Ministry of Agriculture: The National Agricultural Research Center (NARC) and Al-Quds Open University organize a workshop on biotechnology applications in plant improvement

Jenin: February 17, 2026

Al-Quds Open University, in cooperation with the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), organized a specialized scientific workshop entitled "Applications of Biotechnology in Plant Improvement" at the center's headquarters in Qabatiya, Jenin. This workshop was part of the "BreadTech" project, funded by the Erasmus+ program and implemented by the university's Faculty of Agriculture.

In his welcoming remarks, Dr. Zaher Al-Barghouthi, Director General of the Research Directorate and Deputy Director General of the center, emphasized that NARC serves as the research arm of the Ministry of Agriculture and the national umbrella for applied agricultural research in Palestine. He explained that NARC works to develop scientific solutions to the challenges facing the agricultural sector and to promote innovation, sustainability, and food security through effective partnerships with academic institutions, most notably the Faculty of Agriculture at Al-Quds Open University.

For his part, Dr. Suhail Abu Mayaleh, Director of the university's Jenin branch, stressed the importance of the project in supporting digital and technological innovation in the agricultural sector, enhancing the skills of local personnel, and developing mechanisms for crop improvement. The workshop included specialized scientific presentations. Dr. Osama Al-Abdullah reviewed biotechnologies used to improve crop production, while Dr. Khaled Al-Hardan discussed improving chickpea productivity using variety blends. Dr. Aziz Salameh also gave two presentations: one on gene silencing spray technology (SIGS) for pest control, and another on gene editing technology (CRISPR) for improving sesame characteristics within a forthcoming international project in partnership with European and African academic institutions.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants recommended encouraging researchers to adopt environmentally friendly biotechnologies in applied research, implementing variety blending strategies to enhance production stability, launching training programs to transfer research findings from the laboratory to the field, and working to develop national legislative frameworks to ensure biosafety.

The workshop was attended by representatives from unions and universities, staff from the Jenin Agriculture Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, and a number of researchers and agricultural engineers.