Originally published on cgiar.org by:International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) on Sep 11, 2006

Eighteen leaders from the Parliament, Shura (Consultative Council), and agricultural cooperatives in Egypt participated in a study tour of both ICARDA and Syria from 13 to 23 July 2006. They had a one-day tour of ICARDA on 16 July to understand the research and training activities of the Center and seek opportunities for further collaboration between Egypt and ICARDA in agricultural production and technology transfer. They visited several other places in Syria, including the Syrian agricultural chambers and marketing organizations in Aleppo, Idleb, Lattakia, Damascus, and Sweida provinces, and held meetings with senior officials on how to enhance export and import of agricultural products between Egypt and Syria.

Members of the delegation at the grain quality laboratory

The leader of the delegation, Mr Ahmed Abou Seida, President, Egyptian Central Agricultural Cooperatives and Vice President, Arab Union for Agricultural Cooperatives, thanked ICARDA for facilitating their visit. He noted the need for further collaboration between ICARDA and farmers in Egypt especially in technology transfer, human resource development, water use efficiency, and exchange of adapted germplasm and scientific publications.

Among the visitors were Mr Ahmed Mansse Ayad, President, Egyptian Farmers Union and Member, Egyptian Parliament; Mr Abou El-Abbas Othman Ahmed, Chairman, Board of the General Cooperative for Agricultural Accreditation; Mr Mahmoud Mohammed El-Shazly, Member, General Cooperative for Agricultural Accreditation and the Egyptian Shura (Consultative Council); Mr Haeba Mustafa Haeba, Chairman, Board of the Vegetable and Horticultural Cooperative in Ismaieleia; and Mr Shukri Yousef Khalil, Chairman, Board of the Central Agricultural Cooperative in Ismaieleia.