Amman: Director General of the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Khaled Abu Hammour, recently met with Hassan Machlab, Country Manager of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) for Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine, to discuss enhancing collaboration to develop the national seed bank and promote sustainable agricultural production.
According to Jordan News Agency, Abu Hammour emphasized the importance of expanding research cooperation by drafting proposals for scientific projects across various agricultural disciplines, particularly in dryland areas. He underlined the critical role of the national seed bank as a strategic asset for conserving plant genetic resources.
He noted that ICARDA is one of NARC’s key strategic partners, with several pioneering joint research projects having contributed to the development of the agricultural sector.
Machlab praised NARC’s efforts in implementing research initiatives, highlighting the potential of the national seed bank to serve as a regional hub for genetic resource conservation, in coordination with ICARDA’s own seed bank.
During the visit, Machlab toured the national seed bank’s facilities, where experts provided an overview of the bank’s preservation methods and its role in supporting scientific research and bolstering food security.