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Biography |
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Mr. Aly Abousabaa began his term as Director-General of the International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) on 15 October 2016. An Egyptian national, Mr. Abousabaa has a strong record of strategic leadership and management of complex sustainable development operations and resources in developing countries. His 33-year work experience includes, among others, a position as Vice-President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) where he directed the Operations Sector. In this position, he provided leadership in preparation and execution of the Bank’s main strategies, which had transformational impact on the lives of millions of people in Africa. He looked over the function of resource mobilization as well as management of a US $10 billion portfolio in the areas of agriculture, water, natural resources management, climate change, green development, governance, women and youth, and human and infrastructural development. During his career with the AfDB, starting in 1992, Mr. Abousabaa held several positions, including the position of Director and Chairman of the Coordination Committee on Climate Change, Director of Agriculture and Agro-Industry Development, Manager of North Africa Agriculture Division, and Manager of Central and West Africa Agriculture Division. He was also tasked by the Bank to work with the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and to supervise the set-up of the Green Financing Facility for Africa. Mr. Abousabaa has contributed and influenced the design of several continental and global initiatives and instruments such as the Global Fund for Food Security, the UNFCCC Green Climate Fund, and others. Prior to his AfDB experience, Mr. Abousabaa held several professional and management positions with private sector companies such as Arab Contractors, Consulting Engineers and Fru-Con Construction. Mr. Abousabaa holds a Master’s of Science in Civil Engineering from Montana State University, USA (1989) and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Alexandria University, Egypt (1983).
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Abstract |
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Fostering SDGs Through Innovation in Agriculture |
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Fostering SDGs Through Innovation in Agriculture
The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is an international agricultural research center which is delivering science-based solutions to support thriving, resilient livelihoods for smallholder farmers in the non-tropical dry areas. Our research work contributes to eight of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals including no poverty, zero hunger and climate action. ICARDA’s research generates evidence-based science, technological innovation, policy dialogue and knowledge sharing, thereby improving policies, practices, and livelihoods for rural communities and supporting agricultural transformation for future generations that harnesses the enormous potential of dry areas. ICARDA believes that a +4°C climate change scenario for significant areas in non-tropical dry regions is highly likely. Components of our innovative research is to deliver climate-adapted genetic resources that contribute to strengthening the farming systems, markets, policies and institutions required to achieve thriving and resilient livelihoods in the face of climate change and other disruptors. Using the rich diversity of the genetic resources that we hold in our gene banks, we are developing improved food crops (wheat, barley, faba bean, lentil and chickpea) using innovative science which are high-yielding and tolerant to abiotic stresses (drought, heat, cold and salinity) and resistant to biotic stresses (diseases, pests and parasitic weeds). We have been successful in scaling out these technologies to farmers across the non-tropical dry areas and influencing policy. This success lies fundamentally in the strong partnerships we have built with national agricultural research organizations, donors, the private sector and the women and men farmers that closely with us to achieve national development goals. |
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