Although limited amount of water is the primary constraint to agricultural productivity in the rainfed area of West Asia and North Africa (WANA), yields are also low because of the poor mineral nutrient status of soils. Yields can, therefore, be considerably increased by judicious fertilizer use. Laboratories for soil and plant analysis are essential for identifying nutrient constraints and providing a basis for efficient fertilizer use, through correlation studies to establish suitable soil testing extractants and calibration studies with crop responses. The Soils Laboratory at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) has initiated a quality control program among the national agricultural research systems (NARS) in the countries of the WANA region. The efforts include linkages with the Wageningen International Soil Analytical Exchange Program, in-country 88S 886 RYAN ET AL.training courses, and a laboratory analysis manual. Continued improvement in laboratory performance is dependent upon knowledge of the capabilities of such laboratories and identification of their constraints. This presentation reports a fact-finding survey of laboratories from 16 countries of the WANA region-mainly public, from universities and ministries of agriculture, and some private or commercial ones-based on a questionnaire about analyses, facilities, methodologies, quality assurance, personnel training, and management. Future efforts to improve the quantity and quality output from of these laboratories will address such deficiencies.

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Background/Aim: The aim of the current study was to review drug harms as they occur in Australia using the Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) methodology adopted in earlier studies in other jurisdictions. Method: A facilitated workshop with 25 experts from across Australia, was held to score 22 drugs on 16 criteria: 9 related to harms that a drug produces in the individual and 7 to harms to others. Participants were guided by facilitators through the methodology and principles of MCDA. In open discussion, each drug was scored on each criterion. The criteria were then weighted using a process of swing weighting. Scoring was captured in MCDA software tool. Results: MCDA modelling showed the most harmful substances to users were fentanyls (part score 50), heroin (part score 45) and crystal methamphetamine (part score 42). The most harmful substances to others were alcohol (part score 41), crystal methamphetamine (part score 24) and cigarettes/tobacco (part score 14). Overall, alcohol was the most harmful drug when harm to users and harm to others was combined. A supplementary analysis took into consideration the prevalence of each substance in Australia. Alcohol was again ranked the most harmful substance overall, followed by cigarettes, crystal methamphetamine, cannabis, heroin and pharmaceutical opioids. Conclusions: The results of this study make an important contribution to the emerging international picture of drug harms. They highlight the persistent and pervasive harms caused by alcohol. Policy implications and recommendations are discussed. Policies to reduce harm from alcohol and methamphetamine should be a priority.

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The West Asia‐North Africa (WANA) region, with a Mediterranean‐type climate, has an increasing deficit in cereal production, especially bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Rainfed cropping coincides with the relatively cool, rainy winter season, usually from October to May. Cereal yields are low and variable in response to inadequate and erratic seasonal rainfall and associated management factors, such as lack of N and late sowing. In an area where water is limited, small amounts of supplemental irrigation (SI) water can make up for the deficits in seasonal rain and potentially produce satisfactory yields. This field study (1992–1993 to 1995–1996) on a deep clay soil (a Calcixerollic Xerochrept) in northern Syria was conducted for four growing seasons to assess the effects of SI (rainfed, 1/3, 2/3, and full irrigation) combined with N rate (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg ha−1) and sowing date (early, normal, and late) on one traditional (Mexipak 65) and three improved bread wheat cultivars (Cham 4, Cham 6, Gomam). Yields of rainfed wheat varied with seasonal rainfall and its distribution, with all main factors having significant effects. A delay in the sowing date from November to January consistently reduced yields and the response to both SI and N. With irrigation, crop responses were generally significant up to 100 kg N ha−1, while optimum response for rainfed conditions was with 50 kg N ha−1. An addition of only limited irrigation (1/3 full irrigation) significantly increased yields, but near maximum yields were obtained by 2/3 of full irrigation. Responses to N and SI were greatest for the higher‐yielding cultivars. Use efficiency for both water and N was greatly increased by SI. Thus, with minimum irrigation during the winter growing season combined with appropriate management, inputs, and varieties, wheat output could be substantially and consistently increased in the semiarid Mediterranean zone. Production functions developed from this dataset can help predict the effects of changing any of these parameters in other locations in the region.