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Egypt villagers say poultry innocent in bird flu deaths[Egypt]

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In a dark and muddy alley in the Nile Delta town of Damietta, where Egypt's latest fatal bird flu victim Hanem Atwa Ibrahim lived, inhabitants fear the authorities more than the virus.

"It was the will of God that she died. The chickens had nothing to do with it," says Husseini Ahmed Amine, 54, a furniture maker who employs a son of the dead woman, who was aged 50.

Most of the inhabitants of the Ezbet el-Lahm district pay scant attention to the government's campaign against the H5N1 virus which, after a summer respite, killed four people, all women, in the space of a week over New Year.

Health Minister Hatem al-Gabali warned in December against "slackness in the preventive measures taken to fight bird flu especially as winter approaches."

But here, as elsewhere in the country, distrust of the government is widespread.

A national campaign to slaughter possibly infected birds is more often than not seen as just another threat from authorities in which people have no faith.

Ibrahim's death was the 19th fatality in Egypt where there has been a total of 43 cases of bird flu in humans since the disease was first recorded here in February 2006. Women and children have borne the brunt of the virus because of their role in taking care of domestic fowl.

"Listen to me: all these chickens, they don't kill them, they sell them off or eat them," says Hanane Essayyed Farhat, 42, a mother of four selling her poultry a few dozen metres (yards) from the latest victim's home.

"The state and businessmen profit from bird flu. It's all just about trying to get people to buy frozen chickens. That way they'll make money off our back," she adds.

The authorities recommend eating factory farmed chicken whose origins can be traced. Almost two years since H5N1 appeared in Egypt, the north African country has become one of the most affected countries in the world.

But despite a government ban on raising poultry on rooftops -- an age-old tradition in Egypt -- chicken, ducks and geese continue to squawk and quack from cages on most of this district's rooftops, alongside a multitude of pigeon coops.

According to the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation, Egypt and Indonesia are the countries most likely to see the virus mutate into a form that is contagious among humans, because of people's close contact with poultry.

It is a challenge to get people to stop raising and eating poultry in a country where meat is a luxury for most, and birds can be fed cheaply on food leftovers.

"I don't believe in bird flu. We look after our poultry, nothing can happen to them," says Amine. "What's more their factory chicken has no taste, you can't even tell it's chicken."

Many of those infected are fearful of revealing their symptoms as they would lose a source of revenue and they fear the anger of their neighbours throughout the village who may have their flocks slaughtered.

As a result, many sufferers are often hospitalised too late for the medical treatment to work.

Abdessalam Essayyed, 46, is one of Ezbet el-Lahm's few inhabitants to be fearful after his neighbour died.

"I immediately killed our ducks and chickens," he says, pointing to dried blood on the concrete floor in front of his poultry's small cage.

The Health Ministry recently called for heightened vigilance saying that preventative measures were not being implemented against the disease because of "a conviction that the virus has gone."

According to the World Organisation for Animal Health, the highly infectious strain of the H5N1 avian flu virus can be eradicated if it is dealt with effectively in Egypt, Indonesia and Nigeria, where it has become endemic.

Yemen: Agricultural plots to be distributed to youths[Yemen]

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Agricultural lands will be distributed to youths living in the Hadramout, Hodeidah and Lahj governorates soon, said Mansour al-Hawshabi, Minister of Agriculture last week.

Al-Hawshabi said around YR 100 million was allocated to fund the agricultural projects through the General Corporation of Crops. The corporation will supply local farmers with high-quality seeds for crops.

He predicted that the volume of the 2008 harvest will total 24,000 tons with increasing gains for a total of 48,000 tons in few coming years.

The Ministry plan will focus on offering soft loans to local farmers as well as improving water resources through the utilization of rainwater. Al-Hawshabi also stressed that the Ministry plan will include agricultural research.

Yemen: Farmers use modern irrigation techniques[Yemen]

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

One hundred and forty one farmers benefited from using modern irrigation techniques over an 816 hectare area. A field project unit on preserving soil and underground water provided the facilities. The project will last two years, and will include construction of water tanks and training on how to maximize agricultural production.

Jordan: Ministry of Environment cracks down on untreated fertiliser[Jordan]

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Ministry of Environment made a decision on Saturday to end the use of nontreated organic fertiliser in a bid to eradicate the problem of domestic flies in the Jordan Valley.

The ministry obliged poultry and cattle farm owners to treat the organic waste their farms produce as fertiliser.

"Farmers in the Jordan Valley buy untreated organic waste from these farms to use as fertiliser for their plants thinking it is better for the crops than treated fertilisers. This, however, turns their farms into hubs for swarms of flies, which are a nuisance for picnickers and harmful to the environment," Minister of Environment Khalid Irani told The Jordan Times on Saturday.

Noting that the Jordan Valley area is no longer exclusively for agriculture, the minister said reducing the swarms of flies that plague the valley is a high priority.

"Hotels, villas and apartments are being built there and the future for tourism is promising. We need to radically solve this problem," Irani said.

Under the decision, farm owners were given a deadline of September 2009 to build treatment plants at their farms to sell treated organic fertilisers to the farmers in the Jordan Valley. In the meanwhile, fertiliser producers will be obliged as of next week to send their organic waste to a factory in Deir Alla for treatment before selling it on the market, according to the minister.

The factory, which was built under a Royal makrumamakruma, produces some 100,000 tonnes of treated fertilisers annually. The central location of the Deir Alla factory will make it easier for Jordan Valley farmers to purchase and pick up the fertiliser, the minister stressed.

Meanwhile, Irani said the use of treated organic fertilisers is much better for the environment, health and plant life, contradictory to what many farmers believe.

"The use of treated organic fertilisers saves farmers 30-40 per cent of irrigation water, reduces the use of pesticides and curbs the spread of domestic flies by 75 per cent," the minister said.

Untreated organic fertilisers "do not nourish plants and consume too much water to release their nutrients," according to the minister.

Flies are attracted to organic fertilisers because they contain a high percentage of humidity, whereas sterilised fertilisers fail to attract flies simply because they are dry.

Qatar: Imported farm products likely to cost more [Qatar]

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Agricultural and associated products from Brazil and some other countries in the region may cost more in the near future as these countries are busy developing bio-fuel as an alternative source of energy, according to a senior business executive here.

"The skyrocketing oil prices have forced many countries to intensify efforts to develop alternative energy sources and countries like Brazil have gone a long way in producing bio-fuel. More areas of agricultural land may be used to produce the raw-material for bio-fuel which can lead to a shortage of certain products and a consequent rise in prices in the international market," Mohammed Altaf, operations manager of the Lulu Hypermarket told The Peninsula yesterday.

He added that this factor may aggravate the inflationary situation in Qatar and other Gulf countries, since they are major importers of foodstuff from countries like Brazil.

Plants like maize are being widely used to produce bio-fuel, which may lead to a shortage in imports of associated products. When certain crops are diverted to this sector, people would be forced to switch over to other products leading to a rise in their internal demand.

"These are inter-related issues which may have serious consequences in the international market. The rise in commodity prices is not a phenomenon limited to Qatar. Almost every country is affected by the current inflation and this is an issue being discussed worldwide," said Altaf.

He added that, when agricultural produce become dearer, other related products like poultry and livestock would also be affected.

Appreciation of the Brazilian currency has recently led an increase in the prices of various products from the country available in the local market, especially poultry products.

Yemen: Marine Research center undertakes successful fish farming experiment[Yemen]

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Marine Research Center located in Aden, has recently announced the success of the first shrimp farming experiment in the country.

The experiment started last November, where scores of female shrimps were put in breeding pots, thereafter the infants are put in other pots where they can grow and reproduce and repeat the cycle. Ten researchers are currently working on this project with possible implications including fish farming of larger specious of marine creatures.

Yemen: Ministry of Agriculture to invest in genetically modified crops[Yemen]

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation has obligated a 100 million Riyals to be invested in increasing the production and distributing of genetically modified seeds of wheat.

This decision was taken in the light of the increase of 70-77 percent in yield of genetically modified wheat, as evident from a pilot experiment undertaken in Hadhramout governorate. This move aims at improving Yemen's food security and reducing wheat imports.

Jordan: Ministry of Agriculture warns farmers of frost formation[Jordan]

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Ministry of Agriculture on Saturday urged farmers to take precautionary measures against a possible frost spell expected to affect different parts of the Kingdom tonight.

Following warnings issued by the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD), ministry agriculture departments across the country urged farmers to prepare for the frost spell and to prevent crop damage.

Ministry Spokesperson and Assistant Secretary General Mahmoud Najdawi said Jordanian farmers were well-informed of needed measures to handle frost spells as the country has experienced many similar situations in previous winters.

"We hope that the frost spell won't damage crops, but the JMD has reported possible frost formation earlier and gave farmers enough time to take preventive measures," Najdawi told The Jordan Times on Saturday.

Weatherman Hassan Momani said a drop in temperatures as low as 0ºC in hilly and desert areas accompanied by eastern winds and cloudless skies will cause frost formation tonight.

"It will be chilly during the night, and relatively cold during the daytime in Amman over the next three days, with temperatures ranging between a high of 15ºC and a low of 2ºC and 0ºC in certain areas," Momani told The Jordan Times yesterday.

According to Najdawi, there are several measures that farmers should take to prevent and alleviate damage caused by frost. Most importantly, he stressed, is to increase the amount of water portions allocated for irrigating crops and trees. Najdawi added that in case of a sudden drop in temperature, farmers should also light fires near the crops to warm the surrounding area and prevent the onset of frost.

In light of recurring losses sustained by farmers due to frost and heat waves, the ministry created a JD5 million fund designed to compensate farmers affected by natural disasters such as frost, drought and floods, as well as diseases and locusts.

The fund will start operating "very soon", reaching out to farmers affected by such natural disasters, Najdawi said.

In a frost spell that affected the country earlier this year, 5,000 dunums of vegetables in the northern and central parts of the Jordan Valley were damaged, destroying several crops such as zucchinis, aubergines, potatoes, beans and tomatoes.

Camel Deaths Alarm Yanbu Livestock Owners[Saudi Arabia]

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Over 20 camels have died in Yanbu recently after eating contaminated fodder, said livestock owners. They complained that the Ministry of Agriculture has failed to deploy vets to deal with the problem.

"Five of my camels died after eating fodder I purchased last Sunday from the Yanbu fodder market. The fodder was sold at a comparatively low price," said Nayer Al-Refaie, a livestock owner.

He added that 20 of his camels were fed with the contaminated fodder and that after their health worsened, he began feeding them other stuff. "However, it didn't make a difference. The camels' health worsened," he said.

"So I went to the Ministry of Agriculture and tried to get a vet to check on my herd. However, I was told that there was no veterinary doctor," he added.

Al-Refaie said he went to the Governor's Office and met an official, who telephoned the Ministry of Agriculture to arrange a vet. "The man told him that the doctor was in a village far away from Yanbu and was checking on a bird flu report. I don't know what to do, my camels are dying and I don't know why," he said.

A Ministry of Agriculture source told Arab News that there simply are not enough vets in the Yanbu region. "We're in need of at least 10 doctors because the province is quite vast. Also, livestock owners need to be careful. They're buying cheap fodder and poisoning their own animals," he said, adding that the Ministry of Commerce is responsible for checking on the quality of fodder sold at markets, not the Ministry of Agriculture.

Jordan: Farmers' market relaunched[Jordan]

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Souq Al Ard, was relaunched on Saturday at Beit Al Bawadi in Abdoun, with 55 producers offering a wide range of "rural" products.

In addition to fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs and cheese, as well as olives, honey, hard yoghurt, pickles and all kinds of home-cooked produce, this and next Saturday's market will also feature selected handicrafts so customers can buy gifts for the upcoming holiday season.

The relaunch of the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development's (JOHUD) farmers' market, which is carried out in cooperation with Fair Trade Jordan Alliance, was made possible by a grant from USAID, through its Sustainable Achievement of Business Expansion and Quality Program programme, according to a statement from the organisers.

HRH Princess Basma, who is chairperson of JOHUD, attended the relaunch of the souq, along with US Ambassador David Hale.

Souq Al Ard is an integral part of JOHUD's strategy of creating opportunities for residents of underprivileged communities, assisting them to develop skills that would ultimately improve their socio-economic status.

Working through their network of 50 community development centres across the Kingdom, JOHUD provides training courses so that the entrepreneurs, most of whom are women, can gain the necessary skills to set up their own small businesses.

Through Souq Al Ard, JOHUD helps them access markets where their home produce is appreciated, and where they can get a fair price for their products.

Haleemah, a mother of three from the Ghor, was one of hundreds of women who responded to the initiative and took part in its activities.

She had already learned how to run a small commercial kitchen as part of a Spanish-funded project in the Kafrein Community Development Centre and now is an expert in making pastries and sandwiches.

Once the market started, Haleemah and her friends travelled up to Beit Al Bawadi together.

"I used to go to Souq Al Ard every two weeks and sell my home-baked pastries. I enjoy being independent and make business decisions. It means that I can help my family financially. When the souq was suspended, I marketed my products in the neighbourhood. Now I have several local clients as well," Haleemah said.

According to JOHUD Executive Director Eman Nimri, one of the market's main benefits is that small producers actually get to meet customers.

"They can interact and the producer can get a far better understanding of what the customer wants. You can see the difference - when the producer first comes to the souq, often the goods are not really displayed well, and the sellers don't really market their goods effectively," she said.

That's where JOHUD steps in to provide support.

"We run courses in packaging and displays, and we show the producers how to speak with customers. You can quickly see the difference over the weeks... and that's how they start to sell more goods and subsequently earn more," Nimri added.

The producers also learn about the financial aspects of enterprise - how to calculate costs, keep records and do the accounting for their small projects, so that the business can grow.

The souq will run on Saturday December 15, and then close for the festive season.

Once it reopens on Saturday January 12, 2008, the Souq team has made a commitment to run the market every Saturday from 10:00am to 4:00pm, according to the statement.

Key projects to boost Oman fishery sector: Al Qatabi [Oman]

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Ministry of Fisheries (MoF), in continuation of what has been achieved, is committed to improving fisheries resources as one of the important non-oil economic sectors in the Sultanate with many of the projects lined up for completion. Shaikh Mohammed bin Ali al Qatabi, Minister of Fisheries, said yesterday that the projects in the offing include the completion of the infrastructure for research centres in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, establishment of fish markets and a central fish market, setting up of an aquaculture centre as well as five fishing harbours.

"Apart from completion of research centres, the marketing systems will be completed and central fish market will be set up. Moreover, five harbours will be established in Seeb, Suwaiq, Taqah, Liwa and Al Duqm, besides a fisheries aquaculture centre, which will provide the technical data and information required by the private sector in its investments through the applied research," Al Qatabi said.

The contribution of the fisheries resources sector, considered vital in generating several economic sectors, stood at RO 83 million of the local income, said Al Qatabi in an interview to Golden Book of the Sultanate of Oman -- 37 Years of Development and Prosperity, a unique publication to be launched in March 2008. The book will be a cost-effective means to reach a large number of prospective business partners in the European Union (EU) and GCC upon successful conclusion of a free trade deal between the two blocs.

Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA), publishers of Oman Daily Observer and its sister Arabic daily Oman, are media partners of The Golden Book of the Sultanate of Oman 2008 project. The EU is considered as one of the most important international markets that imports about 40 per cent of fisheries in the world. "The Sultanate exported a total of 13 per cent to the EU and its value reached 22 per cent in 2005. The results of this agreement would reflect on the increase of fish exports from Gulf States following the abolition of customs duties or decreasing it in a higher level,' Al Qatabi said.

"The strategic importance of the sector appears in its participation in food safety in the country through ensuring high valued food containing less fats protein. "The fishing sector is a vital source for the income where it takes in large numbers of manpower. The 2003 census showed that 2.4 per cent of the total of manpower in the Sultanate work in fishing while many citizens work in marketing, transport, storing, processing and other services," he added. On modernising fishing sector, Al Qatabi said the ministry has established a number of infrastructure projects.

The ministry, Al Qatabi said, has established fish markets in the fishing harbours to be the starting point for the rank of fish marketing in the Sultanate, aiming to gather supply and demand at one place and ensure the transparency of transactions and prices for increasing fish value and keeping its quality. The ministry has established a number of fish markets at Shinas, Quriyat, Al Khabora and Daba, and is planning to set up a harbour in Al Ashkhara.

As for fisheries research investment, Al Qatabi said the applied scientific research in fisheries resources is considered as the most important branch on which it is based to establish database and information necessary, to adopt decisions of fisheries sector management. "Over the past period, research had been conducted on fisheries stocks such as the survey of shark resources exploitation, abalone fisheries management in Dhofar and lobster fisheries study, in addition to research on fishing gear and methods development, fisheries marketing, fisheries sector management and fisheries aquaculture," Al Qatabi said.

On the protection of the rich ecosystem of the Arabian Sea, Al Qatabi said legalisations are available to organise the commercial fishing processes including fishing equipment, types, sites and amount allowed to be caught, which participates on the preservation of the stock and biological adversity. In this regard, the ministry has made a contract with one of the international expertise firms to carry out fisheries resources survey project in the Arabian Sea. The project aims to collect data on fish available in the Arabian Sea to be database for preserving the biological adversity of the environment in the Arabian Sea.

"Based on the study, the ministry will lay down the required fisheries laws and legalisations for the purpose of preserving the fisheries resources and organising and insuring the optimal exploitation of these resources to be sustainable for the new generation," Al Qatabi concluded. The Golden Book of the Sultanate of Oman 2008, is a national book initiative produced by Daleel LLC on behalf of GEOC.

GEOC has commissioned Daleel LLC in the Sultanate to work with entities both from the public and private sectors to implement a national awareness and media campaign designed to introduce and inform citizens and residents about all the phases of Federation of GCC Chambers's plan for attracting European Direct Investment (EDI) to the GCC states.

Syrian Agriculture Fair Opened in Damascus[Syria]

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Under the auspices of President Bashar al-Assad , Minister of Agriculture opened on Wednesday the 3^rd Syrian Agriculture Fair held by Ministry of Agriculture at the Fairgrounds in Damascus.

The 4-day fair includes pavilions of 230 companies representing 15 Arab and Foreign countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Belgium, Netherlands, Turkey, China and Russia.

The exhibitors will display the most modern agriculture services and products, methods of productions and best irrigation systems in addition to all services related the food industries and agriculture sector.

Minister of Agriculture underlined in a statement to reporters that the Fair in its current session made a number of improvements to become an international one as it promotes the Syrian distinguished agriculture products.

"The Fair will open the markets in front of the Syrian producers and participants," the Minister said, adding that the ministry works to take part in the international shows aiming at marketing the Syrian agriculture product.

For his part, Jordanian Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abu al-Saoud who attended the opening ceremony said that this event reflects the obvious care about developing the Syrian agriculture and it is a comprehensive Fair that possesses all elements of success.

Call to increase Arab commercial exchange in Oman[Oman]

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce and Industry, has said that though Intra-Arab trade is still limited and not exceeding 10 per cent, Arab countries have good potential to increase commercial exchange in foodstuff and other commodities. He explained that Arab countries have signed the Greater Arab Free Trade Zone Agreement, but the agreement is still lacking some regulations and procedures, such as the principles of origin. He noted that the Sultanate began to exempt commodities originating in Arab states that signed the pact from customs tax.

The minister made the remarks when he opened here yesterday a regional seminar on the theme "Principles governing products of origin within the context of the Greater Arab Free Trade Zone". He hoped that the seminar will issue recommendations on the principles of origin and added value of the domestic product. On his turn, Ahmed Mohammed Luqman, Director-General of the Arab Labour Organisation (ALO) highlighted the importance of Arab economic co-operation and the need to enable it to keep pace with the new world order which is based on liberalisation of trade within the context of the regional conglomerations.

In his speech, Luqman said the success of the Arab free trade zone is not only the governments responsibility; it is also the responsibility of other authorities concerned, including businessmen organisations. Jameel bin Ali bin Sultan, Deputy Chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) indicated that the OCCI is working with authorities concerned with Arab economic work, internally and externally, in order to familiarise the private sector with developments on the Arab Economic Projects front. He hoped that the seminar will shed light on the Arab agreement on the topic of the principles of origin.

The event is organised by Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Arab Labour Organisation (ALO). Two working sessions were held, the first one dealt with potentials of the Greater Trade Zone and principles of origin, while the second one dealt with principles of origin within the Sultanate's Detailed Agreements. The opening ceremony of the seminar was attended by Khalil bin Abdullah al Khunji, OCCI Chairman, under-secretaries, OCCI's board members, representatives of the ALO, government's department officials, private sector establishments and Omani businessmen.

Egg Farms Worst hit by H5N1 Virus[Saudi Arabia]

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The deadly H5N1 bird flu virus that is fast spreading in the Central Province has so far hit mainly egg-farms, said Dr. Ziad Al-Julaifi, director general of the Animal Resource Department at the Agriculture Ministry.

Very few broiler farms reported the disease, he said at a press conference here Saturday along with Muhammad Bin Abdullah, Undersecretary for Animal Husbandry at the ministry and Dr. Fahd Balghunaim, Minister of Agriculture.

Dr. Fahd Balghunaim disclosed to reporters that "bird flu is fast spreading and we need cooperation from all sectors of the society including poultry farm owners, Saudi citizens and expatriates".

The H5NI virus - that has so far not spread to humans in the Kingdom - has the potential to spread quickly and hence, the officials stressed, it is important to be prompt and forthright with information about the disease so that infected birds may be culled at once to contain the disease.

Dr. Al-Afalaq said poultry farm owners, traders and the public in general should take strict bio-security measures.

These include culling of birds where the infection is detected, sanitizing the area and restricting movement of live birds.

Even vehicles entering and leaving poultry farms, should be disinfected, he said.

"The Agriculture Ministry is monitoring the situation and ensuring that poultry-farm owners are applying bio-security measures very strictly."

Last fortnight's outbreak of bird flu was the second in the Kingdom this year, when the disease spread from Kuwait through migratory birds.

This time around as well, migratory birds from northern wintry areas are suspected to be the cause.

It was first reported in a broiled-poultry project in the central Al-Kharj area, 80 km south of Riyadh, on Nov. 12, when 1,500 out of 50,000 birds died. This was followed by detection of infections in 13 other locations in the vicinity, the ministry said in a press statement.

Two days later, the infection hit egg-laying poultry projects in Dhorma'a and Mozahmeyyah. Birds were culled in these farms as well.

On Nov. 15, the infection occurred in an egg-laying project in Al-Hayathem poultry center in Al-Kharj, and on Nov. 17 an egg-laying project in Kharj.

The next day, the H5N1 hit different birds in the pigeon market and some private resorts in the outskirts of Riyadh, some 50-80 km away from Al-Kharj.

All the while, culling work was in progress as the Agriculture ministry went on emergency footing to contain the disease.

But on Nov. 22, an egg project in Al-Barra hamlet in Kharj province reported the disease. Then on Nov. 26 two egg projects in Kharj and Thadek provinces were hit, and, a day later, another one in Sahba's in Kharj province.

Yet another egg project fell within 24 hours in Honayya in Kharj province. Two days later, a boiler-poultry project was wiped out in the same hamlet.

As of yesterday (Saturday), 4,290,975 birds were culled in all.

Infection locations are quarantined and all birds in them and in adjacent farms with a range of 5 kilometers are culled. Dead and culled birds are properly disposed.

The ministry is currently examining areas around infection spots even as investigations into the source of the outbreak continues.

The virus is passed on to humans by direct contact with infected birds. Specialists say that cooking birds and eggs at 70° C will kill the virus.

Egypt to import wheat from Iran[Iran]

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Egypt's trade ministry has said it is considering the possibility of importing wheat from Iran in a bid to boost bilateral trade ties.

The statement came a day after Iran's Minister of Industries and Mines Ali-Akbar Mehrabian paid a visit to Cairo for a three-day round of negotiations with Egyptian Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry Rasheed Mohamed Rasheed, as well as a number of other ministers and businessmen.

"The coming period will see the start of a new phase of economic relations between Egypt and Iran," the Egyptian minister said.

"The talks dealt with the possibility of importing wheat from Iran, especially given that Iran has become a wheat exporting country," the statement added.

Earlier this year President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had expressed Iran's readiness to revive ties with Egypt and open an embassy in Cairo in remarks that Egypt's foreign minister described at the time as positive.

Qatar plans first Camel Farm[Qatar]

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Qatar, with the support UNESCO Doha, will develop the country's first Camel Farm. The initiative forms part of Qatar's efforts to combat desertification, a serious environmental problem which the country is currently facing.

The proposed Camel Farm will be used as experimental plots to combat desertification to restore the country's ecosystem, viable production of commercial farm products and reduction of water usages for fodder production. The UNESCO, in collaboration with a team of experts of different scientific disciplines, will soon identify an ideal location for the proposed farm.

"Although camels are the most suitable domesticated animals for the desert, intensive grazing has been pointed out one of the primary reasons for the degradation of Arab region's desert ecosystems and biodiversity loss in many camel rearing countries. The over population of 'grazing camels' is the major reason attributed to the phenomenon. Development of modern farms is the best alternative being suggested by the experts to combat the menace," a blue print on the proposed Camel Farm prepared by the UNESCO said.

The grazing area will be protected from human interference and excessive camel grazing by a fence and an ongoing daily patrol. The camels will stay in a fenced area where they would be fed on indigenous plants and access will be given to water. Specific fodder will be produced adjacent to the farm, such as indigenous desert plants and halophytes. However, a limited number of animals will still be allowed to graze in the desert because camels are important pollinators as well as seedlers in the desert ecosystem.

The entire Camel Farm will be built in an eco-friendly way. The farm will be developed in an arid region, where solar radiation levels are generally high. It would use solar cells to generate electricity directly from sunlight or wind power to be used for the entire farm. The possibilities of using camel dung as fertilizer for fodder production can also be explored.

The UNESCO has also plans to highlight the commercial aspect of developing the Camel Farm. Citing its successful experiment in Dubai, the first modern Camel Farm in the region, the UNESCO document says that some 600 camels produce about 6000 litres of milk per day, which is commercially sold in Dubai.

"The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that the global market in camel milk is worth over $10bn. Camels can produce four times more milk in the desert environment than domestic cattle. Camel milk is a rich source of proteins with potential anti-microbial and protective activity.

Camel farms have several advantages over cow farms in the local weather conditions. Cow farms in the Arabian Peninsula require an air-conditioned environment for milk production. Cows can produce 25 litres of milk per day but only in an air-conditioned environment. In natural conditions, the milk production would be less than 5 litres.

"Camels have a high productive potential. Before the oil boom, camel was the main food source of the Bedouins of Arabia. Camel products are also resistant to several cattle diseases, like Foot-and-Mouth, Rinderpest and Bovine Pleuropneumonia etc. In the time of global warming, growing deserts and increasing scarcity of water and food, camels would be an alternative sustainable solution to these problems", the UNESCO document says.

Saline water use key to greening the region[International Center for Biosaline Agriculture]

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Planting trees in arid regions can be made sustainable by using varieties that can survive with saline water, said the head of a Dubai-based research and development centre.

Fresh water resources are overexploited in much of the developing world and other sources of water must be used to make agricultural expansion possible, according to the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), set up in 1996.

Dr Shawki Barghouti, Director General of ICBA, speaking on forests in arid regions at the Emirates Environment Group (EEG) monthly lecture has highlighted the need to find sustainable solutions for food and fodder demands.

Organic movement slowly catching on in Lebanon[Lebanon]

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Association for Lebanese Organic Agriculture (ALOA) held a conference on organic crops in Lebanon in Sin al-Fil on Thursday, partnering with UCODEP, TerCom, the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari (MAI Bari) and a collection of European NGOs in an effort to integrate institutional and community organic policies and raise general awareness of the field.

The conference, "Organic agriculture in Lebanon: current status and future prospects," addressed the critical state of Lebanon's organic sector.

The organic movement has gained remarkable momentum in Europe and the United States in the last decade, but in Lebanon the sector has become sluggish. "Certified organic foods make up 7 percent of Italian agricultural production, and 10 percent in Switzerland," Andrea Tamburini, the project coordinator for UCODEP, told The Daily Star. "In Lebanon the percentage is 0.2".

"The sector is completely stagnant," he added.

A number of factors have contributed to the relative lack of progress in the Lebanese organic movement. The leading cause maybe the absence of any comprehensive federal legislation or certification bodies. Organizers regularly noted that because there is no national standard many of the foods labeled as organic simply are not.

Lina al-Bitar, an opening speaker and representative of the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies - the parent organization of MAI Bari, said that the organic sector suffered from a "lack of legal infrastructure to frame the subject and push it forward".

The European Union has strict organic regulations. The US also has federal organic standards, though they are less stringent than the EU's. Lebanon has none. There is no universal certification or logo, and therefore no guarantee that products are actually organic. In addition, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are not labeled or restricted in Lebanon.

A draft law, however, is in circulation and advocates expressed hope that it would be passed by May 2008. "Given the current political situation," said Bitar, "we haven't been able to accelerate the process".

The draft law focuses on certification, regulation and import and export standards.

But the lack of legislation is not the only problem facing the organic sector in Lebanon.

Presenters noted that some consumers still associate a kind elitism with organic foods, which tend to be more expensive.

"Honestly, organics is a niche market," said Marco Curzel, the project manager for TerCom, but he added that with organization and education "mature consumers" will recognize the benefits.

It is the farmers, however, that bear the greatest financial risk by choosing to go organic. Turning a farm organic often takes years and a certain amount of capital. And there are no government subsidies for organic farmers in Lebanon, nor is there a collective method for broad distribution. Many organic farmers rely on the aid of NGOs.

The lack of legal framework creates additional risks for the farmers. Farms are often in close proximity to each other in Lebanon, and an organic farm next to a farm that uses pesticides and the like can easily become "polluted".

"There is no strict monitoring, no protections," Tamburini said. Legal cases involving organic farms spoiled by genetically modified seeds or pesticides which spread from neighboring farms have surfaced in the US and Canada.

Bitar added that many "small farmers simple don't have the motivation or know how to go organic".

Nevertheless, there was a spirit of optimism as the conference. An estimated 2500 hectares of Lebanese farmland is organic and the nation boasts more than 330 organic operators, not inconsiderable numbers for a nation this size.

Tamburini said the local climate is perfectly suited for organic farming, and that Lebanese farms could potentially help meet growing global demand for organic products. Scandinavian nations are looking to the Med-iterranean for organic produce he added, citing recent agreements with farmers in Greece.

"The interest, the movement is moving," Bitar said.

KFAED signs financial agriculture agreement with Tunisia[Kuwait]

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Kuwaiti Fund for the Arab Economic Development (KFAED) signed on Thursday a loan agreement with the Tunisian government to finance the construction of 330 kilometers of rural roads costing seven million Kuwaiti Dinars.

The signing ceremony was attended by KFAED's Director General Abdul-Wahab Al-Bader and Tunisian Minister of Development and International Cooperation Mohamed Nouri Jouini.

The construction project aims at connecting Tunisian agriculture production centers and consumer and marketing sites, in addition the project seeks closing nearby areas of the project from being isolated and to ease transportation of agriculture equipments and personnel.

The signing of the project also includes providing safe and secure paths of agriculture networks among 15 Tunisian states.

For his part, the Tunisian Minister said after the ceremony that intentions for joint cooperation between the two countries derive from the importance of activating Arab joint cooperation.

Minister Jouini noted that continuous cooperation with Kuwait in supporting Tunisia in many fields is always welcome, adding that there is trend in the increase of doing mutual business between Tunisia's private sector and Kuwaiti businessmen.

Suitable plants needed to turn desert green[International Center for Biosaline Agriculture]

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The study of the local plant species adapted to the UAE environment is crucial to any plans for establishing green areas in the desert for sustainability or economic benefit, according to the Director-General of the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), UAE.

Speaking at the Emirates Environmental Group community lecture on Tuesday evening, Dr Shawqi M. Barghouti said it was important to establish such areas and ensure the protection of local habitats and achieve a balance with natural areas and developed urban areas.

Public policy on such issues would prevent overgrazing and land and water mismanagement that had occurred in other Middle Eastern countries.

The foresting of arid zones required to take into account the local environment, including the lack of water and need for salt tolerant plants, Barghouti said.

One of the centre’s own projects was for the establishment of a botanical garden for which the species collection had already begun.

Barghouti said the Biosaline centre was already studying 8,000 species and had discovered several trees, shrubs and grasses endemic to the area that were hardy and salt- and drought-tolerant.

He hoped that their research could be put to good use in projects of other agencies and companies.

Barghouti noted that Oman had one per cent forest, marginally more than the UAE, making it an almost “barren region”.

However, he said, the development of forests would prove an asset to the country and help offset its rapid development.

An area the centre was studying was salt tolerant date palms, mainly for their biological significance but an additional benefit of such study was the potential for economic benefit.

“The centre is concentrating on species of biological importance but if we find a species that combines both, then it would be good.

“We can make money out of forests with industrial forests,” he said.

“Our idea of an asset should not just be one big building but two forests".