Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Goes Green

Collaboration of International Center for biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) - Dubai with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment & Trade (KP-BOIT)

Through the visionary leadership of Islamic Development Bank (IDP) and the Government of UAE an International non profitable Agricultural Research Centre titled “ICBA” was established in Dubai in 1999. Main objective of ICBA is to promote research and development programs, focussed on improving Agriculture Productivity and sustainability in marginal and saline environments.

ICBA (Dubai) is spread out over an area of 1100 ha. Centres facilities include experimental farms, laboratories (Soil, Water, Biotechnology & Agronomy, and a gene bank of salt tolerant germplasm, a unique soil museum, green houses and training facilities). Over 35 Acres of Land is allotted for research.

ICBA’s team includes scientists specialising in soils, corps, molecular biology, water, remote sensing & GIS as well as experts in policy, socioeconomics, knowledge management & capacity building. ICBA has collaboration, partners and donors worldwide.

ICBA is among few international research organisations in the World that works on salinity management systems and address Agricultural challenges in Marginal environment. ICBA work reaches Least Developed Countries including Central Asia and Caucasus, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), South Asia, Sub Saharan Africa & Gulf Cooperation Council Countries.

Main focus of ICBA is on research innovations focused on assessment of natural resources, climate change adoption, crop productivity & diversification, aquaculture / bio-energy & Policy Analysis. The centre contributes to achieve the UN sustainable development goals, by working on a number of technological developments including use of conventional & non-conventional (such as saline, treated wastewater, industrial water, agriculture drainage and sea water) water & land management technologies and remote sensing and monitoring for climate change adoption.

Improving the generations and dissemination of knowledge is one of ICBA strategic objectives. ICBA is focussed on establishing itself as a knowledge hub on sustainable management and use of marginal resources for Agriculture Production & Environmental Protection in Marginal Environments.

Much of the innovative applied research work is supported by three core donors (Ministry of climate change & Environment of the UAE, the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and the Islamic Development Bank). 

Mr. Faisal Saleem Rahman, Vice Chairman, KP-BOIT along with one Mr. Nawaz Mehmood Shangla, an elite of PTI visited ICBA in February, 2018. They had a detailed meeting with Dr. Ismahane Eloufi, DG, ICBA exploring the prospects of collaboration among KP-BOIT and ICBA besides visiting all sections of ICBA. The visiting team was impressed by the research activities of ICBA and desired to benefit from their expertise. Vice Chairman, KP-BOIT also invited ICBA to send a team of scientists to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for exploring venues of collaboration with Concerned Departments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Agriculture & Environment Department  through KP-BOIT.

In response to the invitation of the Vice Chairman, KP-BOIT a team of ICBA scientists including Dr. Adulaziz Hirich, Horticulture Scientist &Mr. Rashyd Zaabout, Modelor Climate change visited Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Peshawar) in March, 2018.

The delegation had a series of meetings with the Agriculture Department, Environment Department and Agriculture University Peshawar. In the meeting with the Agriculture Department the ICBA scientists made a presentation covering the activities of ICBA in different countries. The delegation also visited Agriculture Research Institute Tarnab & Research activities carried out by the Research Institute were well appreciated by the visiting scientists.

The DG, Agriculture and his team showed interest in cultivation of Quinoa, a super crop for nutrition. Quinoa is a complete protein containing all eight essential amino acids. 

The visiting scientist’s delegation also had a meeting with the Environment Department chaired by the Secretary Environment Department in the office of Chief Conservator Forest. In the meeting constitution of a committee to elaborate proposals for green climate fund was also emphasised. The ICBA Scientists also proposed the Cocoon project for the Chitral area for eradication of land sliding.

In the meeting it was also decided that the Environment Department will initiate a proposal about drought monitoring system to ICBA for referring to IDRC.

The ICBA scientists also visited Garhi Chanda near Shamshattoo Camp to see the Billion Tree Tsunami Project (BTTP) and appreciated the efforts of the Provincial Government.

To move forward a MOU duly vetted by the Agriculture & Environment Department was decided to be signed in ICBA. The MOU was signed by Mr. Nazir Ahmad Awan, CEO / Secretary, KP-BOIT & Dr. Ismahane Eloufi, DG, ICBA in Dubai. Mr. Mohammad Sabur Sethi, Member Board of KP-BOIT, Mr. Muhammad Shahid Khan, Director Energy & Power, KP-BOIT and PTI elite Mr. Nawaz Mehmood Shangla were also present on the occasion.

Issue of droughts has become a serious threat throughout the world. Droughts are the primary cause of most ill health and death because they deny access to adequate water supply and often trigger or exacerbate malnutrition and Jimine. Since 1900 more than eleven million people have died as a consequence of drought and more than 2 billion people have been affected. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the MOU signed between KP-BOIT and ICBA is likely to prove an instrument to control drought possibilities in various parts of the Province. The Environment Department is to join hands with ICBA to control the undesired situation causing multifarious effects on human health.

Similarly Agriculture in marginal and saline environments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is in need of an innovation and technology system that can boost production and productivity and develop stress – tolerant crop varieties. Collaboration between the Agriculture Department & ICBA is likely to address the challenges of farmers in marginal and saline environments.

The MOU signed between KP-BOIT and ICBA is the first of its kind in the history of Pakistan. On an experimental basis the Agriculture Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is likely to introduce Quinoa Super crop for nutrition. ICBA has gifted Quinoa seed to the Agriculture Department (KP). Quinoa crop which is a complete protein containing all eight of the essential amino acids. The Quinoa program is underway in UAE, Yemen, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan & Kyrgyzstan.