Needs and Opportunities for Agricultural Research from the Perspective of West Asia and North Africa

Statement by Abdelaziz Arifi, President of the Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA) on the needs and opportunities for agricultural research in West Asia and North Africa (WANA). The document was prepared for the first meeting of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research, held during CGIAR International Centers Week, October-November 1996. The paper considers issues raised in the Global Plan of Action of 1996 from the point of view of WANA countries. It addresses in particular capacity building, priority setting, and collaboration with IARCs and other research institutions.The statement was circulated as an input to GFAR discussions leading to the Declaration and Action Plan for Global Partnerships in Agricultural Research.