CURRENT STATUS OF AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN STATE OF KUWAIT

1. AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR
KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN NENA REGION
2-4 July 2012
Cairo- Egypt

2. CURRENT STATUS OF AGRICULTURAL
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR KNOWLEDGE SHARING
IN STATE OF KUWAIT
Dr. Fadila Al-Salameen
Biotechnology Department
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR)

3. International memberships
Kuwait 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.

4. 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)

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. Three department for rsearch
development in KISR
Aridland Agriculture and Greenery
Department.
Biotechnology Department.
Mariculture and Fisheries Aquaculture.

8. 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.

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

10. 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 .

11. 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

12. 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

13. Food Microbiology Lab
Tissue Culture Technology unit in
KISR and KU.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. KISR PUBLICATIONS
BOOKS
Growing 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

17. Conference Proceedings
Seminars / Symposiums
Reports
Series
Arabic publication

18. KISR produce monthly magazine ‘Science
and Technology’.
Weekly news paper ‘news of KISR’.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. Gulf Electronic Scientific
Research Database (GESR)
A searchable database for GCC research
activities and publications established in
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research .

22. 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

23. 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.

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

25. 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

26. 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.

27. 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 Courses
Scholarship

28. Impact on Kuwait Society & the Economy
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.

29. 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 .

30. 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.

31. 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

32. 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.