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Biography |
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Professor. Adel El-Beltagy currently holds many roles in the agricultural-world. President of CIHEAM, Chair, IDDC, Member of the FAO HLC, addressing the implementation of MDGs, Member of EAGLES, Head of the Agricultural and Food Research Council, Egypt Sci Academy, Board Member of the Alex. Bibliotheca Alexandrina., a Professor of Agricultural, Arid Lands Res Inst, Ain Shams University. Most recently, he has served as the Chair of GFAR, DG of ICARDA. Co-Chair, Board of the GDTF, Chair of the Agricultural Research and Development Council (ARDC), Egypt. He was Director/Board Chair of Agricultural Research Center of Egypt, Chair for the Sci. Tech. Council of the Int'l SSO, 1st Under-Secretary of the State for Land Reclaim, of Egypt. Fellow of the University of Wales, Chair of Executive Board, ACSAD. He holds an Honorary Doctorate of Sci from the University of Khartoum, Chairman of (CDC) for the Int'l Agricultural Ressearch centers of the CGIAR. Chair of INRM, Member of the CDC ICWG - Climate Change, Member of the CGIAR Genetic Resources Policy Committee, Board Member of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Board, Chair, CDC Task-Force for Central Asia and the Caucasus of CWANA; and a Fellow of TWAS and elected as member of its Council in 2009. A native of Egypt, he has been awarded, Al-Istiklal Medal by His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan; He has been awarded "the Sultan Qaboos First Class Order for Culture, Sci and Arts for his contribution to the Development of Agricultural in the Dry Areas. He has also been awarded 2008 State Recognition Prize in Sci, Egypt. In 2006, Elected member of L'institut D'egypte founded in 1798, and a Founding member of the British Plant Growth Regulator Group, AAAS, Int'l Plant Growth Substances Assoc, Federation of EU Societies of Plant Physiology, Int'l Society of Hort Sci, US Society for Hort Sci, Society for Experi Biology, UK Egypt Society for Hort Sci, WWC, (AWC), He has authored/co-authored more than 140 sci publications.
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Abstract |
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Toward Sustainable Food Security in Egypt: Polices&Practices |
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Toward Sustainable Food Security in Egypt: Polices & Practices
The world population has exceeded 7.2 billion and by 2050, it is projected to exceed 15 billion, far beyond the carrying capacity of the earth natural resources. It is anticipated that climate change will result in 50% reduction in agriculture production, in addition, sea level rise which will affect, not only the costal cities, but the deltas of the rivers (the River Nile Delta is among the most threatened deltas in the world). Egypt population reached 90 million and it is projected 140 million by 2050. Egypt is the most populous country in the Mediterranean, MENA region, and the second in Africa.
Considering the interrelationship between the demographic pressure and the quality of the livelihood, The Nile Delta region is among the world most densely populated areas with average of 1,540 persons/ square kilometer. With the subsequent increase in population, the individual share of agricultural land, energy, education, health, housing, transport will decrease. In general it will threaten the national and social security. Presently 40% of the populations live under $2/day, and 20% on $1/day. The highest value of poverty is related to rural Upper-Egypt.
Economic poverty is not the only variable in deterioration of the livelihood standard, but it is coupled with social poverty, featured by impaired ability of the population to acquire knowledge and education, and deprive them from participating effectively in the development process. Lack of qualified human resources cause an impediment for implementation of several national programs, and is reflected in 13% unemployment. It is noticeable that 75% of the population is less than forty five years old.
The Sustainable Agricultural Development Strategy: Towards 2030 addressed a major policy, legislation, institutional reform including restructuring of the public and the private institutions in Egypt. Emphasizing the dynamic feeding of knowledge to improve agricultural practices and the genetical makeup.
The Strategy addressed different programs which supports the increase of production and quality of Agriculture produce and emphasize the integration between production and agro-industry: examples of this mega program will be mentioned including land reclamation 3.8 million acre, modernization of on-farm irrigation systems in 7 million acre, linking farmer to market which will allow mobility of agricultural products to national, regional and international markets, using up to date technology, development of new genetic resources to tolerate the changes of climate change and improve the quality of food production.
These mega programs depend on the best of science and innovation in the field of genetic engineering, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, computer expert systems, advanced desalinization technique, agro-management techniques, information and communication ICTKM, remote sensing, and the use of renewable energy for development activates (solar, wind & bio-gas).
We – the citizens of the world North and South – should work hard to implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We need a strong alliance for sustaining our planet and spreading peace and prosperity in the world.
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