The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen research in forage production in the UAE.
The MoU was signed by Sultan Alwan, Assistant Undersecretary of the Regions Sector at MOCCAE, and Dr Aziz Awlad Bilqasim, Regional Coordinator for ICARDA. Speaking on the partnership, Sultan Alwan said that the MoU is a step towards building the much-needed synergy between MOCCAE and ICARDA in areas of agriculture and livestock farming through supporting research in these areas as well as facilitating the sharing of experiences, best practices and technologies.
Under the MoU, the two sides will cooperate in developing salt, heat and drought tolerant forage crop varieties, assess the water consumption rate of these varieties, calculate their nutritional value and economic feasibility, study the long-term impact of genetically-modified seeds as feed on animal health and productivity, and prepare a national forage distribution map. Furthermore, the two sides agreed to enhance agricultural extension services through studying forage production by leveraging cutting-edge technologies and closed farming systems and sharing any outcomes and knowledge with leading national farms.A joint committee will be established to oversee the implementation of the MoU.
The committee will meet at least once a year, or as the need arises, and submit an annual achievements report, in addition to prioritizing and outlining action plans for targeted projects. MOCCAE and ICARDA will engage with strategic partners from government and non-government entities, research institutes and private businesses as part of the MoU’s scope of implementation and seek to further optimise the value of these ties.
Also published on Medium.
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