ACSAD and EBIC Hold Biotech Workshop and Form Arab Biotech Network

The Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry lands (ACSAD) and Egypt Biotechnology Information Center (EBIC) organized a workshop on biotechnology applications for developing drought tolerant crops on October 8-9, 2016 at the Desert Research Center. Representatives from nine Arab countries, including Libya, Jordan, Syria, Algeria, Palestine, Kuwait, Iraq, Libyan, Tunisia, and Sudan participated in the workshop and presented about the applications of biotechnology in their respective countries.

Prof. Said Khalifa, Director of Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Drylands office in Egypt, talked about the role of ACSAD in the development of the arid and semi-arid areas of the Arab World. Early this year, the ACSAD and EBIC signed a twin agreement for collaboration and the workshop was carried out as a part of the agreement.

Prof. Naglaa Abdallah, Director of EBIC, gave a keynote presentation on engineering drought-tolerant crops and she covered the different new breeding technologies applied to improve crop productivity.

At the end of the workshop, the participants agreed to establish an Arab Biotechnology Network under the umbrella of ACSAD and nominated Prof. Abdallah as the coordinator of the network. Each of the guest countries will serve as the focal point for his country and will be responsible for contacting researchers in the field of biotechnology to join the network.

For more details about the event, contact Prof. Naglaa at naglaa_a@hotmail.com.