Kuwait will sign four agreements with ACSAD next month



DOHA -- Kuwait will sign four agreements next month with the Arab Center for the Study of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD) for cooperation on desertification and some types of grazing animals, announced an official on Wednesday.

Chairman and Director General of the Public Authority of Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR), Jassem Al-Bader, was speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of his participation in the 30th Meeting of the ACSAD, which concluded here last night.

These agreements will find ways to combat desertification that Kuwait suffers from, as well as scientific methods to protect grazing animals, he explained, adding that ACSAD had a wide range of expertise from which Kuwait could benefit, including matters of climate change and scarcity of fresh water resources.

Al-Bader hoped that the recommendations of the ACSAD meeting would be implemented, and underscored the need to remove obstacles faced by ACSAD's centers when conducting field work.

He noted that Kuwait, like all other Arab states, suffered from the scarcity of fresh water, which was why it had resorted to "treated water" for irrigation in Abdali and Wafra, as well as in gardens, parks and trees planted along the roads.

On his part, PAAAFR's Deputy Director General Faisal Al-Siddiqi told KUNA that that Kuwait headed ACSAD's Finance Committee at the Executive Council, and that many topics were discussed related to the performance of the center.

ACSAD's budget for 2010-2011 was approved, he said.

Moreover, Al-Siddiqi said that a number of recommendations were issued, aimed at supporting relevant authorities and institutions in Arab states.

Based in Damascus, ACSAD was established 1968 as a specialized Arab organization working within the framework of the Arab League with the objective of unifying Arab efforts aimed at developing scientific agricultural research in arid and semi-arid areas, help in the exchange of information and experiences, and make use of scientific progress and modern agricultural techniques in order to increase agricultural production.

By Muaijil Al-Thifeeri

© KUNA (Kuwait News Agency) 2010

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