AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN NENA REGION

2-4 July 2012Cairo- Egypt

CURRENT STATUS OF AGRICULTURAL

BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR KNOWLEDGE SHARING

IN STATE OF KUWAIT

Dr. Fadila Al-Salameen Biotechnology Department Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR)

International membershipsKuwait is an active member in many international organizations in the field of Agro-biotechnology

ECARDA.

The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources For Food And Agriculture.

Convention of Biodiversity (CB).

International centre for genetic engineering and biotechnology ICGB.

Organizations And institutions in Kuwait involved in developing

Agricultural biotechnology Research

Kuwait institute for scientific Research (KISR).

Public Authority of Agriculture and Fish Resources Affairs (PAAFR)

KUWAIT UNIVERSITY

Kuwait University is the only public

university in Kuwait.

Kuwait University is currently on the

process to establish a Biotechnology Research

Centre where plant and animal biotechnology

will be included.

The structure, infrastructure and the mission of Kuwait institute for scientific Research made it to be the main sources for Agricultural biotechnology scientific and technical information.

Three department for rsearch development in KISR

Aridland Agriculture and Greenery Department.

Biotechnology Department.

Mariculture and Fisheries Aquaculture.

Area of Research in Aridland Agriculture and Greenery Department

Animal production (sheep, poultry and dairy cows).

Plant production (protected and open fields)

Soil Sciences, irrigation water.Native plant cultivation and wild-life conservation.

Greenery and sustainable land-use planning.Developing Concept master plans for various landscape projects suiting the local climatic conditions.

Aridland Agriculture and Greenery Labs

Soil Physics Lab Seed Analysis Lab Soil Chemistry Lab Plant Physiology Lab Plant Preparation Lab Animal Nutrition & Feed Analysis Lab

KISR has A state-of-the-art laboratories for R &D

Seed bank: The current collection 281 accessions of 71 different species

The information records of a native seed collection were a valuable resource, especially where they involve complete coverage of a local area or region

Data base includes Passport and Storage data is a source of information .

Area of Research in Biotechnology Department.

Application of Tissue Culture Technology for Production of Valued Crops (date palm, potatoes, etc

Genetic Engineering & Molecular Diagnostics Remediation and Rehabilitation of Contaminated

Soils Nutrition Improvement, Survey & Assessment Development of Probiotic Feed Supplements for

Fish, Poultry & Farm Animal Production

BIOTECHNOLOGY

Genetic Engineering Lab Fermentation Laboratory (Bio-Stat Fermentors

with capacity1.5 and 10.01-1). Microbiology Lab Soil Remediation & Solid Waste Treatment Lab Food Analysis Lab

 

Food Microbiology Lab Tissue Culture Technology unit in

KISR and KU.

National Scientific & Technical Information Centre (NSTC)

Support Research & Development (R&D) activities and programs nationally and at KSIR, with advanced information technologies (IT) and knowledge solutions.

Providing information resources related to science and technology, with specialized services and training tools through the information portal.

Provide scientific consultations and technical services.

Knowledge management for KISR. Support and develop scientific and technological

infrastructure; in terms of information resources and scientific IT applications.

Support and develop all information and communications technology within KISR.

Promote scientific and technological awareness. Promote regional and International Cooperation.

KISR PUBLICATIONS

BOOKSGrowing Mangroves for Enrichment of Kuwait's

Coastline

Principles of Poultry Biosecurity Program

Fish Kills, Red Tides, & Kuwait's Marine Environment

Kuwait's Ravaged Environment - A Global Issue

Conference Proceedings

Seminars / Symposiums

Reports

Series

Arabic publication

KISR produce monthly magazine ‘Science and Technology’.

Weekly news paper ‘news of KISR’.

KISR on process to establishing Baseline Agricultural database for crop, animal and fish production for serving as a foundation for future development.

A data-base on catch and effort, including associated biological data, was established

Long-term oceanographic database and information management; GIS applications; services and products for the support of wide-range scientific studies related to the marine environment are available in NSTIC.

KISR developed an Atlas to be as user-friendly GIS/ data base decision support tool and easy accessible data repository that can guide future Biodiversity research in Kuwait.

All sort of data bases are existed at NSTIC. The concerned staff members can get access to these database trough NSTIC coordinator. This coordinator has the needed skills to carry out this assignment.

A searchable database for GCC research activities and publications established in Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research .

Gulf Electronic Scientific Research Database (GESR)

Components of GESR

Organizations database: containing universities, higher-education institutions, and national research centres.

Experts-manpower database: containing academics, researchers, and specialists in academic and research work.

Research database: containing research, periodicals, articles, and conferences proceedings.Scientific-equipments database: containing lab equipments used for scientific research

Kuwait Integrated Environmental Information Network (KIEIN) was established through the Ministry of Planning, at KISR, under full support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

For environmental information dissemination in Kuwait.

Supporting the decision/policy makers, planners and researchers in Kuwait, with the needed environmental information.

The web-based application makes spatial datasets and information available on KISR Intranet in order to be accessible to all the research community.

Kuwait Top Level Domain KISR establish, and operating Kuwait Top Level

Domain Name System in early 1999

Providing internet domain names for all Kuwaiti sites through flexible and accurate system and procedures.

KISR wib site www.kisr.edu.kw include all sort of information related to departments, divisions and programs, Email domain is now available to every staff member of KISR.

KISRtube

Kuwait National Meteorological Network

Monitor the meteorological conditions in the State of Kuwait.

Generate a reliable database for the meteorological conditions in Kuwait, and provide data for research project.

 

Manpower Development Department

KISR establish department for improving the capabilities of the staff at as well as those at local and regional organizations through:

long-term and short-term training programs

Workshops & Seminars

In-House CoursesScholarship

 

The research output serves different agencies in the State of Kuwait such as Environmental Public Authority, Public Authority of Agriculture and Fish Resources Affairs, Kuwait University, and the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) as well as other international organizations.

Impact on Kuwait Society & the Economy

TISSUE CULTURE: MASS PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES FOR HIGH QUALITY

CROPS During the past 10 years, KISR has developed tissue culture technologies on mass production of elite date palm cultivars, superior quality of seed potatoes, medicinal and native plants.

Current production is 25,000 to 30,000 date palm plantlets.

KISR supply the local marker with tissue cultured date palm

KISR on process to establish tissue culture company .

BIO-PLUS: A NOVEL SOIL AMENDMENT FOR DESERT

A novel bio-product “BIO-

PLUS” for improving desert

soil fertility was successfully

developed by the

Biotechnology Department

in KISR.

SOIL BIOREMEDIATION: A Cost Effective Green Technology for Soil

Decontamination:Remediation and rehabilitation of oil

contaminated desert soil and the oil lakes resulted

in the development of cost effective bioremediation

and physical chemical technologies for treatment of

oil contaminated soils and oil sludge. These

technologies were field demonstrated successfully

at a large scale under Kuwait conditions

The potential use of the bioremediated soil for

landscape purpose was demonstrated by the

establishment of a public park in Al-Ahmadi,

Kuwait. The composts can replace part of or all synthetic

fertilizers used in the operation.