley through the grain program, which is one of the most important programs carried out by the Centre due to its direct relationship with the process of agricultural development and food security in the Arab world, adding that the results of this program was the adoption of 19 varieties of ACSAD of durum and bread wheat and a group of barley varieties in the Arab countries.

Dr. Saleh pointed out that the Centre has provided expertise and the results of its researches to the Arab research centers, the setting up of a regional project for the deployment of technology to benefit from agricultural residues and agro-processing and forage saline plants and their uses in manufacturing composite non-traditional fodders and this project was distributed to the Arab countries and a number of coordinators were appointment for the implementation of this project.

The aim of the conference is to unify the Arab efforts to face the difficulties that hinder the development of grain cultivation.

ACSAD, which was founded in 1968 in Damascus, is a specialized Arab organization that aims to unite the efforts to develop scientific and agricultural research in the arid and semi-arid areas and the exchange of information, transfer and localization of agricultural technologies to increase agricultural production.

Sharif al -Khatib