PPPA-Public Private Partnership for Agriculture

Former Director General of ICARDA

We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Dr. Mahmoud El Solh on Sunday, 16 November 2025, a distinguished scientist, former Director General, and one of the most influential figures in ICARDA’s history. For decades, Dr. El Solh’s leadership, generosity, and unwavering dedication shaped not only ICARDA’s work but also the lives and careers of countless colleagues around the world.

Dr. El Solh’s journey with dryland agriculture began more than forty years ago, when he joined the Ford Foundation’s Arid Land Agricultural Development Program, ICARDA’s predecessor, in the early 1970s. He later became an integral part of ICARDA itself, serving in roles that reflected his scientific depth and instinct for collaboration. He began as a Lentil Breeder in 1978, before serving as Regional Food Legume Senior Scientist for North Africa in 1986, Regional Coordinator for the Nile Valley and Red Sea Program in 1990, Director of International Cooperation in 1997, and as Assistant Director General for International Cooperation in 1999. His long and distinguished service culminated in 2006, when he became Director General and guided ICARDA through one of the most pivotal periods in its history until October 2016.

His steady leadership, strategic clarity, and deep dedication to ICARDA’s mission enabled the organization to navigate challenges while expanding its global partnerships and scientific impact. His commitment to protecting ICARDA’s genetic resources during a period of uncertainty remains a defining part of his legacy.

Dr. El Solh contributed to the development and release of hundreds of improved crop varieties that continue to benefit smallholder farmers across the Middle East, Africa, Central and South Asia, and beyond. His passion for building strong national research systems shaped his approach to mentorship, capacity development, and institutional strengthening; many researchers in the region credit their careers and confidence to his support and encouragement.

He also made significant contributions on the international stage, serving from 2002 to 2006 as Director of FAO’s Plant Production and Protection Division. In more recent years, he was appointed to the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) of the Committee on World Food Security, a body jointly supported by the FAO, IFAD, and WFP, which is highly regarded globally.

With more than 120 scientific publications and a long list of prestigious awards, including the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, the Gregor Mendel Innovation Prize, and multiple lifetime achievement recognitions, his contributions were celebrated across continents.

What colleagues will remember most, however, goes beyond titles or accolades. They will remember his kindness and open-door demeanor, the calm steadiness he carried with him, and his ability to spot potential in others long before they themselves did. They will remember his conviction that science must serve communities, especially those living through the most challenging realities.

Victoria has officially kicked off a world-first medicinal cannabis driving trial

The trial aims to determine whether people who use medicinal cannabis can drive safely

Victoria is making huge strides into unknown medical territory, with a medicinal cannabis trial that has never been conducted anywhere else in the world. Our state was the first in the country to legalise the medicinal use of the drug, and now this new research will continue to aim to help people struggling with medical issues – which is a huge win.

The exciting, world-first trial was first announced in May 2024, and will delve into the use of medicinal cannabis and driving – determining whether users can drive safely when they have the psychoactive component of in cannabis called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in their body's system. But the trial participants won't be ripping bongs and jumping straight onto the roads – it's about assessing whether a user's driving abilities are impacted several hours after use when the affects of the drug are long gone, but THC can still be detected in drug tests (which can be up to weeks after using the drug).

by: Liv Condous

Difference between research methods and research methodology.

د بغلان غمیزه - اقلیمي بدلون سره د ځان عیارولو (Climate Adaptation) لپاره د انسجام اړتیا

بغلان مو ناورین ځپلی، وطنوال مو بدترین وضعیت کې قرار لري. رب دې ورته دغه حالت سره د مقابلې وس او توان ورکړي. خو د اقلیمي بدلون روان وضعیت کې د دا ډول پیښو ډیریدو ویره شته.

له بده مرغه، افغانستان د نړۍ شپږو هغه هیوادونو په لړ کې دی چې تر ټولو ډیر د اقلیمي بدلون ګواښونو سره مخ او په مقابل کې یې ناتوانه دي. لوګر په ۲۰۲۲ کې د بغلان برخلیک تجربه کړ. ختیځ ولایتونه وخت ناوخت د ټیټې کچې سیلابونو له کبله ځاني او مالي‌ زیانونه تجربه کوي. بله خوا بیا د تیرو کلونو وچکالۍ زمونږ په سنتي کرنه تکیه اقتصاد را وځپلو، را روانو کلونو لپاره هم وچکالي‌اټکل شوې ده. د اقلیمي‌بدلون اټکلونو سره سم به یا وچکالي زغمو او که کال باراني وي‌ نو بیا به مو سیلابونه ځپي.

ملګري ملتونو تیر وو که وړم کال، د کوپ کلنۍ غونډه کې هغه هیوادونو لپاره یو مرستندویه صندوق جوړ کړ چې اقلیم ځپونکي ګازونه خو نه تولیدوي خو د دغه ګازونو د تولید له کبله د اقلیمي بدلون زیان ویني. خو له بده مرغه، افغانستان د روان سیاسي وضعیت له کبله له یوې خوا د اقلیمي‌ بدلون اړوند پالیسي‌ بحثونو څخه دباندې دی او له بلې خوا اقلیمي‌ بدلون سره د ځان عیارولو او د خطرونو څخه د ژغورنې تخنیکي‌ او مالي‌ مرستو څخه هم بې برخې دی. په بل عبارت، له یوې خوا ناروین را پیښ دی، بله خوا مرستې نشت سره برابرې دي.

زه وخت ناوخت په شخصي او محدود رسمي چوکاټ کې د افغانستان اوسني‌وضعیت لپاره څه نا څه وایم او لیکم، یو څو نور ملګري‌ هم خپله خبره کوي. زما د اقلیمي بدلون سره سر او کار د پایدارې پراختیا او د شخړو د مدیریت او سولې په چوکاټ کې دی، په همدې کچه د موضوع په اړه لوست او لیک کوم. خو دغه غیر منسجمه بیخيي‌ کمې هلې ځلې منسجم کول غواړي، او نړیوالو سره د خبرې ادرس په توګه استدالال ته اړتیا ده چې د اقلیمي بدلون سره د غیر سیاسي‌تعامل په کولو افغانستان ته لومړیتوب ورکړي. نړیوالې مرسته کولی شي په افغانستان کې د حوادثو د مدیریت (Disaster Risk Management) په برخه کې د پانګونې، سیسمتونو د پیاوړي کولو، څیړنو، ارزونو او ولسي وړتیاوو د لوړولو په مرسته د اقلیمي بدلون د زیان د کچې راټیټولو کې مرسته وکړي. مونږ په ولسي‌کچه عامه پوهاوي، د ګواښونو راټیټولو لپاره په ولسي‌کچه د ناروینونو مدیریت (community-based disaster risk management), د اداري‌سیمستونو په پیاوړي‌کولو د همغږۍ نظم را جوړولو، او د څیړنو او ارزونو په رڼا کې د ناورین دمخه د ناورین سره د مقابلې چمتووالي (preparedness) په برخه کې ډیر کار کولی شو.

له تخنیکي‌اړخه ډیر څه نور کیدی شي خو خبره دلته ده چې څنګه نړیوال اړ باسو چې مونږ سره زمونږ برخه تخنیکي‌او مالي‌ مرستې وکړي. اوس خو یوازې په بیړنیو مرستو اکتفا ده او بس. هیله مې ده چې پیاوړي‌ ملګري ملا وتړي،‌ او د یو منظم او منسجم خوځښت په اډانه کې د خپل هیواد او ولس غمه وخوري.
©/Credit: Mushtaq Rahim

What the IPC is?
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is a common
global scale for classifying the severity and magnitude of food
insecurity and malnutrition.

What are the three IPC scales?
1. Acute Food Insecurity: Food deprivation that threatens lives or livelihoods, regardless of the causes, context or duration.
2. Chronic Food Insecurity: Persistent or seasonal inability to consume adequate diets for a healthy and active life, mainly
due to structural causes.
3. Acute Malnutrition: A high prevalence of acute malnutrition
accompanied by high or increasing levels of morbidity or individual food consumption gaps.

IPC is the result of a partnership of various organizations at the global, regional and country levels dedicated to developing and maintaining the highest possible quality in food security and nutrition analysis. Increasingly, the IPC is the international standard for classifying food insecurity and malnutrition.......