The History of AUC Desert Development Center (Interview 1 + transcription)

Dear all,

   Again, you can find here the whole interview with Mr. Mahmoud Badran, the training manager of DDC...
And followed by the transcription for what he said...

Transcription whole interview by Maramero

Interview Script:
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Announcer: The AUC Desert Development Center was established in 1979 as a center of excellence in applied research and training promoting sustainable desert development.  
Mr. Badran: Egypt’s problem is the limited resources. Population lives on 4% of Egypt’s area, and 96% is desert. There is a huge overcrowding in population in the Delta & Valley. So, the Egyptian government strategy in the last decades was to reclaim the desert and move the population from the Delta & Valley to inhabit the desert. The American University in Cairo decided to help in this field, and to insure that the university is helping the whole society not only to educate the rich, but also to contribute in service Egypt.   

Announcer: Who started the idea?

Mr. Badran: It was the idea of Mr. Adly Beshay, the AUC physics professor. He thought that AUC should have an active role in developing the Egyptian desert. He presented his idea to AUC board of trustees. They accepted and contacted the Egyptian council of ministries to take the action. They issued the case no. 37 for the year 1979, to specify an area of 500 acres in south Tahrir directorate to establish the “Desert Development Center.”  

Announcer: What was the first aim behind its establishment?

Mr. Badran: The main philosophy of DDC is to make the desert an attractive place for life and to help in solving the desert habitants’ problems. So, this project is mainly based on three axes; the services, applied research and training.

Announcer: What activities did DDC get engaged in since its establishment?

Mr. Badran: AUC Desert Development Center is a non-profit institution that depends on self-financing under the AUC. We have three research centers; South Tahrir research center “on 575 acres,” Sadat City research center “25 acres,” and the head office in the main campus. The most important research that has been done since the establishment of DDC is in the field of Animal Production. New ways are introduced to improve the product of Egyptian cows from both meat and milk through the Hybridization of European cows with Egyptian ones. This research brought great results and was traded to farmers all over Egypt.

Another project was the analysis of crops remains like beans chaff and wheat hay to be used as animal’s feed. This research decreases the import of feeds and made use of the farm land remains.  

Citrus development was one of the researches that longs to 15 years in DDC labs.

Announcer: What did DDC offered to AUC departments?

Mr. Badran: We have been worked with the AUC science department in the renewable resources researches. Also, the AUC physics department searched in the wind energy and solar energy with the help of DDC. All of these researches were supervised by Dr. Salah Hagar.

Announcer: What did DDC offered to Ain Shams University?

Mr. Badran: We have worked with Ain Shams University, microbiology department, on a type of bacteria called Frankia. These bacteria absorb the Nitrogen and fix it in the soil that plant needs for feeding and growth.

Announcer: Do you want add any other comments about DDC?

Mr. Badran: The program was very successful, and the proof is its continuous operating since 1979 till now.

Announcer: Thank you very much about your time and about the great information you had given. Thanks Mr. Mahmoud Badran

Mr. Badran: Thank you. You are welcome.
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Credit for: Gaser El Safty for over transcription voice...