Antimicrobial Activity of Honey
Panorama
Knowledge Utilization from a Knowledge Repository
Mind Over Matter
H.M. Academic Chairs’ Symposium Opens Academic Vistas
News Update
Off-site Conservation
of Wild Animals
Department of Public
Relations and Information
Sultan Qaboos University
Issue 202
View Point
The Immediate Objective
The Gulf region is one of the world’s most naturally endowed and economically prosperous regions. It also scores well on several social parameters. It
is the world’s richest in oil and natural gas reserves the poorest in renewable
water and arable land, and continues to rely excessively on natural resources
as its development strategy. The Gulf countries are characterized by extreme
arid climates, sparse natural vegetation, and fragile soil conditions. They are
mainly desert lands with the exception of the coastal strips, lagoons, khors and
mountain ranges.
Khamis Rajab Al Busaidi
Editorial Supervision
Humaid Al Adwani
Editor -in-chief
M.K. Santhosh
Senior Editor
Younis Al Harrasi
Editor & Translator
Ahlam Al Wahaibi
Design & Layout
Rashad Al Wahaibi
& Photography Dept., CET
Photography
The region is characterized by rapid population and economic growth accompanied by excessive utilization of natural resources and environmental deterioration. As a result, the countries of the region are suffering from water scarcity, exacerbating desertification, loss of arable lands, soil erosion, ecosystem
imbalance and loss of biodiversity, and increasing pollution. A communiqué
of the Gulf Research Centre states that in the last three decades, development
programs in the Gulf countries were implemented without considering management and conservation of natural resources. The vision for development
prioritized investments in infrastructure, industry, and agricultural development at the expense of natural resources.
Besides many similarities in geographical, political and economic conditions,
the environmental features of the region are also very much alike. Therefore,
environmental policies should be similar in the region. Economic development
and sound environmental management are two sides of the same coin. Development without adequate environmental protection is meaningless and can be
counter-productive.
The immediate objectives of environmental policies in the Gulf countries
would be to address the most urgent problems, such as threats to human health
caused by poor environmental quality, losses, damage or destruction of natural
resources, depletion and degradation of environmental resources and the deterioration of biodiversity. Most of the environment related international forums,
the latest on being the Arabian Coast 2010 hosted by SQU, recommend the
same strategy for a better future.
Horizon invites contributions from SQU members of staff and faculty. Contributions in the form of articles, news, travelogues, stories of unique and interesting experiences, encounters, etc., are welcome. Contributions may be edited
for the sake of clarity and length. Please send your contributions to horizon@squ.edu.om preferably, as MSWord attachments. Authors will be suitably credited.
Horizon is published three times a month by the Department of Public Relations and Information,
Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 50, P.C. 123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Phone: +968 24141045
E-mail: horizon@squ.edu.om
10 November 2010
P2
Fax: +968 24413 391
Website: www.squ.edu.om
News Update
H.M. Academic Chairs’ Symposium Opens Academic Vistas
oriental studies, international relations, applied sciences and human
resources with participation of 11 professors who presented working
papers related to theses themes.
H.E. Sayyid Ali bin Hamoud al Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal
Court and chief guest said that these scientific chairs which His Majesty
the Sultan ordered to establish in a number of prestigious organizations
is a noble human aim that stresses the humanitarian links shown in the
different ages as they have proved the need for humans to interact with
the different aspects of life.
Sayyid Ali bin Hamoud al Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of the Royal Court
presided at SQU over the opening of the symposium “Academic Chairs of His
Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and their Contributions in Human Knowledge Development”. The symposium was organized by the Higher Education Ministry in collaboration with SQU from November to 3. The ceremony
was attended by the Chairmen of the State Council and Majlis A’Shura, a
number of ministers, advisors and SQU academics and staff.
A number of professors from different educational institutes and world
leading universities who are holding the academic chairs that carry the
name of His Majesty took part in the deliberations of the symposium.
The symposium discussed a number of important themes, namely the
H.E. Dr. Rawiyah bint Saud al Busaidiyah , Higher Education Minster
delivered the welcome speech and affirmed the importance of organizing this symposium which came as part of His Majesty the Sultan’s
attention to knowledge , science and its role in the development and
progress of communities and integration of the human interaction values among the different cultures.
The first session was chaired by Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud
al Busaidi, Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry. The theme of the
session was oriental studies and international relations. It included a
working paper by Professor Francis Robinson , professor of Sultan of
Oman Fellowship at Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies at Oxford University on ‘ Islam Studies Centre , Western and Southern Asia from
the 13th century till date; Security, Resources and Influence. It also included a working paper by Professor Abdul Majeed, professor of Sultan
Qaboos Chairs for Arab language Studies in Beijing University in the
Peoples’ Republic of China on ‘Arabic language in China.
Arabian Coast 2010 Deliberates on Coastal Zone Engineering
together leading experts, scientists, environmentalists and engineers from
around the world to discuss the latest achievements and developments taking place in the area of conservation of the regional coastal zone. The event
will discuss coastal environmental impact problems and remedial solutions,
including case studies of relevance to the region” Dr. Al Oraimi said.
Five keynote speeches and 60 technical papers covering a wide range of topics related to coastal zone engineering and management were presented in
the Second International Conference on Coastal Zone Engineering and Management that concluded at SQU recently. The opening ceremony of the event
(Arabian Coast 2010) organized by the College of Engineering at SQU, was held
under the patronage of H.E. Said Hamdoon Al Harthy, Undersecretary for Ports
& Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of Transport and Communications. This three
day conference was successful in putting together efforts related to coastal zone
management, coastal dynamics and monitoring, coastal stabilization and waterfront development, ports and marinas, risk management, and coastal legislation,
planning and co-operation.
Delivering the conference organizing committee speech during the opening ceremony, Dr. Salim bin Khamis Al Oraimi, Chairman of the committee, said that the event was addressing the coastal engineering aspects in
order to obtain sustainable development. “Therefore, the conference brings
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Christopher George, Executive Director of
the International Association for Hydro-environment Engineering and Research (IAHR), explained that his organization promotes the advancement
and exchange of knowledge through working groups, specialty symposia,
congresses, and publications on water resources, river and coastal hydraulics, risk analysis, energy, environment, disaster prevention, industrial
processes. He promised all help from the part of IAHR in the journey of
Oman to a knowledge based economy. “This is for the first time that IAHR
is supporting a particular international event in the region. I hope that this
is going to be a stepping stone for much more collaboration between IAHR,
SQU and Oman in terms of knowledge sharing, technology transfer and
collaborative research”, Dr. George observed.
The conference themes included coastal zone management and environment, coastal dynamics and monitoring, coastal stabilization and waterfront development, risk management, ports, harbors and marinas, coastal
legislation, planning and co-operation, coastal aquifers and salt water intrusion, effect of climate change on coastal environment, an, thermal pollution and marine environment. The conference sponsors was sponsored by
SQU, Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, Ministry of Transportations and Communications, Ministry of Fisheries, The Research Council,
and the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and
Research.
10 November 2010 P3
Insight
Dr. Senan Baqir
Off-site Conservation Can
Save Oman’s Wild Animals
Over the next 30 years, perhaps a quarter of all known mammals could die out
as result of rapid climate change and habitat loss. Recent assessment report by
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has highlighted the ineffectiveness of regulations governing hunting and protection of endangered species in
west Asian countries including Oman. A vivid example is the significant drop of
leopard populations in the mountains of the Arabian Peninsula. The report also
indicates that west Asia is in the same position as other regions in that it has
failed to meet the Convention on Biological Diversity 2010 target of achieving a
significant reduction in biodiversity loss.
Despite mounting efforts by the Omani government to protect biodiversity of
endangered species in situ, regrettably the trend favours a continued decline in
the number of animals. It should be noted that the continued decline in the population of endangered species is inevitable and carried out with conditions that
go beyond government control such as cyclones, pollution, extreme hot weather, drought and smuggling. Unfortunately, this will drain the national economy
from a substantial source of income, namely eco-tourism.
According to Dr. Senan Baqir, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology
of the College of Science at Sultan Qaboos University, ex situ conservation is a
new concept where the entire conservation process is based outside the natural
habitat. “This concept can be manifested by recent advances in biotechnology
such as the proposed creation of a cell bank to conserve the genetic material of
Omani endangered species for the long run. The proposed cell bank, if coupled
with other innovative technological approaches such as assisted reproductive
biotechnologies, interspecies transplantation, reproductive cloning, semen sexing, stem cell lines, ovum pick-up (OPU) and in vitro fertilization, would be appropriate tools to combat the continued population decline of endangered species
in Oman. Such innovative technologies play a pivotal role in tackling future challenges related to climate change, environmental stress and inbreeding depression found in endangered species captivity breeding programs”, Dr. Baqir said.
The number of endangered animals in Oman is on a declining path despite the
huge effort and investment made by the government. This trend can be attributed to the following fundamental reasons: smuggling and illegal trade; growth
of wild life tourism; rapid urbanization and construction; and climate change;
pollution and diseases. Other reasons include inbreeding issues and long generation interval.
Although the Omani government have graciously invested in in situ conservation by establishing endangered species reserves to improve the number of animals, Dr. Baqir is of the opinion that it risks inducing homozygosity and inbreeding stress due to restricting the injection of new genetics in second generation
animals. “The lack of genetic diversity found in animals reared in captivity lead
to postnatal defects, transmission of inherited diseases, growth abnormality,
and poor longevity and fertility issues. This is evident by the fact that despite the
great efforts taken to increase the population of gazelles in Masirah island reserve, the numbers are in a steady decline on a year to year basis”, he observed.
10 November 2010
P4
Dr. Khalid Al-Rasbi
Endangered species in Oman are known to have a long generation interval. This
is resonated by perturbed natural breeding, pouching and early death by predators. Reproductive technologies such as cell banks can drastically reduce the
generation interval in those animals thereby leading to an accelerated growth
in the herd population.
Dr. Baqir further said that collecting and preserving cell samples in a cell bank
from a variety of endangered species while their numbers are somewhat high
would conserve genetic diversity. “At the same time it would help in conserving the environmental adaptations that have accumulated over millions of years
of evolution. Should the population disappear, the original pool of cells can be
readily used to regenerate lost animals through reproductive cloning”, he said.
The sultanate of Oman have graciously implemented several conservation
projects, however all of them falls under in situ conservation and none is categorized as ex situ conservation that utilizes and benefit from latest advances in
biotechnology as required by the convention on biological diversity (CBD). Developing a cell/gene bank will fulfill all the CBD provisions that Oman have ratified. Additionally, it would put Oman in the forefront of countries that uses state
of the art biotechnologies to conserve domestic endangered species.
Dr. Khalid Al-Rasbi, of the Royal Court Affairs Veterinary Services Division, agreed
with this assessment and strongly supported the concept of creating a cell bank
in Oman exclusively for endangered species. In fact, Dr. Khalid have given a vivid
example of the extinction back in the seventies of the Arabian cheetah, known
as the fastest land animal, reaching speeds of 120km/h and has the ability to
accelerate from 0 to 103 km/h in just 3 seconds making it much faster than any
supercar. Should a cell banks was available 40 years ago, the Arabian cheetah
could have been reproduced using reproductive cloning technology.
Dr. Khalid indicated that Oman is blessed by the beautiful landscape and the
abundance of biodiversity stretching from the Dhofar Mountains to the Wusta
region. “However, the enormous amount of support the government have put
to preserve biodiversity seems to be insufficient to combat the decline of endangered species populations. This in turn highlights the need of using state of
the art technologies such as cell banks to conserve the genetic material from
animals that can be readily used in the future should animal numbers dwindle to
an alarming rate. Such technologies have shown recently with much success the
possibility of reintroducing animals to the wild”, he said.
Mind Over Matter
Knowledge Utilization from
a Knowledge Repository
By: Dr. Kamla Ali Al-Busaidi
Information Systems
College of Commerce & Economics
Knowledge management (KM) has become one of the main imperatives of knowledge-based economy. Knowledge management systems (KMS) are IT-based systems that support and boost the organizational processes of knowledge creation,
storage/retrieval, transfer, and utilization. KMS usage results in several benefits
for individuals and organizations such as improved organization’s operating performance, learning and innovative performance. Furthermore, KMS may improve
developing nations’ and their organizations’ efforts to manage their knowledge,
and consequently build their human resources.
Repository KMS is one of two common KMS models. The objective of the repository model is to codify the organization’s explicit knowledge for later reuse. Repository KMS codifies knowledge from internal sources and external sources.
Internal knowledge may include reports, document templates, memos, methodologies, manuals, regulations, product and marketing knowledge, and internal
best practices; whereas external knowledge includes competitive intelligence,
industry trends, customer knowledge, and professional and trade journal publications. The development of knowledge repositories is becoming imperative for
several industries as market volatility is accelerating, speed of responsiveness is
intensifying and individual experience is diminishing.
Knowledge utilization is one of the main KM processes; it is the process where
the benefits of KMS are actually realized. KM includes several processes. It starts
by generating knowledge from databases, individuals or group of individuals.
Once the knowledge is generated or created, it is codified and stored in a storage
area to establish an organizational memory or a knowledge repository that can
be accessed for later use and distribution. Knowledge utilization is the application of the stored knowledge to solve daily work problems and make decisions.
Therefore, knowledge utilization is critical to the success of repository KMS. Utilizing knowledge through KMS might lead to several benefits including financial
benefits. For instance, Shell Company saved $200 million in 2000 by implementing discussion groups and knowledge repositories where more than 10,000 engineers can share ideas and solve problems. Also, British Petroleum (BP) Company is expected to improve its productivity by 4% per year by implementing
computer-supported visualization environments to share know-how knowledge
to promote teamwork, innovation and creativity.
However, individuals’ knowledge utilization behavior might be inhibited by several corporate cultural issues. One of the most popular inhibitors is “Not-Invented
here (NIH) syndrome”. In most situations, individuals are not willing to utilize
knowledge from others because it is not their own knowledge. Some users do
not trust others’ knowledge and others may think it is more impressive to create
their own knowledge than using others. Other reasons that inhibit knowledge
utilization are lack of time and risk aversion (punishment for making a mistake).
Some technical factors, such as knowledge quality, system quality and service
support quality, might also influence knowledge utilization behavior. Investigating the factors that promote individuals’ knowledge utilization behavior is, therefore, essential to promote these emerging KMS repositories and ensure their successful deployment in organizations.
Based on the analysis of organizational KMS users’ responses in Omani organization, findings suggested that the motivators of knowledge utilization were
significantly related to knowledge quality, management support, knowledge
trust, and rewards policy. The quality and the credibility of the knowledge stored
in the KMS are vital for knowledge utilization behavior. High knowledge quality may improve knowledge credibility (or trust), and, consequently knowledge
utilization. Thus, developing knowledge quality control procedures is crucial to
improve users’ confidence and consequently knowledge utilization behavior.
Knowledge of high quality should be accurate, relevant, current, understandable,
contextual and complete. The credibility of knowledge may be also enhanced by
identifying its source. These procedures reduce knowledge utilizers’ fears of using
others’ knowledge.
reduces individuals’ fear of using others’ knowledge. It ensures employees that
using others’ knowledge is part of the organization’s culture, and encourages
employees to feel okay about using others’ knowledge.
Furthermore, rewards policy may be a critical success factor of KMS deployment and knowledge utilization. “Non trivial” monetary and non-monetary
incentives encourage employees to spend time and make efforts to exchange
knowledge, that is, to use and share knowledge. Unlike other information systems projects, the breadth, depth and survival of a KMS project is based on the
participation of the employees to create and use the knowledge that is stored
in these systems. Without good incentives employees will be reluctant to exchange knowledge. Consequently, this study showed that the development
of a knowledge-oriented culture is very significant on the success of KMS use
and knowledge utilization. System technical characteristics were also positively related to knowledge utilization behavior but not significant. It seems
that once individuals highly value the knowledge, and the management supports and rewards its utilization, then system quality and IT service support
quality are not critical factors for their knowledge utilization.
In conclusion, knowledge is a powerful intangible resource that enables individuals and organizations to improve their learning and decision-making
processes and consequently achieve competitive advantages in the knowledge-based economy. Developing countries and their organizations are in
great need for KM and KMS to empower themselves and create competitive
advantage. It is important to encourage individuals to utilize knowledge from
knowledge repositories to solve problems and make decisions as much as to
discover and create knowledge. The benefits of the KM are essentially realized
at the knowledge utilization process. Findings implied to practitioners that the
development of a high-level KMS does not guarantee its success. Organizations need to establish a knowledge-oriented culture and develop standards
that ensure high knowledge quality to promote KMS and knowledge utilization behavior. This research summary is based on a forthcoming book chapter
entitled “A Social and Technical Investigation of Knowledge Utilization from a
Repository Knowledge Management System” by IGI Global.
Also, management support is extremely critical to endorse the KMS and consequently change employees’ attitudes. Management support involves clarifying
the objective and the importance of a KMS, and encouraging end-users to use it.
Management’s open approval and acknowledgement of knowledge exchange
10 November 2010
P5
News Round Up
Forum Sheds Light on
Investment Opportunities
The 6th Muscat Stock Market Forum, organized by the Commerce Group SQU, consisting of the Investment Club in association with Muscat Securities Market and students from the College of Commerce & Economics, was opened under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Ali bin Saud Al Bimani, SQU Vice Chancellor.
Ahmed bin Saleh al Marhoun, General Manager of MSM, was
also present on the occasion. The objective of this annual event
is creating awareness amongst the students and visitors, enriching their investment knowledge and activating the role of the
market and companies as the student community is connected
to the working world.
This program is aimed at creating awareness among students
on capital market; role of stock exchanges in promoting savings
and investments; capital formation; and the stock market system. Further, the forum is expected to create awareness on the
development and transformation of the domestic stock market.
It enlightens the students on the use of internet in stock market
transactions. It also helped popularize the stock market system
and the use of IT in capital market-related activities. The forum
highlighted the significance of market information, disclosure
and public awareness, and the role of capital market in the nation-building process. Number of stock exchanges, stockbrokers,
investment companies and banks participated in the event.
Islamic Culture Society Releases
6th Issue of Zulfa
By: Fahad al-Thuhli
The Islamic Culture Society, functioning under the Deanship of Student Affairs recently brought out the sixth issue
of Zulfa magazine. The office bearers of the society said that
the new issue covers outstanding topics with a touch of
creativity. The magazine caters for Muslim and non-Muslim readers who seek to know more about Islam in general.
Most of the magazine content is in Arabic, but there is an
English section where various topics are translated from the
same magazine, and some are originally written in English.
The Islamic Culture Society aims to raise awareness of
cultural and religious aspects of Islam among the university community including students and employees. This is
achieved through annual plans and programs, which are
carefully selected and designed to fulfill the cultural, religious and educational needs of the students. The process
of implementation takes various forms, for example, organizing lectures, symposia, seminars, awareness-raising
programs, educational courses, publishing magazines and
other publications, translation of books and publications on
cultural affairs, and other activities and programs.
SQU Observes Stroke Awareness Day
teracted with the team of doctors and nurses. There were 122 visitors who
underwent evaluation for stroke risk factors and many more who visited.
This was followed by a review by a Physician, who would interpret the
findings for them and then advice them regarding suitable life style modification and health measures to improve the risk profile. Listening to comments of the visitors, it appeared that many had understood the message of
the event clearly, which was that ‘Stroke is Preventable’ and the ‘Everyone
can do something for Stroke Prevention for the individual and the community!’.
SQU, in association with Oman Neurological Society and Oman Medical
Association, organised Stroke Awareness Day on October 27 at Markaz Al
Bahja shopping mall. The event was arranged in a common area in the busy
shopping mall, with good visibility to all visitors, from 5 to 9 pm.
There was a steady stream of visitors throughout the evening. They all
viewed the posters and information booklets that were on display and in-
10 November 2010
P6
The main purpose of this event was to sensitize the public to the risk factors of Stroke and to the urgency of the need for action to control them in
order to prevent what appears to be an epidemic of vascular events that are
occurring in populations around the world. It is of great significance that
Oman, this year, is one of the countries at the forefront to initiate the Stroke
Awareness programs.
An enthusiastic team of 16 students from Colleges of Medicine and Arts,
SQU; 9 Residents from FAMCO, 3 from Medicine and 3 from Nursing Dept
participated in the event. The event was sponsored by Sanofi-Aventis and
Bank Muscat. Muscat Pharmacy supported by providing instruments for
measuring blood glucose.
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Antimicrobial Activity
Honey is acceptable in the medical profession as an antibacterial agent for the
treatment of some diseases, and infections resulting from wounds and burns. In
many cases, it is used with success on infections not responding to standard antibiotic and antiseptic therapy. Its effectiveness as an antibacterial agent is widely
reported. Honey is the substance made when the nectar and sweet deposits from
plants are gathered, modified and stored in the honeycomb by honey bees. The
definition of honey depends upon who defines it. Most people think of honey as
excellent food, but some others consider it an elixir, and still others as medicine.
Essentially, honey is an invert sugar (a mixture of glucose and fructose) dissolved in 14
to 20% water with minor amounts of organic acids, along with traces of minerals and
vitamins. Honey is derived from the nectar of flowering plants which the honey bee
collects. Nectar consists primarily of 10 to 50% sucrose, glucose, and fructose, and 50
to 90% water. The source of honey determines many of the attributes of honey such as
aroma, flavour, colour and composition.
Honey has had a valued place in traditional medicine for centuries. However, more intensive studies about the medicinal effects of honey did not commence until the year
1955 where the word ‘inhibine’ for the antibacterial activity of honey was introduced,
a term which has been widely used since the beginning of literature on honey. Since
then there have been many reports on the antimicrobial activity of honey.
The low pH of honey is inhibitory to many pathogens. Under experimental conditions,
especially with heavily diluted honeys, the growth medium tends to neutralize the
acidity of the honey so that it does not cause inhibition but when honey is used as a
dressing on a wound or ulcer, bacteria may be in contact with honey that is much less
diluted and the acidity could well be of importance. The fairly strong buffering capacity of body fluids may likely neutralize the acidity of honey in other situations where
there is greater dilution of honey. Hydrogen peroxide, a component of honey is well
known as an antibacterial agent, although it is mostly used as an antiseptic rather than
antibacterial agent.
Therapeutic Properties
The antimicrobial activity of honey is very important therapeutically, especially in situations where the body’s immune response is insufficient to clear infection. Bacteria
often produce protein-digesting enzymes, which can be very destructive to tissues
and can destroy the protein growth factors that are produced by the
body to stimulate the regeneration of damaged tissues in the healing
process. Furthermore, some bacteria produce toxins that kill tissue cells.
Additional damage is often caused by bacteria carrying antigens that
stimulate a prolonged inflammatory immune response which give excessive production of free radicals that are very damaging to tissues.
Bacteria in wounds can also consume oxygen, and thus make the
level of oxygen available in wound tissues drop to a point where tissue growth is impaired. The consequences of bacterial infection are;
non-healing of wounds; increase in size of wounds and development
of ulcers and abscesses; failure of skin grafts; and inflammation causing
swelling and pain. All these can be avoided by administering honey to
clear infection. In addition to having a direct antibacterial action, honey
may clear infection through a number of properties including boosting
the immune system, its anti-inflammatory action, its antioxidant activity
and stimulation of cell growth.
The anti-inflammatory properties of honey have been well established.
It has been observed clinically that when honey is applied to wound, it
visibly reduces inflammation. It has also been observed to reduce oedema around wounds and exudates, both of which result from inflammation. Pain is another feature of inflammation, and honey has been observed to be soothing when applied to wounds. A histological study of
biopsy samples from wounds has also shown that there are fewer of the
leucocytes associated with inflammation present in the wound tissues.
Harmlessness of Honey
Honey has no adverse effects other than a stinging sensation experienced by some people when it is applied to open wounds. Over
the thousands of years, honey has been used on open wounds and
in the eyes. It has not gained any reputation for adverse effects, and
this is borne out by histological examination of wound tissues that
have been treated with honey. In papers describing the application
of honey to open wounds it is reported to be soothing, to relieve
pain, be non-irritating, cause no pain on dressing, and give no secondary reactions. Although allergy to antibiotics is fairly common,
allergy to honey is rare and it may be a reaction to either the pollen
or the bee proteins in honey.
[This article is an edited version of a review article published by the
author in African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (13)]
10 November 2010
P7
Straight Talk
Dr. Marcus Marktanner
Dr. Marcus Marktanner, a German national, is currently serving as Associate
Professor in the Department of Economics at the American University of Beirut. He visited SQU recently and gave a special seminar titled “What Do Food
Prices Indicate: Scarcity or Insanity?” Horizon spoke to him about the challenge of food security.
Horizon: Could you explain your academic and research interests?
Dr. Marktanner: I am an economist. I entered a PhD program in
Germany shortly after its unification. This was a very interesting time
from both political and economic perspectives. In my doctoral thesis
I studied the political economy of the transformation process from
socialism to market economies. After joining the American University
of Beirut in Lebanon, my research interests shifted towards the question of how conflict in the Middle East affects economic development
in countries like Lebanon. Two years ago, in light of the food price crisis, I eventually began to develop a research interest in the economics
of food security. Although it may seem as if I had undergone different
research interests, there is actually a common thread in my research,
which is to explain economic development through its interaction with
politics and governance. We live in a region that is highly exposed to
the risk of climate change and food price vulnerability and the interaction of economics; and public policy is extremely important now. It is
a very exciting period for me as an economist to work on the link between climate change and food security.
Horizon: Have you been associated with any agencies in carrying
out studies on food security?
Dr. Marktanner:
I have been working with the World Food Program in Cairo, Egypt on the relationship between climate change and
food insecurity in the Arab world. I also do some work in Syria which is
badly affected by droughts. The focus there is immediate public policy
options like market reforms and social safety nets. I am also involved
in a project with the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western
Asia (ESCWA) that investigates the adverse effects of conflicts on food
security in countries like Iraq, Palestine, Sudan, and to some extent,
Yemen. At the American University of Beirut’s Issam Fares Institute for
Public Policy and International Affairs I serve as the program director
for climate change related research. Overall, dialog among stakeholders in governments, international organizations, academia, and civil
society is extremely important.
Horizon: To what extent is food insecurity a challenge today?
Dr. Marktanner: In the Arab world, it is one of the biggest challenges. The Arab world is facing a number of problems like water scarcity, exposure to climate change, the depletion of natural resources, population pressure, and the need for economic diversification. In order to
address these problems, innovations on the supply side are necessary.
The economies need to become more diversified and competitive to
pay for increased food import bills. New opportunities may exist in the
exploration of alternative energy resources such as solar and nuclear
power. Other opportunities may lie in agricultural production and bio-
technology. In tapping these opportunities, government need to play
an important role. Similarly, if you look at the demand side, global food
prices become increasingly volatile and will create vulnerabilities in the
society. Another factor is increased rural-urban migration as a result of
climate change. Both developments will call for a more proactive state
in the area of social policy.
Horizon: Do you think that the Gulf countries are in a state to attain
self sufficiency in terms of food production?
Dr. Marktanner: Obviously, the Gulf countries will not be able
to feed themselves. The Gulf will always have to rely on food imports.
The question though is not whether a country can be self-sufficient,
but whether it has enough food securitization capacity. This is the case
in the Gulf. Non-Gulf economies are much less blessed although there
are huge untapped potentials for rain-fed agriculture in, for example,
Sudan. In order to free the Arab region’s agricultural potential, several
factors need to be in place: regional cooperation, transfer of technology and capital, and the improvement of the climate for business and
innovation. Gulf economies can play an important role in tapping this
potential.
Horizon: What are the factors that contribute to food insecurity in
the world?
Dr. Marktanner: Food insecurity in the world is generally about
access, not availability. Food markets have become increasingly globalized. In the early days, a food crisis was a regional phenomenon that
was triggered by a local natural catastrophe or political event. Now we
are exposed to global market dynamics in which commodities like oil,
gas, and fertilizers interact strongly. In the last twenty years, most developed countries did not invest in agricultural research. They came to
believe that food prices would always remain cheap. Now, as the finiteness of fossil fuels is increasingly becoming a reality, countries began to
replace food by fuel crops. Food crops are also replaced by feed crops.
In developing countries, rapid urbanization has resulted in increased
purchasing power, people tend to eat now more meat, and agricultural
output is progressively consumed as animal fodder. Meat has also a
high virtual water bill. Another factor is financial globalization of commodity markets. A wildfire in Russia today will drive up wheat prices all
over the world. To which extent such price changes only reflect new
physical scarcities is difficult to say. Speculation may also be at work
and affect prices beyond true scarcity.