Workshop on Agricultural Biotechnology for Knowledge Sharing in NENA Region

1. 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 AbdallaMokbel

2. Background: • 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

3. 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 micro-propagation. Al-Salehy et al. (2012)

4. Some Effort Done on Biotechnology: • AREA, recently, supplied Biotech Laboratory in Dhamar by new equipments like: • Real time PCR, Conventional PCR, • Gel documentation system, electrophoreses • 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.

5. Some Effort Done on Biotechnology: • 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.

6. AREA Biotech Lab, Dhamar

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Information and Communication • Technology (ICT): • Policies and Strategies • In agriculture there have been a lot of emphases on the development of agricultural information systems: • First Five-year Plan (2000 – 2005), Second Five-year Plan (2006 – 2010). • Aden Agenda, the National Research Strategy, and the National Extension Strategy. • 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.

10. Information and Communication • Technology (ICT): • Policies and Strategies • Yemeni EPA with cooperation of UNEP drafting National Biosafety Framework (NBF), which contains : • regulation • policies • guidelines for use, handling and • 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.

11. Information and Communication • Technology (ICT): • Structure and Management • Local centre and general directorates interest with collecting, processing, documentation and communication of Agricultural Information: • General Directorate of Agricultural Statistics, MAI; • Documentation and Agricultural Information Centre, MAI; • General Directorate of Agricultural Extension and Information, MAI; • General Directorate of Information and Documentation of AREA; • 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.

12. 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. • AREA planed for establishment electronic network to connecting its research station & centers; recently the implementation start with USAID cooperation. http://www.area.gov.ye/english/ENGLISH.html

13. Information and Communication • Technology (ICT): • Infrastructure and Applications • 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.

14. Information and Communication • Technology (ICT): • Infrastructure and Applications • FAO funded establishment website for Information Sharing Mechanism for Plant Genetic Resource of Yemen. • 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. • AGORA website the most important source for knowledge sharing information in modern biotechnology, international free access. http://www.pgrfa.org/gpa/yem/description1.html http://rabnena.net/Pages/Index.aspx?CMSId=8

15. 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, • Daily radio program propagating early morning and at night, • 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.

16. Information and Communication • Technology (ICT): • Information dissemination • Libraries are the main source for scientific information dissemination. • 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.

17. Constrains affecting ICT development: • Sallam, 2006 summarized the most important constraints could be affecting ICT development in Yemen as follows: • Lack of proper strategies and policies in the efficient use and the development of ICT, • Lack of proper data collection and information analysis mechanisms, • Inconsistency of collected data, • Lack of awareness about the importance of information and information technology,

18. Constrains affecting ICT development: • Sallam, 2006 summarized the most important constraints could be affecting ICT development in Yemen as follows: • Lack of ICT technical skills, • Lack of managerial and administrative skills resulting in poor utilization of ICT in the decision making processes, • Lack of rules and regulations resulting in the spread of corruption and low incentives among the private firms to invest in ICT, • Lack of consistency in communication, preparation of collaborative programs, and exchange of information between AARINENA member countries.

19. 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: • Preparation and implementation of proper policies and regulations that remove barriers that affect ICT development and adoption • Institutional capacity building and staff training in information systems’ development, • Mobilization of financial and human resources to support building a comprehensive agricultural information system, • Development of linkage mechanisms between researchers and extensionists through the use of efficient information and communication technologies, • 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.

20. Thank you for your attention