Biography:

Prof. Dr. Adel El-Beltagy is the Minister of Agriculture & Land Reclamation, Chair of the International Drylands Development Commission (IDDC), President of the Governing Board of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), Chair of the Food and Agriculture Research Council at the Egyptian Academy of Science, Board member of the council of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Member of the Board of Bibliotheca Alexandrina (2006-present) and Professor of Agriculture, Arid Lands Research Institute, Ain Shams University, Egypt.

Prof. El-Beltagy has served as Board Member of the Supreme Council of Science & Technology (2008-2011), Chairman of the Agricultural Research & Development Council (ARDC), Egypt (2007-2011), Vice Chair/Member of the board of the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT) (2007-2011), Member of the CGIAR change steering team (2007-2008), Council member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (2006-2011), Chair of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) (2006-2010), Member of the FAO High-Level Committee addressing the implementation of the UN millennium development goals (MDGs) (2006-2011), Member of the European Action on Global Life Sciences (EAGLES), Member of the CDC ICWG - Climate Change (2004-2006), Board Member of the UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Board(2004-2005), Chairman of the CDC Integrated Natural Resource Management Committee (INRM) (2003-2005), Chairman of the Center Directors Committee (CDC) for the International agricultural research centers of the CGIAR (2002-2003), Chair of the Global Consortium to Re-build Agriculture in Afghanistan(2002-2006), Chairman of CDC Task-Force for Central West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) (1999-2006), Chairman of the CGIAR consortium for Sustainable Agricultural Development in Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC) (1996-2006), Director General of the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA)(1995-2006), Member of the CGIAR Genetic Resources Policy Committee (1994-1999), Chairman of the Scientific/Technical Council of the International Sahara and Sahel Observatory (SSO) (1993-2002), Director/Board Chairman of Agricultural Research Center of Egypt (1991-1995), Chairman of Executive Board, Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD) (1989-1994) and the First Under-Secretary of the State for Land Reclamation of Egypt (1986-1991).

Awards: Certificate of recognition from the board of the Global Crop Diversity Trust (2011). Certificate of recognition from The Association of Ariculture Research Institutions in Near East & North Africa AARINENA (2010), The Sultan Qaboos 'First Class' Order for Culture, Sciences and Arts for his contribution to the Development of Agriculture in the Dry Areas (2009). The 2008 State Recognition Prize in Sciences, Egypt. Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Khartoum Sudan (2006). The Golden Medal Award for achievements in agriculture from the Republic of Armenia. The Academic Status Award for contribution to the development of international cooperation in Agriculture from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Elected as a member of L'INSTITUT D'EGYPTE (founded in 1798). Certificate of recognition from CGIAR. Certificate of recognition from Asia-Pacific Association of Ariculture Research Institutions. The Al-Istiklal Medal by His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Hussein of Jordan (2005). Honorable Professor of the Scientific Council of Azerbaijan Agricultural Academy(2004). Academician (Foreign Member) of the Tajik Academy of Agricultural Sciences(2002). Honorable Academician of Kyrgyz Agrarian Academy(2001). Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (1999). Fellow of the University of Wales (1993).

Societies: Founding member of the British Plant Growth Regulator Group. Member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), International Plant Growth Substances Association, International Society of Horticultural Science, American Society for Horticultural Science, Society for Experimental Biology (SEB), UK, Egyptian Society for Horticultural Science, World Water Council (WWC), Arab Water Council (AWC) and International Water Resources Association (IWRA).

He has authored/co-authored more than 165 scientific publications.

Abstract:

"Impact of Climate Change on Dry Areas in the ENA Region"