Transcript Workshop on Agricultural Biotechnology for Knowledge Sharing in NENA Region 2 – 4 July 2012, Cairo Egypt Agricultural Biotechnology & Information and Communication Technology.

Workshop on Agricultural Biotechnology for
Knowledge Sharing in NENA Region
2 – 4 July 2012, Cairo Egypt
Agricultural Biotechnology & Information and
Communication Technology in
Republic of Yemen
Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MAI)
Agricultural Research and Extension Authority (AREA)
Dr. Hamoud Ali Abdalla Mokbel
Background:
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Total land area has been estimated at 55.5 million hectares,
Arable land is about 3.5 million ha,
Cultivated area of Yemen is about 1.4 million ha,
The population is about 22 Million inhabitants,
Agriculture contribute about 11% to the Gross Domestic Product
(GDP).
 The main institutions involve in agricultural research in Yemen are:
1) Agricultural Research and Extension Authority (AREA);
2)University of Sana’a, Faculty of Agriculture; 3) University of Aden,
Nasser Faculty of Agriculture Science.
 Agricultural Biotechnology R&D is relatively new issue in Yemen
Some Effort Done on Biotechnology:
 Faculty of Agriculture at Sana’a University has good lab
space as well as good facilities for Tissue Culture;
 AREA established Tissues Culture Laboratory in AREA
Headquarter, Dhamar;
 AREA established Tissue Culture Lab in Eastern
Plateau Research Station (Seyoun) for date palm micropropagation.
Al-Salehy et al. (2012)
Some Effort Done on Biotechnology:
 AREA, recently, supplied Biotech Laboratory in Dhamar
by new equipments like:
1. Real time PCR, Conventional PCR,
2. Gel documentation system, electrophoreses
3. As well as a PAGE gel and ELISA and other related
equipments.
 AREA used the available fund from a new project on
Biodiversity and Climate Change to order new
equipments and regents.
Some Effort Done on Biotechnology:
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AREA trained in country 14 Scientists in PGRFA molecular
characterization,
AREA had a chance for training on Biotechnology in different
institutions and laboratories some of this as follows:
DNA extraction from different crops, various DNA marker
techniques like AFLP, ISSR at International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) laboratories – Vienna- Austria,
Introduction on Bioinformatics at Agricultural Genetic Engineering
Research Institute (AGERI) –Egypt,
Practical training on molecular marker at ICARDA and on GMO,s
detection at ICARDA too with cooperation of FAO.
AREA Biotech Lab, Dhamar
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT):
 ICT consists of IT as well as telecommunication, broadcast media,
all types of audio and video processing and transmission and
network based control and monitoring functions,
 The term was first used in 1997 by Dennis Stevenson,
 The term ICT is now also used to refer to the merging (convergence)
of audio-visual and telephone networks with computer networks
through a single cabling or link system,
 National Agricultural Biotechnology Knowledge Network is absent
now in Yemen, but there are some ICT for Traditional Agricultural.
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT):
Policies and Strategies
 Ministry of Telecommunication and Information Technology
(MTIT) prepare a 2001-2025 ICT strategic vision for the purpose of
supporting the development plans.
 Strategic vision was not followed by the identification of policies
 National Information Centre (NIC) has started some efforts in the
year 2002 to prepare a national information strategy.
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT):
Policies and Strategies
 In agriculture there have been a lot of emphases on the
development of agricultural information systems:
1. First Five-year Plan (2000 – 2005), Second Five-year Plan (2006 –
2010).
2. Aden Agenda, the National Research Strategy, and the National
Extension Strategy.
3. MAI with cooperation of UNDP formulates Agricultural Strategy
Action Plan for five year period (2012 – 2016).
 All of these were developed to meet the growing needs for
information in agriculture sector.
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT):
Policies and Strategies
 Yemeni EPA with cooperation of UNEP drafting National Biosafety
Framework (NBF), which contains :
1. regulation
2. policies
3. guidelines for use, handling and
4. contain used of LMO,s in the country
 Beside, information sharing with Biosafety Clearing House (BCH)
at UNEP web site is one of international ICT on biotechnology
sharing information.
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT):
Structure and Management
 Local centre and general directorates interest with collecting,
processing, documentation and communication of Agricultural
Information:
1. General Directorate of Agricultural Statistics, MAI;
2. Documentation and Agricultural Information Centre, MAI;
3. General Directorate of Agricultural Extension and Information, MAI;
4. General Directorate of Information and Documentation of AREA;
5. General Directorate of Technology Transfer of AREA.
 All of these centre and general directorates may be will play a vital
role in Agricultural Biotechnology ICT and IC management.
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT):
Infrastructure and Applications
 Second generation of Internet Facilities are available in Yemen,
 All AREA Agricultural Research Stations and Centers connecting
with ADSL internet,
 Some Stations/Centers have internal internet Network to scientists
office,
 AREA website established to communicate research outputs and
to ensure public awareness.
http://www.area.gov.ye/english/ENGLISH.html
 AREA planed for establishment electronic network to connecting its
research station & centers; recently the implementation start with
USAID cooperation.
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT):
Infrastructure and Applications
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AREA established Electronic Information Data Base:
Local PGRFA Data Base with FAO cooperation,
Gene Bank Data Base of National Genetic Resource Centre,
Library Indexing for the Central Library of AREA,
Data Base of GIS in National Natural Resource Centre,
Data Base Information for AREA research project activities,
Data Base for AREA publications and the periodical Journal.
All of these Data Bases Information are not accessible except the
first one.
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT):
Infrastructure and Applications
 FAO funded establishment website for Information Sharing
Mechanism for Plant Genetic Resource of Yemen.
http://www.pgrfa.org/gpa/yem/description1.html
 Beside, some efforts done by FAO for establish Regional GMOs
detection Platform. One of the outputs was establishment a regional
website for Agricultural Biotechnology Knowledge.
http://rabnena.net/Pages/Index.aspx?CMSId=8
 AGORA website the most important source for knowledge sharing
information in modern biotechnology, international free access.
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT):
Information dissemination
 Under the supervision of Agricultural Extension and Information GD
Yemen radio and TV disseminating information about traditional
agricultural and valid ITK for farmers and public. Rare information
about Biosafety disseminated,
1. Daily radio program propagating early morning and at night,
2. TV program weekly propagating,
 Publications are the main tool for scientific information
dissemination: technical reports, papers in periodical scientific
journal; three Scientific Journal available, one published by AREA,
second published by Unv. Of Aden and the last published by
Yemeni Society of Biological Science.
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT):
Information dissemination
 Libraries are the main source for scientific information
dissemination.
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AREA has central Library at head quarter and most Agricultural Research
stations and Centers have a good Library; all open for interest scientist
and students.
Faculty of Agriculture, Sana’a Unv. and Nasser Faculty of Agricultural
Science, Aden Unv. have their own Libraries.
 Most Scientists sharing information through E-mail, especially
whom interest on modern biotechnology,
 Agricultural Biotechnology still under construction, so its
information dissemination will appear clearly after or during the
process of enhancing the institutional Agricultural Biotechnology.
Constrains affecting ICT development:
 Sallam, 2006 summarized the most important
constraints could be affecting ICT development in
Yemen as follows:
1. Lack of proper strategies and policies in the efficient
use and the development of ICT,
2. Lack of proper data collection and information analysis
mechanisms,
3. Inconsistency of collected data,
4. Lack of awareness about the importance of information
and information technology,
Constrains affecting ICT development:
 Sallam, 2006 summarized the most important
constraints could be affecting ICT development in
Yemen as follows:
5. Lack of ICT technical skills,
6. Lack of managerial and administrative skills resulting in
poor utilization of ICT in the decision making processes,
7. Lack of rules and regulations resulting in the spread of
corruption and low incentives among the private firms to
invest in ICT,
8. Lack of consistency in communication, preparation of
collaborative programs, and exchange of information
between AARINENA member countries.
Outlook for ICT improvement:
 AREA shall be play a vital role with cooperation of MAI, regional and
international agencies to formulate national strategy on Agricultural
ICT. That could be attained by following actions:
1. Preparation and implementation of proper policies and regulations that
remove barriers that affect ICT development and adoption
2. Institutional capacity building and staff training in information systems’
development,
3. Mobilization of financial and human resources to support building a
comprehensive agricultural information system,
4. Development of linkage mechanisms between researchers and
extensionists through the use of efficient information and communication
technologies,
5. Development of sustainable links with regional and international agencies
related to ICT support and development,
 Beside, AREA shall be adopt and function the Modern Agricultural
Biotechnology by establishment National Agricultural
Biotechnology Center.
Thank you for your attention