Twelfth International Dryland Development Conference “Sustainable Development of Drylands in the Post 2015

World” 21-24 August 2016, Alexandria, Egypt

Organised by International Dryland Development Commission

Hosted by Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt

Co-sponsored by ALARI (Ain Shams University, Egypt), ALRC (Japan), ICARDA,

CAREERI (CAS, China), CIHEAM, JICA (JAPAN), JIRCAS (Japan) Supported by

IFAD, FAO, COMSTECH and ECOSF

Program

International Dryland Development Commission August 2016

International Dryland Development Commission

The International Dryland Development Commission (IDDC) is an autonomous nongovernmental nonprofit organization established in 1987 by the individuals and institutions interested in and concerned about the sustainable development of dry areas. It is promoting all aspects of dryland studies by fostering cooperation, collaboration and networking between various international, regional and national organizations. One of the important modus operandi of the networking of IDDC has been to hold a major scientific conference every two to three years to provide opportunity to participants from around the world to exchange research results and experiences in dryland development and combating desertification. In pursuance of this objective the IDDC has organized in the past eleven international conferences held in China (Beijing), Egypt (Alexandria & Cairo), Iran (Tehran), Mexico (Mexico City), USA (Texas), the countries that have large dryland areas.

Twelfth International Dryland Development Conference

“Sustainable Development of Drylands in the Post 2015 World”

21-24 August 2016, Alexandria, Egypt

20 August, Saturday 08:00 – 10:00 Registration (Venue:…………………………………….) 21 August, Sunday 08:00 – 08:30 Registration continued (Venue:……………) 09:00 – 10:00 Inaugural Session

(Venue: A) Chair: Prof. Adel El-Beltagy, Chair IDDC

Welcome – Adel El-Beltagy, IDDC Chair Homage to late Prof. Adli Bishay Statements by Co-sponsors:

• IFAD • FAO - Abdessalam Ould Ahmed, ADG & RR NENA • ALRC, JIRCAS & JICA – Atsushi Tsunekawa, Director ALRC • ICARDA – Mahmoud Solh, Director General • CAS – Wang Tao, President, Lanzhou Branch • ALRARI • ARC

10:00 – 10:30 Group Photograph and Refreshments 11:00 – 13:00 Plenary Session 1

(Venue: A) Co-chairs: Mahmoud Solh and Don Slack

11:00 – 11:30 1. – Adel El-Beltagy 11:30 – 12:00 2. – Abdessalam Ould Ahmed 12:00 – 12:30 3. – Atsushi Tsunekawa 12:30 – 13:00 4. – Wang Tao 13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break 1400 – 1600 Plenary Session 2

(Venue: A) Co-chairs: Adel El-Beltagy and Atsushi Tsunekawa

14:00 – 14:30 1. – Mahmoud Solh 14:30 – 15:00 2. – Raj Paroda

15:00 – 15:30 3. – Kauser Malik 15:30 – 16:00 4. – Don Slack 16:00 – 16:30 Refreshments 16:30 – 18:30 Three Concurrent Sessions 1. Special session: Genomics of Stress Tolerance in plants

(Venue A) Co-chairs: Magdy Madkour & Hisashi Tsujimoto

Six presentations • - Ahmed Bahieldin • - Hala Eissa et al. • - Ramadan et al. (Representor: Sameh E. Hassanein) • - M. A. Teima et al. • - Shireen Assem

2. Special session: Paddy Cultivation in the Dry Areas

(Venue B) Co-chairs: Tsugihiro Watanabe & Waleed Hassan A. El Hassan

Four presentations • - Sadao Nagasaka et al. • - Sucharit Koontanakulvong and Thongplew Kongchan • - Katsuyuki Shimizu et al. • - Waleed Hassan Abou El Hassan et al.

Theme 4. Soil health and land use constraints for agricultural productivity in dry areas and their management.

(Venue C) Co-chairs: (TBD)

Eight presentations • - Abdullah J. Al-Dakheel and Hassan M. El-Shaer • - Safaa S Khedr, A.S. Sheta and A. El-Beltagy • - Patrick A. Ooro, Joyce Malinga and Rhoda Birech • - P. Kathuli et al. • - A.S. Sheta et al. • - Nagwan M. Afify et al. • - Ashraf El-Sadek et al. • - Ahmed Rafea et al.

19:30 – 21:30 Conference Gala Dinner

22 August, Monday Poster Display open from 08:00 to 18:30 (Venue:…… ) 08:30 – 10:30 Plenary Session 3

(Venue: A) Co-chairs: (TBD)

08:30 – 09:00 1. – Manzoor Hussain Soomro 09:00 – 09:30 2. – Theib Oweis 09:30 – 10:00 3. – Ch. Srinivas Rao 10:00 – 10:30 4. – Mouin Hamze 10:30 – 11:00 Refreshments 11:00 – 13:00 Plenary Session 4

(Venue: A) Co-chairs: (TBD)

11:00 – 11:25 1. – Ibahim Abouleish 11:25 – 11:50 2. – Marie Haga 11:50 – 12:15 3. – Hisashi Tsujimoto 12:15 – 12:40 4. – Tsugihiro Watanabe 12:40 – 13:05 5. – Willie Erskine 13:05– 14:00 Lunch Break 14:00 – 16:00 Plenary Session 5

(Venue: A) Co-chairs: (TBD)

14:00 – 14:25 1. –Victor Squires 14:25 – 14:50 2. – Dzamin Akimaliev 14:50 – 15:15 3. – Pasquale Steduto 15:15 – 15:50 4. – Hassan Rateb 15:50 – 16:15 5. – Taher A. Salaheldin 16:15 – 16:30 Refreshments 16:30 – 19:30 Special Session: Restoration of Degraded Dry Ecosystems:

beyond conventional approaches (Venue: A)

Conveners: ICARDA and IPDRE Co-chairs: M.B. Solh & Atsushi Tsunekawa

1. Introduction - Theib Y. Oweis 2. Panel Discussion: Panelists

Adel El Beltagy, Mahmoud Solh, Victor Squares, Pasquale Steduto, Atsushi Tsunekawa

3. Six presentations: • Wang Tao • Aden Aw-Hassan et al. • T. Taniguchi and N. Yamanaka • V. Nangia and K. Clifton • S. Otani et al. • T. Oweis

Poster Display open from 10:00 to 18:30 (Venue:…… )

23 August, Tuesday Poster Display open from 08:00 to 18:30 (Venue:…… ) 08:30 – 11:00 Three Concurrent Sessions

Theme 1. Application of new technologies for the improvement of stress (drought, heat, cold and salinity) resistance of crops for dry areas

(Venue A) Co-chairs: Magdy Madkour & (TBD)

Nine (6+3) Presentations • - W. Tadesse et al. • - Awad Ahmed Elawad Elbashir et al. • - Yasir Yasir S. A. Gorafi and Hisashi Tsujimoto • - Murenga Mwimali et al. • - I. Shawky et al. • - A.Z. Bondok et al • - R.M. Gomaa et al. • - Mohamed M.S. Soliman & K.I. Khalifa • - Sami Reda Sabry

Theme 2. Sustainable management of scarce water resources

(Venue B) Co-chairs: (TBD)

Nine (6+3) Presentations • - Mohamed Ouessar and Houcine Khatteli • - Abdel-Ghany M. El-Gindy • - Fraj Chemak et al. • - Hossein Dehghanisanij et al. • - Amir Nourjou et al. • - Fereshteh Batoukhteh and Hossein Dehghanisanij • - Hiroshi Yasuda et al. • - Xin-ping Wang et al. • - Waleed Khalid Zubari

Theme 8 (I): Arid lands communities, their indigenous knowledge and heritage, and socio-economic studies

(Venue A) Co-chairs: (TBD)

Six Presentations • Haiying FENG • Hamed El-Mously • P.N. Katiku et al. • Salah A. Tahoun et al. • Sherine Mansour and H.M. El-Shaer • Ahmed M. Diab and Hend M. Diab

11:00 – 11:30 Refreshments 11:30 – 13:00 Plenary Session 6

(Venue: A) Co-chairs: (TBD)

• Ismail Abdel Galil • Mohamed Adel El-Ghandour • Zaved Rizvi • Bandi Venkateswarlu

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break 14:00 – 16:00 Three Concurrent Sessions

Theme 3: Agronomic and crop improvement interventions for sustainably enhancing agricultural productivity of small-holder farmers in dry areas

(Venue: C) Co-chairs: A. M. El-Gindy & (TBD) Seven (6+1) Presentations

• Yashpal Singh Saharawat • Hamdino M. I. Ahmed et al. • Hassan Abd El Baki et al. • Boujnah Dalenda et al. • Seham M.A. El-Gamal and Hamdino M. I. Ahmed • Neveen. E. Metwally et al. • Seif El Deen Sari EL Deen

Theme 7: Sustainable management of productivity of rangeland and livestock in dry areas

(Venue: B) Co-chairs: Adel Aboul-naga & PK Ghosh Seven Presentations

• A.M. Aboul-Naga et al. • H.S. Khafaga et al. • Nobuyuki Kobayashi et al. • P.K. Ghosh et al. • Mona A. Osman et al. • E.S. Abdel-Aal et al. • Abdel Nabi Fardous

Theme 8 (II): Arid lands communities, their indigenous knowledge and heritage, and socio-economic studies

(Venue A) Co-chairs: H.M. El-Shaer & Mohamed H.A. Nawar

Five Presentations • Ahmed Abdellatif Elkhouly • Amr Radwan et al. • Wael Rafea • Waheed Mogahed • Mohamed S.M. Soliman and Rehab A.M. Abd-Elrahman

16:00 – 16:30 Refreshments 16:30 – 18:00 Three Concurrent Session 16:30 – 18:00 Theme 5. Soil erosion and desertification processes and control

(Venue c) Co-chairs: Wang Tao & (TBD)

Six Presentations • - Yasunori Kurosaki et al. • - Xueqin Wang et al. • - Xian Xue et al. • - Nigusse Haregeweyn et al. • - Takeshi Taniguchi • - Kazunari Onishi et al.

16:30 – 17:15 Theme 6: Biodiversity conservation

(Venue B) Co-chairs: Javed Rizvi & (TBD)

Three Presentations • Mohamed A. Balah • Qi Feng and Zhang Fupi • S.S. Pourdad

17:15 – 18:00 Theme 9: Renewable energy

(Venue B) Co-chairs: A. Mobark & (TBD)

Three Presentations • Safaa A. Ghorab and Fujimaki Haruyuki • Hosam A. Shawky et al. • Dalia E. Abo Zaid

16:30 – 18:00 Theme 8 (III): Arid lands communities, their indigenous knowledge and heritage, and socio-economic studies

(Venue A) Co-chairs: Mohammed Hamdy Salem & TBD

Seven Presentations • Ibrahim Siddik • Mohamed H.A. Nawar • Dalia Yassin, Rania Naguib and Sahar Ahmed • Xiaoju Yang, Fasi Wu and Wanfu Wang • Shinji Otani et al. • Mohamed M. Hassona • Mohammed Hamdy Salem

24 August, Wednesday 09:00 – 11:00 Panel Discussions Role of private sector in sustainable development in dry areas

(Venue: A) Panel Chair: Panel Members (8 persons)

11:00 – 12:30 Concluding Session

(Venue A) Chair: Adel El-Beltagy

Special Guest: Ismail Serageldin

• Recommendations: Mohan Saxena • Vote of Thanks

12:30 – 01:00 Refreshments 01:00 – 18:30 Field Visit

International Scientific Committee Chair: Prof. Dr. Adel El-Beltagy, Chair of IDDC; Professor, Arid Land Agricultural

Graduate Studies and Research Institute (ALARI), Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. Former chairman of Global Forum of Agricultural Research (GFAR). Chair of Food and Agricultural Council, Egyptian Academy of Science, Egypt.

Members:

Dr. Zafar Adeel, Director, United Nations University - Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), Hamilton, Canada Prof. Dr. Ayman Abou-Hadid, Professor, the Arid Land Agricultural Graduate Studies & Research Institute (ALARI), Ain Shams University, Egypt Dr. Mahmoud El-Solh, Director General, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Beirut, Lebanon Prof. Dr. Magdy Madkour, Professor, The Arid Land Agricultural Graduate Studies & Research Institute (ALARI), Ain Shams University, Egypt Prof. Dr. Kauser Malik, Professor (Biotechnology), Dean Postgraduate Studies, Director, Research, Innovation & Commercialization (ORIC) Chartered University, Lahore Prof. Dr. Wang Tao, President, Lanzhou Branch of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China

Prof. Dr. Atsushi Tsunekawa, Director, ALRC, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan

Prof. Dr. Tsugihiro Watanabe, Professor Regional Planning, Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

Prof. Dr. Mohan Saxena, Executive Secretary, IDDC, India

12th International Conference on Drylands Development, August 21 – 24, 2016, Alexandria, Egypt

Keynotes / lead presentation Short Bio

Dr. ABOULEISH, Ibrahim

Ibrahim Abouleish (born 1937 in Egypt) began his chemistry and medicine studies at the age of 19 in Austria. He did his doctorate in 1969 in the field of pharmacology and then worked in leading positions within pharmaceutical research. During this time he was granted patents for a number of new medicines, especially for osteoporosis and arteriosclerosis. During a visit to Egypt in 1975 he was caught by the deplorable economic and social conditions of his country of origin. In 1977 he returned to Egypt and founded the

comprehensive development initiative SEKEM.

SEKEM developed as the first entity using biodynamic farming methods in Egypt. The organization has grown a lot from the beginning of the 1990s and is meanwhile the market leader for organic products and crop remedies. The organizations' commitment regarding innovative development has led to a widespread use of biodynamic methods in pest control and to the improvement of yields. They were one of the first to establish organic and biodynamic methods for growing cotton. SEKEM is formed by three closely interrelated entities: The SEKEM Holding Company comprising eight companies and multiple project-based initiatives, and the Egyptian SEKEM Development Foundation (SDF), responsible for all cultural aspects, and the Cooperative of SEKEM Employees (CSE), responsible for human resource development. Working together, they have created a modern corporation based on innovative agricultural products and a responsibility towards society and environmental sustainability.

In 2003, Ibrahim Abouleish and SEKEM received the Right Livelihood Award for integrating the commercial success with promotion of the social and cultural development of society. He was selected as an "Outstanding Social Entrepreneur" by the Schwab Foundation in 2004. In 2006 he was appointed as a councillor at the World Future Council.

He believe that it is possible to derive guiding principles for everything from pedagogics, to the arts, to economics from Islam. He received an honorary degree of the University of Graz in 2010. In 2012, Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish was appointed an Oslo Business for Peace Honouree, receiving his award at Oslo City Hall, from The Business for Peace Foundation.

He co-founded the non-profit “Heliopolis University” offering undergraduate degrees in science and technology and the arts. In its first year, some 70 students were studying at faculties such as Pharmacy, Engineering and Economics - all with a strong emphasis on sustainability. In 2013 he received the Global Thinkers Forum 2013 Award for Excellence in Positive Change.

Prof. Dr. ABDEL GALIL, Ismail Hussein

Professor Ismail Abdel Galil Hussein, is the former chairman of Desert Research Center (DRC) and former Head of the Agricultural Office at the Embassy of Egypt in Washington/USA.He obtained a Ph.D in pomology in 1985 within a collaborative reseach programme between the unversities of Cairo and Hannover/Germany. For two years he was a visting scientist on on-farm water management at the University of Arizona and the University of Texas A&M. He was the national focal point for

Egypt from 2003-2012 to the secretariat of the United Nation Convention to Combat

Desertification (UNCCD) and he served as the chair of the Committe of the Whole (COW) at COP9 in Buenos Aires (2009).To provide expertise in the implementation efforts of UNCCD,he established the Egyptian Observatory at DRC to build capacity, a database and information to help combat desrtification in Egypt and Africa.

With over thirty years of experience he provided technical assistance for international institutions ( FAO, World Bank,ICARDA,ACSAD,ISESCO,Bioversity International,Arab Organization for Agricultural Development and Arab Water Council) and national organization in areas of land reclamation ,combating desertification ,ecosystem services mangment for sustainble development ,dry farming, water management, agro meteorology and seed banking.

He has significantly participated in enhancing various agricultural mega projects in Sinai ,Tushka, and Western desert of Egypt. In addition Dr. Galil took different initiatives where he has successfully founded the Egyptian Desert Gene Bank (1996-2000) which is selected by Bioversity International ( IPGRI previously) to be the Center of excellence for CWANA for its efficient operational system reflecting the state of the art technology in seed banking.

Dr.Galil experience, capabilities, and multi-langual ability ( arabic,English,German ) allowed him to effectively participate in number of international conferences and officially represent the Ministry of Agriculture and Land reclamation (MALR) in many regional and international events. In appreciation for the efforts made over two decades to develop agriculture in the Egyptian deserts, Dr. Galil was awarded the Honored silver medal of FAO World Food Day (October 2003) and nominated as the guardian of diversity in the Mediterranian on Biodiversity World Day (2009).

DZHAMIN Akimaliev, Academician

Academician Dzhamin Akimaliev was born on May 5, 1936 in the Naryn region of the Kyrgyz Republic. In 1956 I have graduated from the Kyrgyz agricultural institute, specialty – the scientific agronomist. In 1962-1963 I worked as the deputy director for science of the Kyrgyz research institute of agriculture, and in 1963-1968 – the director of the Kyrgyz experimental selection station of sugar beet. In 1968 has been appointed the First Deputy

Minister of Agriculture of the Kyrgyz Republic where has worked till 1971. In 1971 – 1979, I worked as the head of Sokuluksky regional public administration, and in in 1979-1986 – the Rector of the Kyrgyz higher educational institution on agriculture. In 1987 - 1990 – the director Kyrgyz scientifically – research institute of soil science, in 1990 - 1992 – the chairman of the Kyrgyz office of Agricultural academy of the Soviet Union. In 1992 - 1996 – general director of the Kyrgyz scientific and production association on agriculture. From 1996 to 2002 worked as the President of the Kyrgyz agrarian academy and since 2002 till present – general director of the Kyrgyz research institute of agriculture.

Dzhamin Akimaliev has published 240 scientific works, including 18 monographs. For big scientific achievements in 1976 to him the rank of the Winner of the State award of the Kyrgyz Republic has been given. In 1981 I became the doctor of agricultural sciences, and in 1982 – professor of the specialties "Plant Growing", "Soil Science" and " Agriculture". In 1991 it is elected the academician of Agricultural academy of the Soviet Union, and in 1993 – the

academician of National academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic. From 1967 to 2000 it was elected the deputy of National Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic. In 2010-2012 Dzhamin Akimaliev was the Chairman of Association of research agricultural institutes of the countries of Central Asia and Caucasus. Actively cooperates with IDDC and with many International Agricultural Scientific centers.

Prof. Dr. EL-BELTAGY, Adel Prof. Dr. Adel El-Beltagy is currently Chair of the International Dryland Development Commission (IDDC), Professor, Arid Land Agricultural Graduate Studies & Research Institute (ALARI), Ain Shams University, Egypt. Board member, the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Chair, the Food and Agricultural Research Council, Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology.

Former Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, President of the Governing Board of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), Member of the Advisory Board of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

Prof. El-Beltagy has also served as Vice Chair/Member of the board, the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT) (2007-2011), Member, the CGIAR change steering team (2007-2008), Council member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (2006- 2011), Chair, the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) (2006-2010), Member, the FAO High-Level Committee addressing the implementation of the UN millennium development goals (MDGs) (2006-2011), Board Member, the UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Board (2004-2005), Director General, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) (1995-2006), He is Foreign member of national Academy of sciences, 1999, Russia & Georgia, 2001, Kyrgyzstan, 2002, Tajikistan, 2004, Azerbaijan, 2006, Kazakhstan. Chairman, the Scientific/Technical Council of the Int'l Sahara and Sahel Observatory (SSO) (1993-2002).

He received numerous honors and awards including: 2015, Golden Medal of CIHEAM, 2014, Commander of the Order of Agricultural Merit, (France) in recognition to his efforts in the Int'l Agriculture Development, particularly in the Mediterranean countries, 2009, The Sultan Qaboos 'First Class' Order for Culture, Sciences and Arts for his contribution to the development of agriculture in the dry areas, 2005, Al-Istiklal Medal by His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein of Jordan, 1993, Fellow of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, U.K., and 1982, Golden Pen of the International Society for Horticultural Science.

He has authored/co-authored more than 180 scientific publications. Home page: www.adelelbeltagy.org

Dr. EL-SOLH, Mahmoud Dr Mahmoud El Solh holds a PhD in Genetics from the University of California, Davis, USA; and has more than 35 years’ experience international agriculture research and development in developing countries particularly in dry areas. He started his professional career at the Arid Land Agriculture Development (ALAD) Program of the Ford Foundation for the Near East starting in 1972, He joined the American University of Beirut as Prof. of Plant Breeding and Genetics, 1980 –

1986. He joined ICARDA in different capacities as Lentil Breeder (1978 – 79); as Food Legume Breeder for North Africa (1986-1989); as Regional Program Coordinator for Nile Valley and Red Sea Region, as Assistant Director General for International Cooperation (1997 – 2002. He joined FAO as the Director of Plant Production and Protection Division (2002 – 2006) and currently as Director General of ICARDA since May 2006 to date. He has in-depth knowledge of the needs and aspirations of the national agricultural research and development systems in non-tropical dry Ares particularly in West, Central and South Asia and North and Easter Africa regions. He has rich experience in donor relations and fund raising. Throughout his career his activities have focused on contributing to food security, alleviating poverty, conserving natural resources and developing sustainable agricultural research systems; planning, implementation, and evaluation of agricultural research projects for research and development. He was involved in institutional and human resource capacity development; and promoting north-south and south-south cooperation. Dr. El Solh is the author of more than 120 publications/papers and articles including books and chapters of books. His contribution to agricultural research and development has been recognized through several prestigious awards and honors, last of which include: a) Award of Distinction, 2011, University of California, Davis, USA; b) Honorary Doctors degree by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 2012, Sweden; c) Life Time Achievement Award” from the International Commission of Dryland Development (IDDC), March 2013; d) Innovation Prize, Gregor Mendel Foundation, 2015, Germany; and f) FAO Live Time Achievement Medal, FAO, 2016; and Khalifa Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovations, March 2016, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

Prof. Dr. ERSKINE, William William Erskine is Director of the Centre for Plant Genetics and Breeding (PGB) at The University of Western Australia. He currently leads the major ‘Seeds of Life’ project in Timor Leste funded by the Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR) and DFAT, and an ACIAR project on legume intensification in rice systems

in Bangladesh. He is also involved in a Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) project on the pre-breeding of the pasture subterranean clover, which includes its recent sequencing. He was at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) in Syria as Assistant Director General (Research) from 2001-2007, Leader of the Germplasm Improvement Program (1998-2001), and Lentil Breeder from 1980 for 18 years. Scottish born, William completed a BA (University of Cambridge) in 1973, a MAg in 1976 in Papua New Guinea, and a PhD from Cambridge in 1979.

Dr. GHANDOUR, Mohamed Adel Dr. Ghandour the plant physiologist with experience in horticulture post harvest physiology. He joined the horticulture department, ministry of agriculture, from October 1961 until December 1969. He worked in transferring modern agro management techniques in horticulture crops. He continued his work in agricultural research center until 1974 where he joined “C E N T E C H” and established its Agriculture Department.

He has long experience in modernization of nurseries for the production of ornamental plants from indoor and outdoor as well as fruit trees in Egypt.

His work in the field of modernization of seed production, fertilization, new modern irrigation systems and fertigation, agrochemical and agriculture machinery specially for new reclaimed land in Egypt. A major consultant for land reclamation project for horticulture exportation in Egypt. Coordinator for Ornamental and cutflowers, export promotion of agriculture commodity council, Ministry of Foreign Trade. Member of several societies i.e. International Plant Propagators Society; Poinsettia growers Association; and Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research Private Sector Committee (CGIAR - PSC). Chairman of FEDA, Friends of Environment and Development Association.

HAGA, Marie

Executive Director,�Global Crop Diversity Trust

Marie Haga joined the Global Crop Diversity Trust as Executive Director in March 2013. She had previously been member and Deputy Chair of the Global Crop Diversity Trust Executive Board. Ms. Haga has a background from Foreign Service as a career diplomat, from politics and private sector. She has held various positions in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign

Affaires including to the Norwegian Mission to the United Nations in New York and the Embassy in New Delhi. She was politically appointed and held the position as State Secretary/Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affaires 1997-1999.

Ms. Haga has wide experience from politics and served as a Member of Parliament in Norway from 2001-2009. She was political advisor to the Minister for Development Cooperation from 1997-1998. She was Chairperson of the Centre Party from 2003- 2008. Ms. Haga has held three Ministerial positions: Minister of Cultural Affairs (1999- 2000), Minister of Local Government and Regional Development (2005-2007) and Minister of Petroleum and Energy (2007-2008).

Marie Haga has held the position as Director for Renewable Energy in the Federation of Norwegian Industries (2009-2011) and as Secretary General of the Norwegian Air Ambulance (2011-2013) - the biggest voluntary organization in Norway.

Ms. Haga has been on several boards, including as Chair of the Governing Board of the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) (2009-2013) and Chair of the Governing Board of the Industrial Development Corporation of Norway (2010-2013). She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Regional Environmental Center (REC).

Marie Haga has also published three books - one novel and two on Norwegian politics.

Dr. MALIK, Kauser Abdulla

Dr. Kauser Abdulla Malik is a Distinguished National Professor of Biotechnology, presently leading Biotechnology Program at Forman Christian College (a Chartered University), Lahore. His main area of research has been Biosaline Agriculture, Osmoregulations, Plant-microbe

interactions, plant biotechnology and soil microbial diversity Recently his group was successful in developing biofortified wheat with increased bioavailability of Fe and Zn.

Dr Kauser Malik has been founding Director General of the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad. He is former Chairman of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) (198-2001); Member, (Bio-Sciences) of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PEAC) (2001-2006); and Member (Food & Agriculture) of Planning Commission of Pakistan (2006-2008). He has been bestowed three civil awards by the Presidents of Pakistan, namely Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, 1988; Sitara-e-Imtaz,1998.; Hilal-e-Imtiaz, 2004 for his services to science. He is a fellow of Pakistan Academy of Sciences (PAS) and the The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).

Mr. OULD, Abdessalam Ahmed MS

Mr. Ould Ahmed MS, a national of Mauritania, holds a B.A. in Economics from the Faculty of Law and Economic Sciences, Tunis, a D.E.A. in Economic Sciences (Development Economics) from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, France, and an International Degree in Public Administration from the National School of Administration (ENA), Paris, France.

Mr. Ould Ahmed MS started his professional career in 1985 with the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Mauritania. He occupied several important official positions in Mauritania where he served successively as Director of planning, Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister, Minister of Fisheries and high commissioner for human rights and poverty alleviation, a position he held until 2001. From 2001 to 2003, he worked as international consultant on Development issues.

Mr. Ould Ahmed MS joined FAO in 2003. He served successively as FAO Representative in Lebanon, Togo, Egypt and as Director of the FAO Liaison Office with the

United Nations in Geneva. Since October 2012 he has served as Assistant-Director General & Regional Representative for the Regional Office for the Near East.

Dr. OWEIS, Theib Y.

Currently a Distinguished Guest Professor at the International Platform for Dryland research and Education (IPDRE) of Tottori University in Japan. Formerly, the director of the Integrated Water and Land Management Program at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). Since 1991, worked for ICARDA in several capacities as

scientist, principal scientist, research team leader and research manager. Earlier, worked for the University of Jordan, in Amman, as an assistant professor in irrigation and drainage engineering and in the 70’s worked for Dar Alhandash Consultants (Shaer and Partners) as a field irrigation engineer in south Yemen. Received a BSc. degree in agriculture from Aleppo University in Syria in 1968-1972 and MSc and PhD degrees in agricultural and irrigation engineering from Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA in 1978-1983.

Has over 40 years of experience in international research and education, development and human capacity building and in the management of water for agriculture in the dry areas. Author of over 200 refereed journal publications, books/book chapters and conference proceedings in the areas of water use efficiency, supplemental irrigation, water harvesting, water productivity, deficit irrigation, salinity and the management of scarce water resources.

Dr. PARODA, Rajendra S.

Dr. Raj Paroda, former Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) & Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Government of India, is an accomplished plant breeder and geneticist by profession and an able research administrator. He has made significant contributions in the field of crop science research. He is known for modernization and strengthening hof the national agricultural research system (NARS) in

India as well as in Central Asia and the Caucasus. He has the unique distinction of being the main architect of one of the world’s largest and most modern National Gene Bank in New Delhi.

He has received numerous awards and recognition, including Padma Bhushan, had been the founder chairman of Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR). He was President of the Indian Science Congress in 2001, President of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and many scientific societies in agriculture. Fifteen universities have awarded him D.Sc. (Honoris Causa) degree including Ohio State University and Indian Agricultural Research Institute. He is fellow of all scientific Academies in India, besides Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), American Society of Agronomy, American Society of Crop Science and Agriculture Academies of Russia, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. He has also served on

the Board/Management committees of various international organizations such as ACIAR, CABI, IRRI, WMO, CGIAR Fund Council and was Chairman of ICRISAT Board of Trustees.

He also served for more than two decades as Executive Secretary of a vibrant regional organization: Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI). Till recently, Dr Paroda worked for the overall benefit of farmers as Chairman, Farmers Commission of Haryana, Chairman of Working Group on Agriculture and member of Rajasthan Planning Board. Currently, he is Chairman, Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS).

Dr. RATEB, Hassan Dr. Hassan Rateb holds a PhD in Political Science from Kensington university in California, USA and a Bachelors in Commerce from Cairo university. Dr. Rateb is one of the few self made business tycoons in the MENA region. His business ventures started in Saudi Arabia and moved to Egypt and specifically the Sinai peninsula after its full liberation in 1982.His investments in Sinai encompasses wide range of multi- sectors like cement industry, tourism, mining and education. His contribution to society has earned him a recognizable relation with the local communities in the peninsula who like to call him "Sinai lover".

Dr. Rateb is actively contributing in the co-operative movement in Egypt as a sponsor and recently as chair of the board of Higher Institute for Collaborative Studies and administrative. Meantime, Dr.Rateb is currently chairman of the Board of Trustees, Sinai University, chairman of Al Mehwar Satellite Channels, chairman of Sinai Cement Company, chairman of Sama El Qahera, Chairman of Sama Misr for Investment, chairman of Sama Sinai for Investment, chairman of Egyptian Co. for Tourist & Leisure Projects (TULIP),chairman of Sama International Co. for Tourism and chairman of Sama Int. Co. for Constructing Development. As part of his social responsibility. Dr.Rateb has been discretely funding some civil society organizations for charity and generously sponsoring small business for youth . His published books are mostly focusing on Sinai issues as "Sinai Egypt’s Gate to the 21st Century", Summary Analysis of the Economic summit, Sinai. Holy Prophecies. Man &the Future, Sinai War & Peace and the Middle Eastern Market, Peace & Conflict over water in the Middle East, Viewpoints and Visions on Sinai National Development Project, Sinai Dialogues, Sinai the Heart pulse of Egypt and Mohager Ela Al-Sharq (Immigrant to the East) –in progress

Dr. SAXENA, Mohan C.

Dr. Saxena was born on 22 January 1938 in Dholpur, Rajasthan. His early education occurred in Dholpur, Rajasthan, college education at the Balwant Rajput College, Agra, where he studied from 1953 to 1959, to earn a B.Sc. (Ag) and M.Sc. (Agronomy) degrees, and his Ph.D. research studies in soil and water management at the Post Graduate School of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, from 1959 to 1962. He

also earned a Doctor of Science degree in Plant Nutrition in 1965 from the Institute of Plant Nutrition of the Hohenheim University, Stuttgart, Germany.

Dr. Saxena joined in 1965 the Division of Agronomy of IARI, New Delhi as a Pool Office of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. In mid 1966 he joined the Radionucleid Transfer Section of the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) in Bombay as Scientific Officer. The Gobind Ballabh Plant University of Science and Technology (GBPUAT), Pantnagar appointed him as Associate Professor of Agronomy in the College of Agriculture in October 1966, where he served in that capacity till 1972, and as Professor of Agronomy thereafter, and additionally as Director of Experimental Station of GBPUAT till 1976. He joined the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Syria in October 1977 as Crop Physiologist and Agronomist in the Food Legume Improvement Program. He was the Leader of the Food Legume Program from 1981-1993, the Leader of the Germplasm Improvement Program from1993 to 1995, the Assistant Director General - Research from 1995 to 1997 and the Assistant Director General - At Large from 1997 to 2006. He was a Visiting Professor in Eco-physiology at the Arid Land Research Center of the Tottori University, Japan, in 2007 and 2008. He is currently a Senior Advisor to the Director General of ICARDA.

Dr. Saxena is a member of the Indian Society of Agronomy, Indian Society of Nuclear Techniques in Biology and Agriculture, American Society of Agronomy and founding member of the International Food Legume Research Conference (IFLRC) and he is current Executive Secretary of the International Commission on Dryland Development. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences of India. He has served on the Board of Center for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA), Australia, and has been on the Editorial Board of several international journals publishing research on pulses. He has published more than 150 research articles on different aspects of pulses, soybeans, and dryland management, several book chapters and books dealing with warm and cool-season pulse crops. His research on pulses has been recognized through several awards and three honorary degrees of Doctor of Science bestowed by the Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, India; the Vallabha Bhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, India; and Gobind Ballabh Plant University of Science and Technology (GBPUAT), Pantnagar.

Dr. SERAGELDIN, Ismail

Dr. Ismail Serageldin is the Founding Director of the Library of Alexandria in Egypt and also chairs the Board of Directors for each of the library’s affiliated research institutes and museums. He is advisor to the Egyptian Prime Minister in matters concerning culture, science, and museums. He has been Distinguished Professor at the College de France in Paris (2010-2011) Vice-President of the World Bank (1993-

2000), and has received the Public Welfare Medal of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), as well as the Legion d’Honneur (France) and the Order of the Rising Sun (Japan). He is a member of many academies, and has received over 34 honorary doctorates. Mr. Serageldin serves as Chair and Member of a number of advisory committees for academic, research, scientific and international institutions and civil society efforts, including as co-Chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), and serves on the Advisory Committee of the World Social Science Report for 2013 and 2016, as well as the UNESCO-supported World Water Scenarios (2013) and the executive council of the Encyclopedia of Life (2010) and Chairs the Executive Council of the World Digital Library (2010).

He also co-chaired the African Union’s high level panel for Biotechnology (2006) and again for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in 2012-2013, and was a member of the ICANN Panel for the review of the internet future (2013). He lectures and publishes widely.

Dr. SLACK, Donald C. Dr. Donald C. Slack is Professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and Professor of Watershed Management and Eco-Hydrology at the University of Arizona. He is also the Cecil H. Miller, Jr. and Cecil H. Miller, Sr. Families Dean’s Chair for Excellence in Agriculture and Life Sciences. He was Head of the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering from 1991-2009 and 2012-2014. He is a professional engineer with expertise

in on-farm irrigation management, irrigation system design and management and project design. He also has expertise and experience in watershed management and erosion control engineering. Dr. Slack obtained his Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

He served (1970-1973) as the Engineering Advisor for a team developing an agricultural research station in Northeast Thailand (a USAID-funded project). He also taught in the Agricultural Engineering Department at Khon Kaen University. In 2010, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering in Agricultural Engineering by Khon Kaen University (KKU) in recognition of his role as a founding member of the Agricultural Engineering Faculty at KKU in the early 1970’s.

As Deputy Program Manager for Research for the Irrigation Support Project for Asia and the Near East (1987-1992), he participated in projects in India, Nepal, Thailand and Morocco. From 1996-2001 he served on the International Advisory Panel for the Matrouh Resources Management Project in Egypt. He was co-project leader of the Moroccan Pilot Watershed Management project (1996-2000). He has also worked in Mexico, Brazil, Jordan, Tunisia, Chile, Malawi, Mauritania and Cape Verde.

Dr. Slack served as co-Principle Investigator for the USAID sponsored projects, “Maximizing Water and Nutrient Use Efficiency in the Agro management of Arid Zone Sandy Soils” (1992-1995) and “Irrigation Technologies for Maximizing Water Use Efficiency of Field Crops under Drought and Salinity Conditions in Arid Zone Soils” (1997-2001). These projects were collaborative projects with Ain Shams University.

In 2005, he served as Team Chair for the Review of the Natural Resources Management Program of the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) in Aleppo, Syria.

Dr. Slack has published over 185 papers and articles including 58 refereed journal articles.

Prof. Dr. SOOMRO, Manzoor Hussain Prof. Dr. Manzoor Hussain Soomro is the Founder President of ECO Science Foundation (ECOSF)- a Specialized Agency of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) since Dec 2011. He is Gold Medalist of Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam- Pakistan from where he did his B.Sc. (Hons) and M.Sc. (Hons) in Agriculture and won Presidential Quaid-i-Azam Scholarship for PhD. He did Ph.D. in Crop Protection from the

University of Reading- England in 1987 with UK's ORS Award for 3 consecutive years. He is member of Governing Board of the International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation under the auspices of UNESCO (ISTIC), Kuala Lumpur- Malaysia, member of Global Council of the Inter-Academy Partnership Science Education Programme (IAP SEP) and founding member of the Asian Science, Technology and Innovation Think Tanks Network (ASTN) established in 2015 at Seoul, South Korea.

Dr. Soomro has an excellent professional career of over 35 years as researcher, manager, leader & science educator. He has served Univ. of Reading- England, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), FAO of United Nations, Sindh Agric. Univ. Tandojam. He has been Director General of Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH), Pakistan Scientific and Technological Information Centre (PASTIC) and finally, the Chairman/CEO of Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF). For PSF, he developed collaborative programs with China, France, Iran, Germany, Turkey, UK, USA, UNESCO and the ECO member states. Due to his strenuous efforts, the “ECO Science Foundation" was established in Pakistan in 2011, of which, he was subsequently appointed as the Founder President.

Dr. Soomro is proponent of Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE) across the educational system especially at schools, and promotes science education at grass root levels not only in the ECO region, but also at global forums. He launched IBSE in Pakistan in 2010 & Travelling Science Expositions in collaboration with French Institutions. In recognition of his contributions for promotion of science education in Pakistan and cooperation with France, the French Republic bestowed upon him their erstwhile Civil Award “Order of Academic Palms” and appointed him as "Officier" in 2013. The award was originally instituted in 1808 by Napoleon Bonaparte. It is in recognition of his contributions for promotion of science, technology and education in Pakistan, that the University of Sindh of awarded him a Gold Medal in Dec 2013.

He so far has to his credit, 6 industrial patents, 9 gene sequences, numerous science documentaries and 189 publications of various nature, including; books & book chapters being taught in the Agri. universities of Pakistan.

Website: www.eco4science.org

Dr. SQUIRES, Victor R.

Dr Victor Squires is an Australian who as young man studied Geography and Botany/Ecology. He has a PhD in Rangeland Science from Utah State University, USA. He is former Dean of the Faculty of Natural Resource Management at the University of Adelaide, where he worked for 15 years

Australia after a 22 year career in Australia’s CSIRO. He was Foundation Director of the National Key Center for Dryland Agriculture and Land Use Systems and is author/editor of 11 books including “Halophytes as resource for livestock and for rehabilitation of Degraded lands”, “Towards Sustainable Use of Rangelands in NW China”; “Degradation and Recovery in China’s Pastoral Lands” “Combating Desertification in Asia, Africa and the Middle East: Proven Practices”; “Halophytic and salt tolerant feedstuffs: Impacts on Nutrition, Physiology and Reproduction of Livestock” and numerous research papers on aspects of range/livestock relations. Since retirement from the University of Adelaide Dr Squires was a Visiting Fellow in the East West Center, Hawaii, and is currently an Adjunct Professor in several Universities in USA and China. He has been a consultant to World Bank, Asian Development and various UN agencies in Africa, China, Central Asia and the Middle East. He was GEF Advisor on a World Bank pastoral development project in NW China in 2006-2007 and consultant to ADB/GEF in Tajikistan.

He was awarded the 2008 International Award and Gold Medal for International Science and Technology Cooperation by the Government of China and in 2011 was awarded the Friendship Award by the government of China. The Gold Medal is the highest award for foreigners. In 2015 Dr Squires was honoured by the Society for Range Management (USA) with an Outstanding Achievement Award.

Dr. SRINIVASA Rao, Cherukumalli

Cherukumalli Srinivasa Rao, Director, CRIDA, Hyderabad Dr. Srinivasa Rao, Cherukumalli, working as Director, Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad, India, did M.Sc (Agri) from Agricultural College, Bapatla, Ph.D in Soil Science from Indian Agriculture Research institute (IARI), New Delhi, working

experience of 25 years in the fields of soil carbon sequestration, climate change, agriculture contingency planning, climate resilient villages, participatory soil health management, development of resilient indicators. Worked extensively in rainfed-dryland production systems of India, carbon sequestration potential, and critical carbon inputs for maintenance of soil organic carbon at antecedent level under different cropping systems. Various soil health improved strategies were demonstrated in large number of farmers’ fields in several agro-ecosystems.

Contributed in development of climate resilient model villages across the country in about 150 villages including rain water management such as in-situ and farm pond technologies, efficient irrigation systems, integration models of NRM technologies with stress tolerant crop cultivars, crop diversification, integrated farming system models, intercrops, establishment of custom hiring centre’s of farm implements, Institutions like Village Climate Risk Management Committee (VCRMC), Village seed banks, village level carbon balance with implementation of various climate resilient interventions.

Development of agriculture contingency plans for 614 districts of India was done in association with national agriculture systems, agriculture knowledge centre’s, agriculture department, updating these plans, sensitization by organizing state level and regional interface meetings for enhanced preparedness to manage climate variability and extreme climatic events such as droughts (early, mid-season and terminal droughts), floods, cyclone, heat wave, frost, sea

water intrusion etc. These plans address all the agriculture sub sectors like field crops, horticulture, livestock, poultry, fishery etc. Currently he is coordinating “National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)”, a mega flagship program of Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR).

He was part in global climate change negotiations, as a member of Indian delegation at UNFCCC, SBSTA-42 and 44 at Bonn, Germany during 2015 and 2016 and contributed for organizing side event on climate resilient agriculture in Indian pavilion at CoP-21, Paris. He was recently nominated as Executive member of IDDC. He received about 20 awards from national and international organizations for his significant contributions in Natural Resource Management. He is a fellow of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) and Indian Society of Soil Science, President of Indian Society of Dryland Agriculture and Development, Standing Technical Committee of National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) one of the 8 missions under Prime Minister of India. Under his leadership, CRIDA received prestigious Sardar Patel Outstanding Research Institute Award of the ICAR in 2015.

Prof. Dr. TSUJIMOTO, Hisashi Hisashi Tsujimoto is a professor of Molecular Breeding at the Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, Japan. Currently works on wheat germplasm enhancement using the diversity of the related wild species. In 1986 he got his Ph.D. degree from Kyoto University for his work on “Hybrid Dysgenesis in Wheat Caused by Gametocidal Genes”. Earlier he initiated wheat genetic research at Kobe University. In 1986 he joined Kihara Institute for Biological Research at Yokohama City University and also worked in Wheat Genetics Resource Center at

Kansas State University as a visiting scientist. In 2002, he joined the Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University and moved to Arid Land

Research Center in 2011. His major contribution to wheat genetics and breeding includes enhanced gene pool by the introduction of the related wild species. He joined several plant expeditions in China, Nepal, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Armenia, and collected many wheat landraces and wheat-related species. He has implemented research collaboration with ICARDA and the University of Qatar, and now working with Agricultural Research Corporation, Sudan, to develop new heat and drought stress tolerant genes from the gene pool of Aegilops tauschii, wheat wild relatives. He published about 180 articles in journals, books, and meeting proceedings. He is a board member of the Japanese Society of Breeding (JSB), Chromosome Research, and an associate member of the Science Council of Japan. Recently he was awarded the Prize of the Japanese Society of Breeding.

Prof. Dr. TSUNEKAWA, Atsushi Professor of Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390, Hamasaka, Tottori, 680-0001

A. Tsunekawa graduated from the Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, the University of Tokyo, after which he joined the National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan. Currently he serves as a Professor at the Arid

Land Research Center, Tottori University, and also serves as a Head of Strategic Management Office of International Platform for Dryland Research and Education, Tottori University. His primary scholarly interests are monitoring and modelling of plant production and ecosystem change in drylands using remote sensing and GIS, and regional planning for sustainable rural development making use of bio-resource production. He is selected as a Science and Technology Correspondent from Japan to the Committee on Science and Technology of United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

Dr. VENKATESWARLU, B. Dr. B.Venkateswarlu holds a doctorate in Soil microbiology. He served over 35 years in different institutes of ICAR as Scientist, Head of the Division, Coordinator and Director of CRIDA and a brief period in ICRISAT. He has joined as the Vice-Chancellor of Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani on 1st February,2014. Dr. Venkateswarlu has contributed significantly to dryland agriculture and

climate change research during the last one decade. His early research was on soil microbiology and soil fertility aspects in arid and semi arid echo systems. He made original research contributions in biological nitrogen fixation, phosphorous solubilition, PGPR and soil carbon sequestration. He has published over 250 research papers, 15 books, 100 conference papers and 2 patents. He guided 10 M.Sc. and 6 Ph.D. students. As a Director, CRIDA he coordinated the national research programme on rainfed agriculture and climate change.

Dr. Venkateswarlu received several distinctions and awards for his contributions in research and research management. He is the recipient of Vasantrao Naik Award for dryland farming research, Fakruddin Ali Ahmed award for research on tribal farming, ground water augmentation award from ministry of water resources and S.P.Roy Choudhari memorial lecture award of Indian Society of Soil Science,FAI Golden Jubilee award, Hari Om Ashram trust award from ICAR, Water conservation research award from Vasantrao Naik Pratishthan, Mumbai etc. He served on large number of national level committees of the ministry of agriculture, planning commission, research advisory committee member of three Agricultural universities and two ICAR institutes. He is the fellow of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Andhra Pradesh Academy of Sciences. He has visited several countries like USA, Canada, Australia, China, Malaysia, Kenya, Switzerland, South Africa, Srilanka etc. as scientific expert and as a member of Indian delegations from ICAR. He has been nominated as a member of the ICAR Governing Body. He is the Executive Member of NAAS, New Delhi.

Dr. WANG, Tao

Dr. WANG Tao is working for the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) as the Director and Research Professor of the Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification (2002- ) and the President of Lanzhou Branch of CAS (2011-). He received his degree of Doctor of Sciences in Physical Geography in 1988 from the Institute of Desert Research,

CAS. He was the Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Institute of Desert Research, CAS (1997-1999) and the Director General of the Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, CAS (2003-2012). His main achievements include: to monitor and assess quantificationally the distribution and damage of aeolian desertified land in each decade of last 60 years in Northern China to analyses the climatic factor and the human factor’s impact on the processes of aeolian desertification and to studied comprehensively the different fields of aeolian desertification such as the key basic scientific issues, physical and biological process, monitoring and assessing, combating stratagem and approach. He has made significant contributions for understanding and combating the processes of desertification in China.

Dr. Wang Tao is the Member of the International Dry Lands Development Commission (IDDC, 1999-), Vice President of China Desert Control and Desert Industrial Society (2001-), President of Desert Society of China (2002-),President of International Desert Research Association (IDRA,2006), Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of the 3rd UNCCD Scientific Conference(2013-2015), Member of the Science-Policy Interface(SPI) of UNCCD, Editor-in-chief of Journal of Desert Research (2002-) and Regional Editor for Asia and Member of Editorial Board of Land Degradation and Development (2003-).

Dr. WATANABE, Tsugihiro

Name: Tsugihiro Watanabe Birthdate: June 24, 1953 Nationality: Japanese Present Position: Professor of Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan. Contact (office) : Address: Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501 Japan Phone: +81-75-753-6367 E-mail: nabe@kais.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Dr. Tsugihiro WATANABE is a Professor of Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan. He got his doctor's degree in agricultural engineering from Kyoto University (1989). Previously, in Japan, he was a Research Assistant (1984-89) and Associate Professor (1989-1995) of Kyoto University, Associate Professor of Osaka Prefecture University (1995-2001), and Associate Professor and Professor of RIHN (Research Institute for Humanity and Nature) (2001-2013). He has about 40 years research experiences related to irrigation management, rural hydrological regime and climate change impacts on basin

hydrology and agriculture. His case study areas cover both humid and arid areas, mainly in Japan, Inner-Mongolia of China, California of USA, Kazakhstan, Turkey and Egypt.

He has been acting as the President of JSIDRE (Japanese Society of Irrigation, Drainage and Rural Engineering) for two years until March, 2016 and now is the President of PAWEES (International Society of Paddy and Water Environment Engineering). In the international Societies, he is serving as the chair of the Working Group on Global Climate Change and Agricultural Water Management (WG-CLIMATE) of ICID (International Commission of Irrigation and Drainage) and the secretary of the Scientific Committee of ILEC (International Lake Environment Committee).

He had coordinated the large scale international research project "Impacts of Climate Change on Agricultural Production System in Arid Land" (ICCAP) of RIHN, from 2001 to 2007, as the principal investigator. The project was on impacts of climate change on agricultural production system in arid areas and implemented mainly in the Seyhan River Basin of Turkey. He has been coordinating the collaborated research of Egypt and Japan, of which topic is local water management system in the Nile Delta, Egypt.

He has over 200 publications including peer-reviewed journal papers, book chapters and general reports. His recent publications include a book titled “Development of Regional Wisdom of Land and Water” edited by T. Watanabe with JSIDRE (in Japanese, 2009), and book chapters in “Sustainable Land Management” edited by K. Selim et al., 2010 and “Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific” edited by V. Anbumozhi et al. with ADBI, 2012.