Research on cool season food legumes at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)

Abstract

ICARDA was established in 1977 to undertake research and training relevant to the needs of developing countries and specifically of the rainfed agricultural systems in areas of limited winter rainfall in West Asia and North Africa. It is designated as a world center devoted to the improvement of barley, lentil and faba bean crops and, together with CIMMYT and ICRISAT, it has a regional responsibility for bread and durum wheat, triticale and chickpea crop improvement. Research and training activities on lentil, faba bean and kabuli chickpea are concentrated at ICARDA’s principal research station at Tel Hadya, north Syria, and undertaken by the Food Legume Improvement Program (FLIP), one of the four major research programs of the Center.