SQU, Sydney varsity mull over ‘water-plant-energy’

Times News Service MUSCAT: A one-day symposium titled ‘Water-plant-energyfood nexus in two arid tropical regions: Australian and Omani experience,’ organised jointly by the College of Agricultural & Marine Sciences (CAMS) of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and the University of Sydney, Australia, reviewed the ongoing research in agriculture and related fields at the two institutions.

The symposium, held at the CAMS under the patronage of Her Highness Sayyidah Dr Mona bint Fahad Al Said, SQU assistant vice chancellor for External Cooperation, included eight presentations by experts from the SQU and the Australian University.

The event commenced with a speech by Prof. Anvar Kacimov, Dean, CAMS, who gave an overview of CAMS’ research and extension relevant to agriculture in arid and hyper arid conditions of Oman. This was followed Dr Mushtque Ahmed, associate professor, CAMS, narrating the objectives of the symposium by underscoring the commonalities between Oman and Australia, which call for more joint research projects in agriculture, agricultural economics and other fields.

Based on his research experience in the field, Prof. Mark Adams, dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, University of Sydney, gave a talk on legumes and their role in solving the energy-water-food problem.

Other topics discussed in the symposium, included optimising water utilisation for improved horticultural crop production in Oman (Dr. Rashid Al Yahayi, CAMS, SQU); GCC food security investments and Australia’s appetite for agribusiness foreign direct investment (Prof. Leanne Piggott, the University of Sydney Business School); recent studies on adapting Australian native plants for drought and poor soils (Prof. Mark Adams) and, the economic cost of ensuring food security, among other issues.