The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Regional Office for the Near East (FAO/RNE), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation of Egypt and the Desert Research Centre (DRC) will organize the 2nd Regional Expert Consultation on the “Utilization of Agricultural Residues with Special Emphasis on its utilization as Bio-fuel: Potential and Constraints” at Triumph Hotel, El-Khalifa Maamoun Street, Heliopolis from Monday 29 October till Thursday 1st November 2007. 

The consultation will be held under the auspices of Their Excellencies, the Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation and the Minister of State for Environmental Affairs. 

The objectives of this consultation is to follow-up on the outcome of the 1st Expert Consultation Meeting on the utilization of agricultural residues, that took place in Cairo, Egypt from 6-8 June 2004 and assess current status and trends of the management and utilization of agricultural by-products, as well as discussing recent trends and achievements in bio-fuel and the potential role of agricultural residues for bio-fuel. In addition, the discussions will include ways and means for establishing a Regional Network on Bio-Energy, including creation of a Newsletter and setting up a national and regional data base. 

A number of experts from the Near East Region and Europe will participate in this consultation.