ICARDA continued to play a critical role in the development, improvement, and dissemination of climate-resilient crop varieties last year. The varieties strengthened food and nutritional security and provided a critical defense against extreme temperatures, water scarcity, and the emergence of new pests and diseases.

This publication demonstrates the scope of research and human resources development
over the period between January 2014 and March 2019. It highlights some of the
accomplishments as the result of the collaborative efforts among the seven countries of
the Arabian Peninsula, project donors, and ICARDA-APRP.

Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” recognizes the fundamental role of women in achieving poverty reduction, food security and nutrition.

Fragility has become the reality in several countries of the Middle East and North Africa. Armed conflict and forced displacement are taking an enormous toll on human lives, with the region accounting for about 60 percent of the estimated global total of battle-related casualties since the turn of the millennium.

This country profile describes the state of the water resources and water use, as well as the state of agricultural water management in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this report is to describe the particularities of the country and the problems met in the development of the water resources, and irrigation in particular.

The report assesses the occurrence and impacts of drought, the current policies underlying drought management as well as the mitigation measures and responses adopted in the Near East and North Africa region, with a focus on the Agriculture Sector.

Oman enjoys a dynamic partnership with FAO, which was strengthened in 2012 with the opening of the FAO country<p></p>representation. Cooperation has focused on sustainable development of the food, agriculture and fisheries sectors, while<p></p>ensuring the efficient and sustainable use of natural resources.

The FAO Technical Workshop on “Best-practices for the implementation and reporting of SDG indicator 14.4.1 – Percentage of biologically sustainable fish stocks” was held in Rome, Italy, from 21 to 24 November 2017.

Non-tropical dry areas cover over 40% of the world’s land surface with a growing population of more than 2.5 billion people. These people grow 44% of the world’s food and keep half of the world’s livestock, yet one in six live in chronic poverty.

To help break the cycle of poverty, improve food and nutritional security, halt or reverse the alarming process of resource degradation in the dry areas, and help communities adapt to the impacts of climate variability and change, ICARDA’s Strategic Plan 2017-2026 outlines our research and organizational approach for action to achieve our vision of thriving and resilient communities in the dry