Dr Adel el-Beltagy, the chair designate of GFAR, will take over the mantle of leading GFAR over the next three years from June 1st 2006 when he will preside over his first GFAR Management Team Meeting.

Dr El-Beltagy obtained a PhD from the University of Wales, UK specializing in stress physiology and worked extensively in the area of arid land agriculture.
He was for many years (1995-2006) the Director General of the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and prior to that held various positions of responsibility in the Egyptian NARS including the establishment of the Arid Land Agriculture Laboratory at Ain Shams University in 1981 and as Director General of the Agricultural Research Center in Cairo, Egypt (1991-1993), He also contributed in many ways to the establishment of the National Agricultural Genetic Engineering Laboratory (NAGEL) in 1990.

He brings to GFAR, this unique combination of a solid and practical researcher, a NARS leader and leader of an International Agricultural Research Centre. We warmly welcome Dr El-Beltagy to the GFAR family, where his experience, expertise and network connections will be very much valued. Welcome Adel.