Lebanese partner launches first-class lab facilities

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, February 23 – ICARDA’s longtime partner Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI) celebrated the construction of new laboratories and office space in its headquarters in eastern Lebanon.

LARI conducts scientific research for the agricultural sector in Lebanon. Various departments of LARI, including Biotechnology and Tissue Culture, Irrigation and Meteorology, and Climate Change and Field Crops, will benefit from the new state-of-the-art labs in its Tal Amara Station in Bekaa, one of the eight research stations it runs in the country.

“LARI has played an incredibly important role in the development of agriculture in the country. It has expanded its geographical mandate by increasing the number of research stations,” said Michel Afram, LARI’s president, at the site. “The new labs all meet the international standards and will make unique contribution to Lebanon and to the Middle East region,” he added.

Aly Abousabaa, ICARDA’s director general, and Ghazi Zuaiter, minister of agriculture, joined Dr. Afram to inaugurate the new facilities. Numerous representatives from national and international organizations in Lebanon also attended the event.

Minister Zuaiter congratulated LARI for the positive role it has played for the benefit of science and agriculture and assured that he would continue to support LARI’s work.