Status of ICT structure, infrastructure and applications existed to manage and disseminate information and knowledge of PGR Innovations

Information in Egypt

Dr. Abeer Elhalwagi

Senior Researcher, National Gene Bank and Genetic Resources (NGB), Egypt

National Monitoring Officer of TCP/SNO in Egypt

Regional Training Workshop on “National Plant Genetic Knowledge Networks for Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Knowledge Sharing”

29 – 30 August 2014Cairo, Egypt

Introduction

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Egypt is known as one of the oldest agricultural civilizations. The percentage of rural inhabitants is estimated at about 58%;

Agriculture plays a major economic role in Egypt;

Many regions are rich in wild plants and landraces, where 2094 plant species are identified of which 61 are endemic and 4 are endangered;

Currently, the Egyptian agriculture is facing many challenges:

• Limited cultivated area and water supply;

• Desertification, deforestation, erosion, climate changes and overuse of pesticides and other agrochemicals;

• New uniform crop varieties have replaced many of local varieties and landraces leading to great losses of useful genes resistant to many biotic and abiotic stresses.

Importance of PGR

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1. Plant genetic resources (PGR) are important for sustainable food security.

2. The availability of information on accessions stored in gene banks is the basis of promoting utilization of the germplasm to achieve food security, and in turn justifies conservation.

3. Therefore, both information management and manipulation of information are essential parts of all practical work with plant genetic resources.

• Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is currently being employed to manage these primary PGR databases and to generate secondary information for their effective management and enhanced use.

• There is a strong need for further development of the PGR documentation system.

Management of PGR in Egypt

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In-Situ Conservation of PGR

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1. Conservation in natural protectorates managed by the Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs according to the law No. 102 of 1983;

2. In 2012, the number of natural protectorates reached 30, of which 14 protectorates include PGR.

3. The total area of all natural protectorates represent about 15% of Egypt’s total area.

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Ex-Situ Conservation of PGR

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1. National Gene Bank (NGB).

NGB Objectives

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Plan and conduct exploration missions to survey the genetic resources in their native habitat;

Collection, Conservation, Identification, Characterization and Evaluation of National Collections of Plant, Animal and Agricultural Microorganism Genetic Resources;

Strengthen the international cooperation in the field of GR; Facilitate the exchange of GR and related information under a

Material Transfer Agreement in compliance with the IT-PGRFA; Document all the information generated for each accession on

the NGBGR database; Enhance public awareness on the importance of maintaining

genetic resources and promoting in situ and on-farm conservation.

Genebank Data information System in Egypt

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• Documentation and information section;

Passport data contain comprehensive information about accessions including geographical (GPS coordinates) environmental (climate and soil maps) data of the collection site and historical information as well as data on characterization and evaluation of the material.

ICT infrastructure and Capacity

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Hardware: NGB made very important progress in the use of information

technology. Over 50 of desktop computers are currently installed, and NGB labs

are equipped with PCs of last generation.

Network and Internet PC are networked to small LANs with access to the Internet

Application Softwares: For desktop applications, MS office is widely used. Most of apparatus in NGB labs is operated with PCs using biotech

specific software.

Projects

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Project Title Source of Fund Duration

On-farm conservation and in vitro preservation of Citrus local varieties and sustainable utilization in Egypt.

International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (IT-PGRFA)

2009 - 2011

National faba bean Rhizobium Germplasm collection, genotyping and its potential use as inoculants.

Science and Technology Development fund (STDF)

2010 – 2012

Characterization, preservation and studying the phytochemistry and antibacterial activity of pomegranate germplasm.

Science and Technology Development fund (STDF)

2010 – 2012

Sustainable utilization of agriculture biodiversity to develop the local communities in the western desert.

Agricultural Research and Development Fund (ARDF)

2010 – 2013

Conservation and Utilization of Egyptian Wild Flora to Improve Salinity Tolerance in Cereals

Science and Technology Development fund (STDF)

2012 – 2015

Optimizing the Use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture for Adaptation to Climate Change (TCP/SNO/3401)

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

1/2/2013 – 31/1/2015

Sustainable use of landraces and genetic resources to improve wheat tolerance to heat stress for food security

International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (IT-PGRFA)

1/3/2014 – 1/3/2016

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Other Organizations involved directly in plant genetic resources ex-situ conservation activities:

• Agriculture Research Center Research Institutions;• Desert Research Center (DRC);• National Research Center (NRC);• Faculties of agriculture (17) and science (15) of

different Egyptian universities.

The State of Regional and International Collaboration

• Egypt has been a signatory and ratified to the CBD, and to the ITPGRFA.

• MALR has appointed the President of the NGB as the Focal Point and Coordinator of the genetic resources, breeding, and seed supply systems in Egypt.

Future needs

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• Increased and improved sharing and exchange of data, information, knowledge, skills, technology and resources.

• Increased capacity to influence national, regional and International policies and strategies related to telecommunications and agricultural development.

• The need to develop learning processes and learning networks, through sharing experiences, “best practices” and knowledge on ICT approaches, strategies and applications.

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