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The Near East area is a major center of plant genetic diversity and endemism in the world and its drylands are especially outstanding for their within-species diversity. Indigenous crops in this region are known for their resistance to diseases and abiotic stresses and are therefore, a valuable genetic source for germplasm enhancement upon which global food security depends.
Because of the importance of this issue the project on "Conservation & Sustainable Use of Dryland Agrobiodiversity in the Near East" was launched in June 1999. It covers four countries: Jordan, Syria, Lebanon & The Palestinian Authority.
The project aims at promoting the conservation of important wild relatives and landraces of agricultural species in each country by introducing and testing in-situ and on-farm techniques. The project works closely with farmers and the rural communities for the conservation and sustainable use of agro-biodiversity.
In Lebanon, many landraces and wild relatives of cereals, legumes and fruit trees are grown in the drylands of this country. These areas are experiencing a quick loss in their agrobiodiversity mainly due to:
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