Egypt's Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Joins the International Arid Lands Consortium

Jewish National Fund
Wednesday, 29 August 2001

Group to Join Israel, United States and Jordan in Building a Better Tomorrow

August 29, 2001 – Tucson, AZ– The International Arid Lands Consortium (IALC) announced today that the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation in Egypt (MALR) has been invited to accept full member status in the IALC. The IALC was established in 1990 to promote research and training applied to the development, management, restoration, and reclamation of arid and semiarid lands in North America, the Middle East, and throughout the world. As a member, MALR will help further the goals of the IALC as a world leader in arid land issues, and represents further expansion of the IALC in the region. This is a significant addition to the IALC because it began as an organization between Israel (through the auspices of Jewish National Fund), the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, and select universities; Jordan was admitted two years ago.

MALR aims at studying and improving agricultural policies, developing agricultural wealth, land reclamation, conducting research, and developing rural communities to raise the standard of living, among other goals. These goals directly coincide with the focus of the IALC. "I have the honor to inform you that Egypt is looking forward to becoming a full member of IALC," says Dr. Youssef Wally, MALR.

IALC is a one of a kind institution fostering academic research on issues key to both the U.S. and the Middle East. One of the key issues affecting both of these regions is limited water resources as demonstrated by the recent water rationing in Jordan, the recent water shut off in Israel's largest metropolitan area, and continued efforts to extend water resources in the Western United States. "With Egypt about to become an IALC member, we are clearly moving in the right direction towards an organization with full Middle East representation," says Dr. Kennith E. Foster, president, IALC Board of Directors. "This will ensure we are the most knowledgeable and experienced group available to address arid lands issues, through research and international collaboration."

Upon becoming a full member of the IALC, the MALR will have two voting members on the Board of Directors and one member on IALC's peer-review body, the Research and Demonstration Advisory Committee, to further fulfill the mission of the IALC. In addition, the Egyptians in the ministry and those designated are eligible to submit collaborative research and demonstration project proposals. The Board of Directors tasks include but are not limited to: setting policy, establishing research and training priorities, deciding overall operational policies and decision making processes, and allocating funds for IALC projects.

The IALC's success is made possible by the collective efforts of land managers, teachers, students, and donors. Institutional capabilities consist of water resource development, conservation and management, soil resource conservation, land use, ecosystem processes, and inventory technology.

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