The Scientific and Technical Research Center for Arid Regions “Omar EL-BERNAOUI” (CRSTRA) was established in 1991 (modified in 2003/2011), it is a Public Establishment of a Scientific and Technical Nature (EPST) with legal personality and financial autonomy, operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, focuses on : 1- Desertification Control: Researching, mapping, and monitoring wind erosion, sand encroachment, and degradation of steppe/forest ecosystems. 2- Resource Management: Managing and valorizing water resources and arid soils. 3- Biodiversity Protection: Monitoring and protecting plant, animal, and ecosystem biodiversity under climate change. 4- Agricultural Innovation: Researching date palm cultivation, biotechnology, and biological disease control. 5- Ecology and Environment: Studying the ecology of arid ecosystems and managing natural risks like drought.
Sustainable irrigation Treated wastewater irrigation Soil–plant interactions Crop productivity Nutrient recycling Soil fertility Climate-resilient agriculture Water reuse Wastewater valorization Decentralized treatment systems Low-cost water treatment Water quality improvement Sustainable water management Non-conventional water resources Aquaculture wastewater Functionalized biochar Bio-based materials Algal biotechnology Physio-biochemical responses Oxidative stress mitigation Green technologies
