From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Wed Jul 02 2008 - 21:00:04 EDT
African contingent tours Wagga facilities
DAVID GUZMAN
3/07/2008 10:18:00 AM
WAGGA's agricultural institutes are key players in an international
partnership between Australia and the north east African country Eritrea.
An Eritrean delegation, including the Eritrean minister of agriculture,
toured the Wagga Agricultural Research Institute (WARI) and Charles Sturt
University (CSU) last week to discuss ways to improve livestock production
and animal nutrition.
Eritrean agriculture minister Arefaine Berhe said Australia and Eritrea has
a long standing relationship in the area of research and higher education.
"These institutes have years of research and a lot of experience and we are
using their knowledge and expertise to try to improve agricultural farming
in Eritrea," Mr Berhe said.
"In the few years we've been collaborating we have already identified a few
different species adapted to areas of Eritrea. This helps accelerate the way
we do things and improve productivity."
Agricultural scientists from WARI and CSU discussed assisting Eritrea with
the curriculum for a new veterinary clinic as well as the possibility of
long distance education programs.
Wagga and Adelaide previously assisted in the construction of an
agricultural college for Eritrea.
CSU professor Ted Wolfe said Australia's relationship with Eritrea was
essential in building the capacity of developing countries as well as better
understanding world needs.
"One of my ambitions in agricultural science is to show a little more
interest in Africa," Mr Wolfe said.
"As Australian agricultural scientists, we are not just interested in high
tech agriculture but traditional agriculture as well."
The group of Eritrean researchers and policy makers also visited Melbourne
and Adelaide as part of their national tour.
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