ICARDA annual report 2004

ICARDA Annual Report 2004
4
Participants of the workshop on “Capacity Building for Combating Desertification” in
front of the Central Dome of the Arid Land Research Center (ALRC), Tottori University,
Japan. The workshop followed an international conference on “Living with the
Desert,” held in Tokyo on 19-20 May 2004. ICARDA made major scientific contributions
to both activities.
Awards for Excellence in
Science
Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy, Director
General, received an honorary doctorate
and the academic status of
Honorable Professor from the
Azerbaijan Agricultural Academy,
in recognition of his contributions
to promoting agricultural research
and development in Azerbaijan.
Prof. El-Beltagy also received
the Sahara and Sahel Observatory
(OSS) Honorary Medal for his valuable
contributions to OSS since its
inception.
Dr Mohan C. Saxena, Assistant
Director General (At-Large),
received an honorary doctorate
degree from the Sardar Vallabh
Bhai Patel University of
Agriculture and Technology,
Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India, for
his outstanding contributions to
agricultural research.
Dr Rajendra S. Paroda, Regional
Coordinator, Regional Program for
Central Asia and the Caucasus
(CAC) and Head of the Program
Facilitation Unit of the CGIAR,
received the following honors and
awards in recognition of his contributions
to agricultural research and
development in developing
countries:
• Honorary doctorate degree from
the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel
University of Agriculture and
Technology, Meerut, Uttar
Pradesh, India.
• Diploma of Honorary
Professorship of Samarkand
State University, Uzbekistan.
• Honorary doctorate degree from
the Azerbaijan Agricultural
Academy.
Dr John Ryan, Soil Fertility
Scientist, won the 2004
International Service in Agronomy
Award of the American Society of
Agronomy (ASA). He was also
appointed member of the
International Crop Science
Committee (ICSC) for a three-year
term by the Crop Science Society of
America (CSSA).
Dr Shibani Ghosh, a PhD student
at ICARDA, won first place for her
poster on ‘Growth Status of
Children in North-West Syria: A
Comparison of Three Rural
Livelihood Groups’ at the 7th annual
student poster presentation at the
School of Public Health and Health
Sciences at the University of
Massachusetts, USA.
Working to Restore
Agricultural Systems in
Conflict-Affected Areas
ICARDA contined its work to
rebuild agricultural systems in
Afghanistan. Under the Research in
Alternative Livelihoods Fund
(RALF) project, the Center is working
to develop and promote innovative
alternative livelihood
options for rural Afghans currently
economically dependent on opium
poppy. ICARDA is also working on
improving technology transfer,
establishing village-based seed
enterprises, and introducing protected
agriculture in Afghanistan
under the Rebuilding Agricultural
Markets in Afghanistan (RAMP)
program. RALF is funded by DFID,
and RAMP by USAID.
The Center is also helping to
rebuild Iraq’s agriculture. ICARDA
held meetings with Iraqi officials to
develop collaborative projects on
human resource development and
capacity building; participation in
regional and international scientific
conferences and workshops;
exchange of adapted germplasm
and improved varieties; and organization
of demonstration trials and
farmer field days and study tours.
Important Visitors to
ICARDA
ICARDA hosted a number of distinguished
visitors from various countries
during 2004. H.E. Honorable
Kim Chance, the Western Australia
Minister of Agriculture, led a delegation
to the Center in February.