International Center for Biosaline Agriculture

Published in Nature Food, the study tracks footprints of diverse ancestral wheat relatives in bread wheat. It highlights their importance for enriching modern elite wheat cultivars and improving stress adaptation of wheat under climate change scenarios.

Major study sheds new light on untapped potential of ancestral wheat germplasm

As part of the experiment conducted between September 2020 and May 2021 at ICBA’s research station in Dubai, scientists evaluated four salt-tolerant rice varieties from the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI): BRRI dhan 47; BRRI dhan 61; BRRI dhan 67; and BRRI dhan 78.

ICBA studies how to best grow salt-tolerant rice in UAE

The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) has always placed rural women at the center of its research-for-development efforts in different regions. Over the past two decades, the center has supported rural women through a wide range of projects and capacity development initiatives, equipping them with tools and skills to cultivate resilient crops and improve their livelihoods.

Rural women: a driving force for food security and prosperity

As a joint venture between ICBA and BGI, the world’s largest genomic research institution, the Desert Life Science Laboratory (DLSL) will help to fast-track the discovery and development of food and other crops suited to marginal environments, that is agroecosystems constrained by a range of factors such as water scarcity, soil and water salinity, heat and drought, among others.

New genomic research facility to support food security efforts in the UAE and abroad

The 2021-2022 cohort comes from different backgrounds and countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the program aims to encourage diversity and inclusion and enable fellows to exchange their perspectives and experiences.

New cohort of Arab women scientists starts ICBA’s dedicated fellowship program

Research Themes

Management of natural resources in marginal environments

increase agricultural productivity and thus improve food, nutrition and water security, and create jobs and livelihoods for communities living in these environments

Climate change modeling and adaptation

enhance livelihoods, adaptive capacities and incomes of agricultural communities most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change

Crop improvement and sustainable production

increase adaptive capacities, livelihoods and food security of smallholder farmers and rural communities

Integrated agri-aquaculture systems

help reduce environmental footprint, increase incomes of farming communities and improve their adaptive capacities to climate change

Call for testing and demonstration of agricultural inputs and technologies suitable for use in marginal environments at ICBA research station

Research Publications

2022

Deep neural network based date palm tree detection in drone imagery

2021

The soil health–human health nexus: Mineral thresholds, interlinkages and rice systems in Jharkhand, India

2021

Foliar Application of Nano, Chelated, and Conventional Iron Forms Enhanced Growth, Nutritional Status, Fruiting Aspects, and Fruit Quality ofWashington Navel Orange Trees (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck)

Current Projects

November 2019 - October 2024

Creation of agricultural startups for Tunisian youth

November 2019 - October 2024

Introduction of value chains for stress-resilient crops to support the development of sustainable rural communities in Kasserine, Tunisia

March 2019 - February 2023

Improving agricultural resilience to salinity and climate change through development and promotion of pro-poor technologies and management strategies (RESADE)

Corporate Publications

ICBA at 20: A Look at History

ICBA at 20: Stories of Success

One-page infographic about ICBA

ICBA Strategy: Refresh 2019-2023

Multimedia

This center in Dubai is growing 'future-proof' food in the desert