The Regional Centre on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development for the Near East

An autonomous international intergovernmental organization

Telefax: +962-6-5924348

                +962-6-5934708

P.O.Box   851840

Amman 11185 – Jordan

Website: www.cardne.org

Email: cardne@cardne.org

Issue No. (21)

January – June 2007

THE REGION

National Seminars and Training

1- Arab Republic of Syria

Status of the Intermediate and Secondary Agricultural Education and Development Prospects,  Damascus, 15-16/1/2007

   In accordance with CARDNE’s approved work plan for 2007, the Agricultural Education Directorate at the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform in the Arab Republic of Syria in cooperation with CARDNE, conducted a national workshop under the title “Status of Intermediate and Secondary Agricultural Education and Development Prospects” on Monday, 15-16/1/2007 at the Agricultural Scientific Research Corporation in Doma.

  The workshop was attended by (90) participants representing heads of agricultural secondary schools and institutes, heads of the agriculture education departments in the governorates, directors of the Directorate of Extension, Statistics, Planning and Follow-up in addition to the intermediate institutes at the  Higher Education Ministry and Technical Education Directorate at the Ministry of Education.

  The workshop, which was held under the auspices of H.E. Prof. Dr. Adel Safar, the Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, tackled the following topics:

1. Intermediate and secondary agriculture education: status – difficulties – development approaches.

2. Investment projects to build agriculture secondary schools and institutes.

3. Academic curricula and plans for secondary and intermediate agriculture education.

 4.  Modern educational methods and techniques.

Cooperation Agreements:

1- Signing a Memorandum of Understanding between CARDNE and Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University - The People’s Republic of China

By authorization of CARDNE’s Director General, the Assistant Director General, Dr. Ghaleb Tuffaha, signed a memorandum of understanding for technical cooperation with Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University in the People’s Republic of China on 29/1/2007. Prof. Dr. Chen Shaojun, the Vice President, singed the agreement on behalf of the university.

In accordance with the cooperation memorandum, the University approves the participation of nominees from CARDNE’s member states in the international training course on mushroom plantation and production which extends over a period of fifty two days. Additionally, the two parties have plans to exchange knowledge and technical counseling in the areas related to agriculture and rural development.

2- The Near East and North Africa Management Training in Agriculture Programme (NENAMTA), 2007-2008

In the framework of the cooperation with the international and regional organizations in the area of agricultural and rural development towards building the capacities within the Near East region for the sustainability of relevant development initiatives, CARDNE signed an agreement with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (I.F.A.D) for providing technical services to the Management Training in Agriculture Programme in the Near East and North Africa which is co-financed by I.F.A.D, Capacity Building International, Germany (InWEnt), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for International Development for thirteen months

This regional programme is divided into two sub-programmes, the first covers the member states in the Near East (Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Palestine), and the second includes countries of North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Sudan). The Programm’s objective is to improve the performance of agricultural projects and programmes in the regions of the Near East and North Africa by training agricultural policy-makers as well as project managers and staff on agricultural and rural development project management including planning, organization, implementation and evaluation. 

The signed contract establishes the provision of technical services to the management training in agriculture in the Near East which started in 2002 and will continue till 2008 in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan and the territory of the Palestinian National Authority.

The Programme has established and rehabilitated national training units backed-up by teams of trainers who were qualified through a multi-phase training of capacity building.

The following entities were selected as focal institutions for the national training units:

1-       Jordan: National Training Institute/ Ministry of Public Sector Development.

2-       Syria: Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform

3-       Lebanon: The American University in Beirut (AUB)

4-       Yemen: National Institute for Administrative Sciences

5-       Palestine: Beer Zeit University

6-       Sudan: Sudan Academy for Administrative Sciences/ Ministry of Labour, Public Service and Human Resources Development

So far training has been provided to (12) trainers from Jordan, (10) from Syria, (10) from Lebanon, (13) from Yemen, (12) from Sudan and (4) from the territory of the Palestinian National Authority.

It is anticipated that the period 2007-2008 will witness the accomplishment of the process of qualifying and certifying the trainers of Yemen and the Palestinian National Authority through national training workshops and other uncertified trainers from member states through regional training activities. It is further expected to finalize the setting-up of the infra-structure of the national training units in Sudan and Syria in addition to laying down future plans for the sustainability of the national training units after the termination of the donors’ support.

3- Technical Cooperation Agreement – Introduction of a new Italian olive collection machine

On 26 March 2007 CARDNE signed a technical cooperation agreement with Al Rosan Company, legally registered in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, for importing and disseminating the technology introduced by this Italian olive collection machine on the level of the member states and the region as a whole.

Using this machine saves almost 80% of the collection cost. It is operated by a rechargeable battery and is featured by its light weight which enables one person to handle it, does not harm the tree branches and leaves and can be used in collecting other kinds of fruits. CARDNE shall cooperate with the importing company to conduct practical demonstrations on this machine during the current season to highlight its advantages.

Regional and International Cooperation

1-   Expert Meeting to Review the Accomplishments of ESCWA in Relation to Local Community Development Over a Decade, Amman/Jordan,4 March 2007 

Upon request from the Social Department at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, CARDNE took part in organizing the meeting comprising a group of experts from a number of countries in the region to review the achievements of ESCWA during a decade in the field of local community development.

The opening ceremony was patronized by H.E. Suhair Al Ali, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

2-Regional Expert Consultation on “Genetically Modified Crops”

Amman/Jordan, 14-15 May 2007  

3-National Workshop on Training of Yemeni Trainers on Participatory Development, Amman/Jordan,  11-15 June 2007  
 

CARDNE provided support to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) to conduct the national workshop on Training of Yemeni Trainers on Participatory Development in Amman/ Jordan during the period 11-15 June 2007 in cooperation with Arab League, Yemeni Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, UNDP office in Yemen and AGFUND.

The workshop was opened under the patronage of H.E. Prof. Dr. Mohamad Thenaibat, Minister of Public Sector Development and State Minister of Parliamentary Affairs in Jordan. The opening ceremony was attended by the representative of the embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Jordan and by Mr. Najib Bokeer the representative of the Yemeni Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation. 19 trainees from the Yemeni Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation were involved in the training.

4-Third Phase of  the Rural Woman and Development Project/ Dimitra

CRDNE finalized the entire activities of the third phase of Dimitra- Rural Woman and Development Project which was initiated on 1/1/2006 in collaboration and with financial sponsorship from UN Food and Agriculture Organization/ FAO and King Baudouin Foundation in Belgium.

Studies

In collaboration with CARDNE, the Agricultural Education Directorate at the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform in the Arab Republic of Syria implemented the following two studies:

1-     Strategies of developing the methodology of agricultural extension, education and training towards the implementation of the plans and programmes on agricultural and rural development 2005-2010

2-     the Role of intermediate and secondary agriculture education in the implementation of the strategies of agricultural development in Syria 2005-2010 through the back-up services programme

Special Technical Services

Study Tour in Tunisia,  4-11 June 2007  

In the framework of the technical cooperation between CARDNE and the Ministry of Agriculture in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources in Tunisia, CARDNE conducted a study tour for the members of the coordinating committee of Agricultural Resources Management Project – Phase Two which is financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development. The participants comprised twelve workers from the Project and a number of non-governmental organizations as well as farmers.

The participants visited the Agricultural Cooperative Agency where Mr. Al Habib Aziz presented a detailed technical account of the Agency’s tasks and activities. They also visited the agricultural development projects in the governorates of Zagwan, Selyana and Kairouan.

Official Meetings

1-     The Director General received in his office on Thursday morning 28/6/2007 a Yemeni delegation headed by Eng. Abdel Malik Al Arshi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation in YemenEng. Al Arshi was accompanied by Mr. Mohamad Ahmad Taki, Assistant General Manager for Commercial and Banking Affairs at the Cooperative and Agricultural Credit Bank, and Eng. Abdel Hasib Abdel Wahab Al Motawakel, Vice Chairman for Finance and Administration at the Agricultural Research and Extension Authority.

2-     CARDNE’s Director General General received in his office on Sunday 20 May 2007 Eng. Waleed Al Fakih, Director of the Technical Cooperation Bureau at the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah/Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who was accompanied by Mr. Al Hadi Al Nahawi.

The discussions The discussions tackled areas of cooperation between CARDNE and the Bank and ways to promote such cooperation. It is worth mentioning that the Islamic Development Bank provides annual financial support to finance the regional activities implemented by CARDNE in which experts and trainees from the Bank’s state members participate.

3-     CARDNE’s Director General received in his office on 4 April 2007 Dr. Hans Pfeifer, Director of the Department of Environment, Natural Resources and Food and Ms. Alexandra Pres, Senior Project Manager of Environment, Energy and Water, both from Capacity Building International, Germany (InWent).

The Director presented the Centre’s goals and activities and discussed with the guests the cooperation opportunities between the two organizations. The meeting was attended by Dr. Ghaleb Tuffaha, the Assistant Director General, and Ms. Mais Qaqish, Head of the Administration and Financial Department at CARDNE.

4-     Upon request from the Association of Agricultural Engineers in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, CARDNE’s Director General patronized the graduation ceremony of a group of agricultural engineers working in the areas controlled by the Palestinian National Authority at the Association’s Continuous Training Centre on 20/5/2007.

The agricultural engineers were delegated by the Agricultural Relief Corporation in Palestine to attend a training course in the field of protected exportation crops.

1-     related to areas of agricultural and rural development.

2-     The Assistant Director General, Dr. Ghaleb Tuffaha, and CARDNE’s advisor for local community development affairs, Ms. Samira Al Majali, participated in the meetings of the sixth session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN-ESCWA) which were held in Amman, Jordan during the period from 5-7 March 2007