ICARDA

About ICARDA

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is an international organization undertaking research-for-development. It delivers innovative, science-based solutions for communities across the non-tropical dry areas. Working in partnership with research institutions, NGOs, governments, and the private sector, ICARDA advances scientific knowledge, improves agricultural practices, and informs policy. 

Since its establishment in 1975, ICARDA has implemented research-for-development programs in more than 50 countries across the world’s dry areas, from Morocco in North Africa to Bangladesh in South Asia.

ICARDA holds a global mandate for the development of barley, lentil, and faba bean, and supports non-tropical dry areas in improving water-use efficiency in agriculture, rangeland management, and small-ruminant production.  

In the Middle East and North Africa, as well as Central and West Asia, ICARDA contributes to the improvement of bread and durum wheat, kabuli chickpea, pasture and forage legumes, and associated farming systems. Its work also spans land management, diversification of production systems, and value chains for crop- and livestock-based sectors. Social, economic, and policy research, alongside communication and knowledge sharing, forms an integral part of ICARDA’s approach to enhancing the uptake of new technologies and maximizing the impact of research outputs. 

Mission

To generate meaningful research that actively contributes to reducing poverty while strengthening food, water, and nutritional security and promoting environmental health in the face of global challenges like climate change and fragility in the non-tropical drylands. 

Vision

Thriving communities and resilient livelihoods in the non-tropical drylands are at the heart of ICARDA’s research. The center envisions people with adequate incomes, secure access to nutritious food, and the capacity to manage natural resources in equitable, sustainable, and innovative ways.