Tunis, Tunisia – 27-31 January 2025 - The Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) is conducting a specialized training program on Best Practices for Conservation of Genetic Resources and Genebank Management for Libyan technicians in Tunis, Tunisia, from January 27 to 31, 2025. This pivotal event, attended by 11 Libyan participants, is hosted by the National Genebank of Tunisia (NGBT) under the Ministry of Environment, underscoring regional collaboration for agricultural sustainability.
The training aims to strengthen the capacity of Libyan professionals in preserving and utilizing plant genetic resources, managing genebank operations, and formulating policies essential for sustainable genetic resource management.
During his opening remarks, Dr. Ismail Abdelhamid, Director of Projects at IOFS, conveyed the warm regards of H.E. Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director-General of IOFS, to all participants and stakeholders. He expressed profound gratitude to the National Genebank of Tunisia for hosting this critical event and emphasized the indispensable role of genebank management in ensuring food security. Dr. Ismail also recognized the valuable contributions of ICARDA experts, who generously shared their extensive expertise in the field.
Mrs. Hannan Aghel, Director of International Cooperation at Libya's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Marine Resources, expressed her appreciation to IOFS for organizing such a crucial training and extended her gratitude to the Government of Tunisia for their support. She highlighted the need for sustained collaboration with IOFS to enhance Libya's genetic resource management capacity. Mrs. Thouraya Ayari, General Secretary of the National Genebank of Tunisia, remarked that Tunisia was honored to host this important initiative, sharing expertise and deepening ties with IOFS.
In parallel, IOFS organized a study visit for two experts from the Kazakh National Research Institute of Agriculture and Plant Growing, conducted from January 27 to 29, 2025. The visit aimed to provide exposure to Tunisian genebank operations, management practices, and knowledge exchange with ICARDA experts on documentation systems, genetic resource characterization, conservation, and other key aspects of genebank management.
The training reflects IOFS's commitment to building sustainable capacity for Libyan stakeholders and ensuring the preservation of vital genetic resources. It also underscores IOFS's broader mission to advance food security and resilience across OIC Member States through targeted capacity-building programs.
