The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture(ICBA) is an international, non-profit agricultural research center established in 1999 through the visionary leadership of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), and the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ICBA is a unique applied agricultural research center in the world that is focused on marginal areas where an estimated 1.7 billion people live. It identifies, tests and introduces resource-efficient, climate-smart crops and technologies that are best suited to different regions affected by salinity, water scarcity and drought. Through its work, ICBA helps to improve food security and livelihoods for some of the poorest rural communities around the world. ICBA is an equal opportunity employer and appoints qualified staff regardless of race, creed, color, age, gender, religion or national origin. We demonstrate our commitment to each member of our team through a competitive benefits package designed to assist our employees to cover their needs and the needs of their immediate family members.
The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), in collaboration with the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAF), proposes to implement the Kuwait Enhanced Protected Agriculture (KEPA) initiative in order to enhance local food production in support of the food security and food sovereignty strategy of the Government of Kuwait.
KEPA will promote in Kuwait a water- and energy-efficient protected agriculture system that incorporates advanced hydroponic technologies and photovoltaic energy. It will address a number of challenges currently facing protected agriculture in Kuwait, including the use of greenhouses that were made for cooler climates, excessive use of water and energy, and the overall high cost of production.
In addition to engaging large, medium and small-scale farmers, KEPA will introduce small, family-scale, replicable models of the system within some peri-urban communities to demonstrate its efficacy, viability and sustainability, and encourage wide-scale adoption in such communities. The initiative will also establish a center of excellence in the Wafra area, specializing in hydroponic technologies and protected agriculture, which will act as a knowledge hub and a demonstration site for the latest technologies and applications that improve the efficiency of hydroponic horticulture. A model farm for technology transfer will also be established in the Abdally region.
To validate the environmental viability of the proposed KEPA project, ICBA proposes to undertake an environmental impact assessment. The scope of the study and the assessment is described below.
The environmental impact assessment will identify the possible impacts of the proposed KEPA project on the bio-geophysical environment and human health and well-being and provide recommendations to abate any negative consequences. It will include the following:
Deliverables and Outputs
Synthesis report, including the following:
Duration of Assignment
Start date: December 1, 2018
End date: January 15, 2019
