The Algerian Ambassador visits ACSAD
The Director-General of the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Drylands (ACSAD) Dr. Nasr Edin Obeid discussed with his Excellency the Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria in Damascus, Mr. Hassan Tehami, the reality of cooperation between ACSAD and Algeria, and the ways of promoting and developing it in various areas of common interest.
During his working visit to ACSAD headquarters in Damascus on 2/12/2020, the two sides undertook a comprehensive assessment of agricultural and environmental activities and projects carried out by ACSAD in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, its scientific institutions, and the progress of work in the current activities and projects including; the project to develop vertical and terrestrial palm service operations to increase productivity and improve quality in the Arab region, the project to study the systems of herding camels and improving the income of the breeders, the project for the development of desert pastures and raising their productive capacities, the project for the optimal investment of water resources (water harvesting) and the management of its investment, and other development projects. They expressed their satisfaction with the positive results these projects had achieved in the service of sustainable development in the Algerian Republic.
Concerning the development of strategic crops that the two sides attach particular importance, the Director-General expressed his pleasure at the recent adoption by Algeria of the durum wheat variety (ACSAD 1431), which is locally called “the Prince Abdul Qader,” and the barley variety (ACSAD 1704), which called locally as “Tehart.” Both were developed after a long series of field experiments in the Algerian research agriculture station and farmers` fields carried out by ACSAD experts and researchers who specialized in cereal breeding to develop new genotypes suitable with arid regions environments; in coordination suitable with Algerian researchers; to be added to 15 other previously approved varieties, which contributed significantly to increasing the productivity of these two strategic crops and improving the economic returns of Algerian farmers, he expressed the constant readiness of ACSAD to draw up a compendium of its accumulated experiences in the service of the development process in Algeria, and he welcomed any projects that it required.
In his turn, his Excellency the Algerian Ambassador expressed his appreciation for the fruitful cooperation between Algeria and ACSAD, his gratitude to the several services provided by ACSAD for the development of the agriculture sector in the Algerian Republic, and praising the Director-General’s attention and his follow up for everything could enhance the cooperation relations with Algeria and other Arab countries in order to upgrade the joint Arab work to the best levels.
