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1- Institut
National de la Recherche Agronomique INRA France (FR)
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Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)

INRA,
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (French National Institute for
Agricultural Research) is the first partner and coordinator of the ARIMNet
project. INRA is a major actor of agricultural research in Europe (the first in
terms of scientific publications on plant and animal science and on agricultural
sciences).
INRA is placed under the aegis of both the Ministry of Higher
Education and Research and the Ministry of Agriculture.
INRA covers the whole field of agricultural research including environmental
research, rural areas and rural development, food and nutrition and employs
10000 researchers and technical staff in 14 scientific departments. Its budget
is around 700 millions €. On the specific field of agricultural research related
to Mediterranean agriculture issues, 1000 researchers (including 300 doctoral
and post doctoral students) are devoted to research topics from management of
natural resources (soil, water, etc.) to crop protection, plant and animal
breeding, climate change and sustainable production. The related budget is
around 115 millions €.
INRA has a large and long experience of cooperation at the European and
international level: it is involved in many European research projects and
networks (more than 140) and is coordinating more than 40 out of them. It has
developed specific tools to foster the coordination or the participation of its
researchers to collaborative projects that will be helpful in the coordination
of the ARIMNet project. It is an active member of SCAR on behalf of the Ministry
of Higher Education and Research, where it was co-responsible of the
Collaborative working group on Mediterranean Agriculture with Italy. It is also
involved in coordination of national programmes. It runs strategic cooperation
with other agricultural research organisations around the world and especially
in Europe and with Brazil, China and India.
Cooperation in the Mediterranean is a specific focus of its international
strategic plan (2006-2009). Within Europe, INRA strives to reinforce
partnerships with southern Europe to foster the creation of a Euro-
Mediterranean agricultural research area and the development of
multilateral cooperation with all the countries in the region. To do this, INRA
is strengthening relations with CIHEAM (International Centre for Advanced
Mediterranean Agronomic Studies) and ICARDA (International Centre for
Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas) by promoting joint initiatives.
INRA is engaged with CIRAD (Partner 2) in the building of a French Initiative
for International Agricultural Research. Its purpose is to organise a common
strategic foresight on agricultural research to better identify and address the
key issues concerning some partners throughout the world, among which partners
of the Mediterranean Area and to build more integrated proposals for research
cooperation with those partners.
The
co-participation of INRA and CIRAD in the ARIMNet project is the first case for
this Initiative and aims to anticipate its full realisation.
INRA is delegated by the Ministry of Higher Education and
Research (General Directorate for Research and Innovation) to coordinate the
ARIMNet project and to represent with CIRAD the French participation. |
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2- Centre de Coopération Internationale en
Recherche Agronomique
pour le Développement CIRAD France (FR)
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Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche
Agronomique, France

CIRAD is
specialised in development-oriented agricultural research for tropical,
sub-tropical regions. CIRAD has a mandate to contribute to rural development in
tropical and subtropical countries through research,
experimentation, training operations in France and overseas, and scientific and
technical information, primarily in the fields of agriculture, veterinary,
forestry and agrifoods. This mandate has broadened to include environmental
issues and natural resource management, and also involves CIRAD in drawing up
public development aid policy. CIRAD has a budget of 200 million euros and a
staff of 1 820 agents, including 1 050 senior staff members working in more than
50 countries worldwide. CIRAD is organized in three research departments (The
Performance of Tropical Production and Processing Systems Department; The
Biological Systems Department; The Environments and Societies Department) and is
organized in 60
research units. CIRAD operates through its own research centres and collaborates
with national agricultural research systems, universities and international
centres, private firms, producer groups, smallholder
professional organizations, agrifood companies and nongovernmental
organizations. CIRAD is member of ECART (European Consortium for Agricultural
Research in the Tropics).
Research topics addressed by CIRAD focus on management of water resources,
animal health & emerging animal disease, food quality and security,
certification of food products, agricultural waste management,
biotechnology, natural resources management, agro-ecology and agro-forestry,
aquaculture, pest integrated management and control, support of family
agriculture, public policy economics, Sustainable cropping
systems,
peri-urban farming and distribution chains. |
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3- Ministero delle
Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali MIPAAF
Italy (IT)
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Ministero delle Politiche Agricole, Alimentari et
Forestali, Italy

The Italian
research on agriculture refers to many national and regional public
Institutions. The Ministry of Agricultural Food and Forestry Policies (MIPAAF)
is the main funding body for agricultural, agro-food and forestry issues. It is
responsible for the definition of national research programmes in all areas of
agriculture and forestry and during the period from 2001 and 2005 financed
agricultural research programmes and projects with 204 M€ which represent about
70% of national agricultural research funding.
The “Research and experimentation” Office (POSR IV) of MIPAAF
promotes and funds national research programmes and projects with duration of
several years, investigating problems related to all aspects of a
specific
production chain (cereals, fruits, vegetables, industrial crops, etc.) and/or
horizontal issues (soilwater-energy management, plant nutrition, plant
pathology, mechanization, product transformation technologies).
The technical staff of the POSR IV Office has to manage a yearly
budget of € 35-40 million for financing specific research programmes and
projects and € 97 million to fund the maintenance and the ordinary research
activities of the recently established CRA (the Council for Research and
xperimentation in agriculture). Beside these activities the technical staff has
also the task to monitor the implementation of the funded programmes and
projects.
During the
period 2001-2005 more than 82 M€ out of 204 M€ were devoted to research
programmes and projects relevant for Mediterranean agriculture.
Furthermore, MIPAAF also contributes to scientific education and research
training financing fellowships, grants (including few PhD grants) and contracts
for young researchers both in the framework of ongoing
projects
“on Mediterranean agriculture” using additional resources (13 M € in 2001-2005
period).
The
POSR IV Office has gained a great experience in coordinated actions at national
level (joint calls with other Ministries involved in agricultural research
funding) and at European level participating in SCAR Committee and its working
groups (DG XII) and in ERA-Nets coordinated actions such as CORE ORGANIC and
EUPHRESCO (mapping of research activities, infrastructures and facilities and
joint calls).
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4- Institut National de la
Recherche Agronomique d’Algérie
INRAA
Algeria (DZ)
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Institut
National de la Recherche Agronomique d’Algérie, Algeria

The
National Institute of Agricultural Research of Algeria is a scientific and
technological public establishment in charge of the national programmes of
research related to agriculture and food, natural resources and water and
biotechnologies.
The
institute participates to the elaboration and implementation of the national
policy of agricultural research for sustainable agricultural development, and it
contributes to the design and achievement of national
programmes
of scientific and technological development research in the following areas:
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Knowledge and monitoring of physical environment
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Improvement and development of plant and animal productions
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Preservation and development of agricultural products as well as their quality
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Agribiotechnologies
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Economics and sociology of agricultural and rural world
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Ecology and environment
Adressed
topics are strongly connected with agricultural and rural development issues at
level of regions and territories (waterless, agro-pastoral, Saharan and
mountainous areas, etc.).
The
themes are directly inscribed in national and international issues such as local
and sustainable development, biodiversity preservation, climate changes question
and fight against the poverty, etc.
The Institute is made up of departments and laboratories of
research that bring together 370 persons, 137 of which are researchers.
INRAA has
developed international partnerships with FAO, International Centre of Research
(Biodiversity, ICARDA), CIHEAM, Italy, Spain and France. Several international
workshops, regional conferences, seminars with participation of foreign and
national partners (universities, institutes) take place annually.
INRAA is an important national centre of African Agency of Biotechnologies and
ICARDA, as well as a phytogenetic, and zoological resources network of FAO.
At the national level, INRAA managed tree national calls for
tenders as part of two national programmes of research. |
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5-
Instituto Nacional de Investigación y
Tecnología Agraria
y Alimentaria INIA Spain (ES)
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Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Spain

Instituto
Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA) is an
autonomous Public Research Organisation belonging to the Spanish Ministry of
Education and Science. Its objectives are the programming, the coordination and
the assignment of resources to scientific and technological activities, their
monitoring and evaluation and the undertaking of research and technological
development functions, including the technological transfer in Agriculture and
Food sectors.
The INIA distributes its activity between three major areas:
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As a public research organization.
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As the sectoral coordinator of food and agricultural research
with autonomous regions.
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As a manager body for international cooperation in matters of
agricultural science and technology.
The INIA carries out its own research through three centres and
six departments: the Forest Research Centre, the Centre for Animal Health
Research, the Plant Genetic Resources Centre and the departments of
Biotechnology, Environment, Animal Breeding and Genetics, Plant Protection,
Animal Reproduction and Food Technology.
The INIA is a programme owner and responsible to make the public
calls, defining, financing and managing research strategic research programmes
at national level (in coordination with the regional authorities).
The INIA is the
Spanish representative to the CGIAR (Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research), supporting it with annual funds. INIA supports a wide
range of activities in Latin American countries through bilateral scientific
cooperation agreements. It is also the Spanish representative to the Management
Committees of the EU Framework Programme of R+D in the Agro-food ambit as well
as being
the Spanish
representative in the SCAR Committee. |
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6-General Directorate of
Agricultural
Research, Ministry of
Agriculture
and Rural Affairs
GDAR Turkey (TR)
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Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, General
Directorate of Agricultural Research, Turkey

ORGANISATION
Agricultural
Research Council
Research Science
Committees Program Coordinators
Program Evaluation Working Groups Research Institutes
Central
Research Institutes Regional Research Institutes
Subject-oriented Research Institutes
Aims/Missions
Plant
breeding, production and protection Fishery and aquaculture
Animal breeding, husbandry and health Postharvest Technologies
Food and feed Organic Agriculture
Biodiversity/Genetic Resources Soil and water resources management
Biosafety Rural development
TARGETS
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To set up priorities of Agricultural Research for the Country and to allocate
the available resources to the programs and projects according to the
priorities,
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To
monitor and evaluate the implementing projects, to disseminate and publish the
research results,
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To
improve the system for research administration and information and make
available for the use of researchers,
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To
improve the productivity and quality of agricultural products through research
and to help improving the incomes of farmers,
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To
protect the resources (including soil, water and genetic resources of plants and
animals) and the environment for the sustainable use of them for long term,
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To
follow technological developments, including biotechnology, around the world and
to adapt to our country's conditions,
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To
improve the scientific capacity of the researchers, to employ young scientists
in research and to improve social and economic capacity of research people,
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To
improve research capacity and the productivity of Research Organisation
Human Resources at GDAR
Currently GDAR manages 59 research institutes dealing with the
whole range of agricultural issues throughout the country. |
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7-
Agricultural Research Centre
ARC Egypt (EG)
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Agricultural Research Centre, Egypt Organisation

Egypt is an
intensive user of modern technologies to improve agricultural productivity in
view of the natural resource base scarcity and population pressure. The very
creation of the Ministry of Agriculture in the beginning of the 20th century was
preceded by the establishment of technical divisions and the development of
research capabilities. These endeavours culminated into the creation of the
Agricultural Research Centre (ARC) in the early 1970s. Over the past two
decades, numerous achievements have been realized, including the development of
new varieties, improved agronomic practices, livestock development, maintenance
of the national herds and better food processing techniques. New crops and
animal breeds have also been introduced and research has been dedicated to
problem- solving, side by side with basic science. The overarching goal is to
maximize the economic return per unit of land and water. Within the national
agricultural development strategies, ARC assumes the following major functions:
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Conducting applied and basic research to generate a continuous flow of
technologies that help increase productivity and reduce production cost in a
general context of sustainability;
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Priority setting;
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Transfer of new technologies to the farming community through extension service;
and monitoring their adoption by the end users; and
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Human capital development as a continual process.
Over the past two decades, ARC has developed its infrastructure research and its
personnel have increased (4300 researchers in 2001) and new Central Laboratories
and Institutes have been added to improve performance in the on-going plan which
is built on the following pivotal themes:
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Sustainable development of research and extension capabilities;
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Upgrading technology transfer channels;
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Utilizing, to the maximum level possible, the findings of science and technology
developed abroad.
The Centre has so far implemented five 5-year plans and initiated
the sixth 5-year plan (2007-2012) in July 2007.
The
sixth 5-year plan incorporates 14 research programs. This effort is further
supported by other partner agencies in Ministry of Agriculture and Land
Reclamation, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, universities and sister
research centres. Multidisciplinary is the major feature of the current plan and
key to its success. Clearer definition of research topics, geared to solving
specific problems, is also another feature, complemented by the set objectives
and the physical, human and financial resources earmarked to attain them. |
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8-
Fundação para a Ciência e a
Tecnologia
FCT Portugal (PT)
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Fundação para
a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal Organisation

Fundação
para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) is the Portugal’s main funding agency for
research and it is
responsible for following the bilateral and multilateral international
agreements in science and technology.
FCT is a public
autonomous institute under the aegis of the Ministry of Science, Technology and
Higher Education. FCT covers all fields of science, from natural sciences to
humanities, normally in a responsive
mode,
aiming at capability enhancement and research excellence.
FCT’s
mission consists in continuously promoting the advancement of scientific and
technological knowledge in Portugal, exploring opportunities that become
available in any scientific or technological domain to attain the highest
international standards in the creation of knowledge, and to stimulate their
diffusion and contribution to improve education, health, environment, and the
quality of life and well being of the general
public.
This
mission is mainly accomplished through the financing subsequent to the
evaluation of the merit of proposals presented by institutions, research teams
or individuals in public open calls, and also through cooperation agreements and
other forms of support in partnership with universities and other public or
private institutions.
Functions
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To
promote, finance, accompany and evaluate science and technology institutions,
programs, projects and qualification of human resources;
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To
promote and strengthen support infra-structures for scientific research and
technological development;
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To
promote the diffusion of scientific and technological culture and knowledge, and
their teaching;
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To
stimulate the update, interconnection, reinforcement and availability of science
and technology information sources at the national and international level;
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To
ensure international cooperation in the scientific and technological domains.
With a
staff of 228 persons, FCT’s budget for 2008 is around 570 million €. Funding is
structured around the following schemes: promotion of training and career
development (fellowships, scholarships, mainly for PhD, Post-doc and PhD in
industry), support of centres of excellence (associated laboratories) and
research centres (institutional funding), support to infrastructures, promotion
and development of scientific activity (research projects) and for diffusion of
scientific culture. Specifically for Agricultural Research in the Mediterranean,
since there is no earmarked budget, it was considered the value awarded in the
calls for research projects. In the last the call in responsive mode, a funding
of 2 M€ was awarded for R&D projects in this field.
FCT has experience in coordinated actions at national level (join
calls with other Ministries) and at the European level; FCT participates in
several ERA-Nets coordinated actions some of witch can relate to the topic of
Mediterranean Agriculture such as: BiodivERsA, ERA-IB, ERA-PG and SafefoodERA.
FCT is the Portuguese representative to the CGIAR (Consultative Group on
International Agricultural Research).
Moreover, FCT supports a wide range of activities with Mediterranean counties
such as Morocco and Tunisia through bilateral scientific cooperation agreements. |
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9-
Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and
Veterinary Medicine IAV
Morocco (MA)
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Institut
Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco

The Hassan
II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine (IAV) is a multidisciplinary
polytechnic centre for biological and earth sciences and technologies based on
an integrated system for high education, training and scientific research to
serve agricultural and rural development. Affiliated to the Ministry of
Agriculture and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, IAV is
one of the main components of NARS.
It has developed
high agricultural research capacities covering all fields of agricultural
research and natural resources including agronomy, horticulture, veterinary
medicine, food industry and nutrition, topography, rural equipment, and
environmental research. It has built strong partnerships nationally, regionally
and internationally. It has developed strong linkages with development services
and farming communities. IAV is
the country
largest centre of multidisciplinary expertise for sustainable development. IAV
accounts 320 scientists and faculty members and 180 Technical staff - in 32
departments hosting different laboratories - and 700 administrative staff. IAV
conducts scientific research aiming at solving problems that affect Moroccan
agricultural. It performs research nationally in many regions through research
projects conducted by multidisciplinary teams, coordinated through the
institutional research strategy that integrates heavy involvement in
international networks and collaborative research.
A
significant regional and international role through training foreign students,
particular (10% of the IAV graduates are foreigners, 26 African countries up to
now) and a large number of research-development projects in partnerships and in
networking with African, Mediterranean and developing countries. IAV hosts
several NGO’s and professional organisations active in agricultural and rural
development. |
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10-
National Agricultural Research
Foundation
NAGREF Greece (GR)
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National Agricultural Research Foundation, Greece
Organisation

The
National Agricultural Research Foundation (N.AG.RE.F.) is the national body of
agricultural research and technology in Hellas and functions as a private entity
of the wider public sector, supervised by the Hellenic Ministry
of
Agriculture. The foundation is not only in charge of undertaking agricultural
research for the development of technology and know-how, but it is also
responsible to forward recommendations to the Ministry of Agriculture regarding
solutions to various agricultural problems. The Foundation, which is programme
owner and programme manager, is the largest research organisation in Hellas.
Undoubtedly, the basic objective is the production of competitive agricultural
products of excellent quality, produced via environmentally friendly processes.
The development of a wider framework of collaboration with the Ministry of
Agriculture, educational and other research Institutions, the private sector and
international Institutions and Organisations is promoted, thus aiming at the
establishment of a well-planned and concerted Research and Technological
Activity. N.AG.RE.F. will greatly contribute to the achievement of national
strategic objectives, such as the development of the National Agricultural
Economy within the framework of international labour division, on the basis of
the triptych Organisation, Planning, and Coordination.
The National Agricultural Research Foundation is in close
cooperation with the European Union, participating in a lot of specific research
programmes such as the Framework Programmes, FAIR, BIOTECH, INCO-DC,
INCOCOPERNICUS, ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE, etc. In addition, a significant number of
its researchers participate actively in several scientific committees such as
CREST, SCAR, EURAGRI, determining together with other countries future research
priorities of the E.U. N.AG.RE.F also collaborates with foreign national
organisations on bilateral basis and funds research and development projects of
mutual interest. Finally, N.AG.RE.F collaborates with national and international
organisations (FAO, OECD, etc.), research organisations (INRA, CEMAGREF, DLO,
etc.), Universities and private enterprises with a view to developing scientific
links in agricultural research and development.
N.AG.RE.F. has developed research activities in various fields
(Plant production, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Fish Production and
Aquaculture, Forestry, Agricultural Biotechnology, Food Science and Technology,
Soil Science and Land Reclamation, Farm Machinery and Structures, Renewable
Energy Resources, Rural Development, Environment, Water Resources Management,
Marketing and Management of Agricultural Products).
N.AG.RE.F. has carried out since 1996, 54 research programmes in
collaboration with many countries including some participants to the ARIMNet
project (France, Cyprus, Spain and Italy). |
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11-
Institution of
Agricultural Research and Higher Education
IRESA Tunisia (TN)
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Institution de la Recherche et de l’Enseignement Supérieur Agricole, Tunisia

IRESA is in charge of:
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promoting agricultural research in Tunisia through the coordination of research
(6 Research Institutes, 3 regional centres and 3 regional research and
development clusters and more than 20 experimental centres) and higher education
(11 institutions) in this field;
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disseminating agricultural knowledge;
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setting, funding and monitoring national research programmes;
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Coordination
and evaluation of the national programmes.
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The
main objectives are covering natural resources management, plant and animal
science, emerging diseases, sustainability of agricultural production, food
security and food safety, horticulture, aquaculture and fisheries.
The Institution of Agricultural Research and Higher Education
(IRESA) is in close cooperation with the European Union, participating in a lot
of specific research programmes in the fields of natural resources (water,
forestry), Animal health, cereals, arboriculture and biotechnology. The
Institution cooperates with research establishments in Europe (INRA, CEMAGREF,…)
and other parts of the world, and with international and regional organizations
such as FAO, IAEA, ICARDA, IPGRI, CIHEAM, ACSAD,… |
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12-
Agricultural
Research Institute
ARI Cyprus (CY)
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Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Agricultural
Research Institute, Cyprus

The
Agricultural Research Institute (ARI) is a Department of the Ministry of
Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment. It is the only institution
engaged in agricultural research and depends largely on government funding,
though in recent years, additional funds were obtained through European research
projects. It undertakes applied, theoretical and adaptive research within the
wider domain of plant and animal production. Its research activities concern
Fruit Trees and Viticulture, Plant Improvement, Vegetables and Ornamentals,
Plant Protection, Soils, Water Use and Environment, Animal Production,
Statistics and Agricultural Economics. ARI staff consists of 40 scientists, 64
technicians and 14 administrative and accounting personnel.
The Institute has well equipped specialized laboratories,
including radioisotope and molecular biology laboratories, cold storage
facilities, the National Gene Bank, the National Herbarium and a library which
receives most of the leading agricultural journals. The Institute has an
experimental farm near its headquarters, where the livestock (cattle, sheep and
goats) is kept, and outstations at various locations for citrus, flowers,
vegetables, field crops, deciduous fruits and cereal breeding. Extensive
experimentation is also undertaken in farmers’ fields.
The ARI, is the National Focal Point for FAO projects related to
conservation and utilization of plant and animal genetic resources in
agriculture. The Institute is the national AGRIS Centre collecting, cataloguing
and indexing the agricultural literature published in Cyprus, and is also the
national CARIS Centre collating information on ongoing research. The Institute
cooperates with research establishments in Europe and other parts of the world,
and with international and regional organizations, such as FAO, IAEA, ICARDA,
IPGRI, etc. At present, the ARI participates in 17 EU funded projects in various
disciplines of the broader agricultural sector.
Results of ARI research are published in international journals
or in its own publications series (Biennial Review, Technical Bulletin,
Miscellaneous Reports and Agricultural Economics Report) in English. |
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13-
Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development
MOARD
Israel (IL)
M1 M48
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Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Israel

MOARD, The
Chief Scientist Office of The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
(MOAG), is responsible for the policy-making and strategy of the
governmental-related public agricultural research and development (R&D), and to
direct, mediate, finance and control its activity.
As a
funding agency, MOARD issues every year a Call for Proposals for Collaborative
Research Projects in agriculture. R&D is one of the important means helping
Israeli agriculture face its difficult challenges to survive and flourish. R&D
contributes to improvement of agriculture efficiency thus helping the farmers,
increases consumers’ welfare and contributes to the State economy.
MOARD is
interested in funding research projects so that their results may be used by the
agricultural community, and therefore the know-how resulted from these projects
is public domain and available to every
one. The
research reports are kept in the libraries of all Israeli universities.
In addition
to MOARD, The Agricultural Research Organization (ARO) is operating as the
research arm of the Israel Ministry of Agriculture. ARO is responsible for
planning, organizing and implementing the greater
part of
Israel's agricultural research effort. ARO is concerned with the solving of
current problems in agricultural production, with the introduction of new
products, processes and equipment, and with research
investigations on which Israel's future agricultural effort will be based. Its
research policy and activity is dominated by and coordinated with MOARD.
Located at the Volcani Centre campus, ARO operates six institutes and two
research stations (950 employees including over 250 scientists). Israel’s Gene
Bank for Agricultural Crops is also located on the ARO Volcani Centre campus.
While encompassing the full range of agricultural research activities, ARO
focuses in particular on arid zone agriculture, enabling Israel - a country
short of all the resources required for agriculture - to achieve among the
highest levels of agricultural output in the world.
Among ARO’s areas
of special expertise are: agriculture under arid conditions; agriculture on
marginal soils; irrigation using effluent and saline water; crop cultivation in
protected environments; freshwater fish farming
under
conditions of water shortage; minimization of produce losses through use of
latest pest control and post-harvest storage methods; breeding and development
of new strains of crops and domestic animals better suited to the adverse
conditions which already exist in many parts of the world, and which are likely
to become even more prevalent in the future. |
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