News in the Arab States, Europe and the CIS

The technology of Water Harvesting and Conservation Agriculture was developed and demonstrated in Sudan. The solution enabled alleviation of the most common impacts of drought and dry spells on rain-fed crop productivity. It stabilized and significantly increased crop yield and improved farmers food security and income. It was tested and successfully replicated in several areas in the country, the technology helped to transform traditional rain-fed agriculture to profitable, competitive and sustainable economic sector.

June 15, 2017. Astana, Kazakhstan – A new study by the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) and UNDP explores how countries can benefit from each other by sharing practical knowledge generated at various levels of government, civil society and the private sector in addressing human development challenges.

15 June 2017, Astana, Kazakhstan. High-level decision-makers and professionals in development cooperation from across the Arab States, Europe and the CIS regions, as well as from other regions, gathered at the Second Regional Networking Forum organized on the sidelines of the Astana Economic Forum 2017, to discuss the role of South-South and triangular cooperation in promoting green economic partnerships.

The Khalifa Computer Group in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Ministry of Education, developed a package of software which aims to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities by using ICTs to facilitate access to information and knowledge, boost interaction with the community and increase opportunities for employment. Called "Tawasol ", the computer software provides a tool for disabled students, their teachers, and family members to enhance communication between each other and the society at large.

Marine fish farms mostly localized in the seas of around İzmir, Muğla and Aydın provinces created serious conflicts between public, tourism stakeholders and fish farmers due to environmental or visual pollutions created by aquaculture. To solve the conflicts between stakeholders, Ministry of Environment and Urbanization of Turkey initiated new regulations on environmentally sustainable aquaculture in 2007 that have been implemented by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock of Turkey. Due to the measures taken, the present impact of marine aquaculture in terms of coast and water pollution has been minimized.

Cover crops assist in protecting the soil from drying out, from erosion and deflation, and their role in weed control cannot be neglected either. In 2006, the Badacsony Research Institute for Viticulture and Oenology started a long-term experiment with a series of comparative tests on soil cultivation methods. Within the experiment, the mulching process within organic plant residues was found to be the most optimal and effective in terms of soil nutrient supply and moisture retention. The straw cover methods have also been developed.

Astana, Kazakhstan 12-14 June 2017.  A training course on South-South & Triangular Cooperation for governmental focal points for South-South cooperation and representatives of technical cooperation agencies from the countries of Arab States, Europe and the CIS has been organized by UNOSSC in cooperation with the UN System Staff College. 

The patented innovation of fertilized caviar of pike perch developed and tested by the Kazakhstan’s scientists in the south of the country allows improving productivity and sustainability of fish farms. Countries in the region and beyond can consider replicating the innovation to improve food security through the new Pike Perch fish farming […]