ICARDA Publications

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Chemodiversity and antimicrobial activities of Eucalyptus spp. essential oils
(Journal Article, 2024-08-06) Ammar, Hajer; M’Rabe, Yassine; Hassan, Sawsan; Chahine, Mireille; de Haro Marti, Mario; Soufan, Walid; Andres, Sonia; López Puente, Secundino; Hosni, Karim
The essential oils extracted from the leaves of five Eucalyptus species: E. astringens, E. camaldulensis, E. lehmannii, E. leucoxylon, and E. sideroxylon, were investigated for their antimicrobial properties. These species were growing in the same plantation area, exposed to identical conditions, and subjected to uniform agronomic practices. Processed and analyzed under consistent parameters, the essential oil yields ranged from 0.14 to 0.96% (w/w). Chromatographic analysis were resolved into 48 compounds, with 11 common to all oils. Terpenoids (oxygenated mono- and sesquiterpenes) dominated the oil profiles, constituting 55.66–76.67% of the composition. Major components identified included 1,8-cineole (21.97–50.93%), α-pinene (2.18–15.95%), p-cymene (0.83–15.94%), spathulenol (0–20.49%), globulol (4.09–14.26%), and aromadendrene (2.37–15.03%). Genetically driven interspecific variation in composition was observed through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), and heatmap clustering. Moreover, distinctive components were identified for each essential oil, offering a valuable tool for discriminating between Eucalyptus species and ensuring authentication and quality control in commercial samples. Results from antimicrobial disc-diffusion assays indicated robust antimicrobial activity in all essential oils, with those derived from E. camaldulensis, E. lehmannii, and E. leucoxylon exhibiting the highest effectiveness.
The CGIAR 2030 Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands
(Presentation, 2024-12-01) Baum, Michael
Presentation on the CGIAR 2030 Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands.
CGIAR 2030 Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands
(Internal Document, 2024-07-01) International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas; International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
CGIAR is dedicated to creating a world where sustainable and resilient agrifood systems provide safe, healthy, and affordable diets, improve livelihoods, and ensure greater social equality while keeping within environmentally sustainable boundaries . Transforming dryland food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis through science and innovation is crucial for achieving this mission. Drylands cover 46% of the world’s land , are home to around 38% of the global population, and support nearly 44% of the world’s agricultural systems, including half of its livestock . The drylands - already challenging areas for predictable food production - face mounting pressures from extreme climate change and variability, water scarcity, land degradation, and loss of the biodiversity and ecosystem services that support agrifood systems. Our efforts must keep pace with these challenges, for the sake of the current drylands, and for the areas that may turn into drylands in the future as the impacts of climate change become ever more evident. The CGIAR 2030 Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands has been developed to align with the 2030 CGIAR Research and Innovation Strategy. It presents the informed and coordinated approach that CGIAR will take to contribute to the sustainable and resilient transformation of dryland agrifood systems, building on our unique value proposition and track record of co-creating and co-delivering innovative research and impact in the drylands. It also aligns with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This strategy was developed through extensive consultations with stakeholders across CGIAR and our partner network, informed by research and a foresight study on future global dryland scenarios. This process brought together expertise across CGIAR Centers, our partners, countries, and disciplines to build consensus on the opportunities and challenges to realizing our vision. As a result, five key opportunities for dryland transformation and investment were prioritized: (1) optimized agrifood systems for climate adaptation; (2) conserving and using biodiversity for community and ecosystem resilience; (3) managing soil, land, and water systems for sustainable production; (4) ensuring access to sustainable, healthy diets to alleviate hunger and malnutrition; and (5) translating evidence-based approaches into policy for development. Underpinning these opportunities are our cross-cutting approaches to gender equality, youth, and social inclusion; innovation, scaling and adoption; working in fragile and conflict-affected areas; and partnerships and advocacy. Through a coordinated systems approach, we will pool our capacity and expertise, including through our diverse network of partners, to move beyond incremental change and towards structural transformation for dryland communities.
Mapping and Profiling Legume Seed Value Chain Actors in Morocco: Chickpea and Lentil
(Internal Document, 2024-12-01) Bishaw, Zewdie; Imtiaz, Muhammad; Yigezu, Yigezu; Lammari, Abdelali; Rredani, Latifa; Boughlala, Mohamed
In Morocco, food legumes occupied as large areas as 600 thousand ha in the early 1970s. Thereafter, however, the area under food legumes fluctuated with a general downward trend. For the period 2001-2010, the annual average was 427 thousand ha per year which decreased to 404 thousand ha between 2011 and 2022. In 2024, the area allocated to food legumes is about 200 thousand ha. The decline in food legumes area is due not only to climate variability (periodic droughts) but mainly to other factors such as diseases (including Orobanche and Ascochyta Blight), increased mono-cropping of cereals and other crops, and lack of appropriate technologies (such as lack of high yielding, water efficient, and short duration varieties which are also amenable to mechanization). Moreover, the market for food legumes still suffers from poor organization because it remains controlled by several intermediaries that are exploiting their power to extract more than their fair share of the price without making comparable value addition thereby reducing the price received by food legume producers. In these conditions, more efforts are needed to improve food legume production and rehabilitation. As part of the solution to revitalize food legumes, this study aims to investigate the systemic challenges of the seed system and identify the constraints and opportunities of the main stakeholders. Due to time and resource constraints, only lentils and chickpeas were targeted. According to the results of interviews and surveys, legumes-certified seed production is far from being a priority for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests (MARDWF). However, it is important to note that many actors are involved in the seed sector and the most important ones are AMMS, INRA, FNIS, ONSSA, ONCA, and COMADER. The private sector is involved in the seed sector but not in food legumes. According to the Moroccan Seed Growers Association (AMMS), the Department of Agriculture will launch a new initiative in the 2024-2025 cropping season by targeting seed multipliers operating within the aggregation system and including them under contracts for certified seed multiplication. The constraints of the legume sector do not pertain to only the production of certified seed, but also to the lack of appropriate varieties, limited number of herbicides, lack of sufficient incentives, high demand for labor, and mechanization.
Where Do We Stand After Ten Years of Harmonized Seed Trade Regulations in COMESA? Case Studies from Egypt and Sudan
(Policy Contribution, 2024-12-01) Bishaw, Zewdie; Yigezu, Yigezu; Berhane, Guush
1. Background and context Effective seed systems that provide farmers access to well-adapted and quality seeds are crucial for food system transformation and improving food security in Sub-Sahara Africa. However, seed systems across SSA are at early stages of development and only a fraction of farmers in this region have access to improved varieties and quality seeds (FAO, 1998, Cromwell, 1987, Rohrbach et al., 2003, Hunga et al 2023) particularly for food security crops. Lack of access to quality seeds of well adapted varieties thus remains a critical bottleneck to transforming Africa’s food systems, in general, and the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) region, in particular (Gaffney et al., 2016). An important historical precedence in the global varietal release and seed system development is that countries need not wait until local capabilities are developed to generate their own improved varieties. Historically, countries have benefited from sharing of imported improved high-yielding varieties developed through research and breeding programs elsewhere and facilitated by deliberate cross-border seed trade. A notable example is the cross-border trade of high-yielding rice and wheat varieties among the participants of the Green Revolution in Asia (Hazel, 2019). Besides facilitating the transfer of technologies, such cross-border seed trade allowed the introduction of diverse crops adapted to regions with unique environmental and agroclimatic conditions and enabled them to mitigate local challenges. Cross-border seed trade is however unlikely to occur in a vacuum and involves a robust national and regional seed sector organized with coherent and transparent seed laws and regulations that facilitate trade (Rohrbach et al., 2003; Hunga et al., 2023). An efficient and transparent seed regulatory system is crucial to ensure that farmers have timely access to high quality seed at an affordable price (See e.g., Kuhlmann et al., 2023). While cross-border seed trade and integration of regional markets can help resolve this challenge, lack of harmonized, lengthy, and bureaucratic varietal release and registration system, seed quality assurance and certification procedures, and inadequate phytosanitary and quarantine measures for seed import and export as well as non-transparent, and non-inclusive domestic seed regulations stand out as obstacles in this process (Daniel et al., 2019; Hunga et al 2023). Harmonizing varietal release and seed regulations is thus crucial for promoting regional seed trade and ensuring the safe movement of improved varieties and quality seeds across borders (Rohrbach et al., 2003, Kuhlmann, 2015, Kuhlmann, 2023). Regional organizations such as COMESA (The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) have been aspiring to bridge cross-border trade through harmonized seed regulations across member states (Kuhlmann, 2015; Hunga et al., 2023). A notable example is the strategic initiative of COMESA’s specialized agency of the Alliance for Commodity Trade in East and Southern Africa (ACTESA) to harmonize seed trade regulations across the COMESA region. The initiative, which is known as the COMESA Seed Harmonization Implementation Plan (COMSHIP) was signed by all member states in 2014 (COMESA, 2014; Kuhlmann, 2015). The launching of COMESA’s seed trade harmonization regulations is considered an important milestone for Sub-Saharan Africa’s seed sector development1. COMESA has collaborated with other regional organizations, including the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) to establish the COMESA-SADC-EAC Tripartite Free Trade Area, which includes harmonized seed trade regulations that aimed to streamline the marketing, and removal of barriers for variety release and registration as well as seed production, certification, and marketing (UNECA, 2012; Hunga et al., 2023). The COMESA regulations aim primarily to harmonize variety release and registration procedures, seed quality assurance and certification schemes, and phytosanitary and quarantine measures in the region (Kuhlmann, 2015; Gaffney et al. 2016; Munyi, 2022). An important feature in this regulation is that a variety is released and registered in the COMESA catalogue
Small-Scale Mechanization Adoption and Scalability: Consultation Workshop and Policy Dialogue in Egypt
(Internal Document) Devkota Wasti, Mina; Attaher, Samar
Implementing small-scale mechanization in Egyptian agriculture can increase productivity, promote sustainability, and enhance socio-economic resilience among smallholder farmers. However, in overall, adoption of mechanization is low in Egypt. In this context a stakeholder consultation and policy dialogue was organized with focusing on option for scaling out scale appropriate mechanization for smallholder farmers in Egypt. On 9th December 2024, ARC and ICARDA held a pivotal workshop titled Challenges and Opportunities for Small-Mechanization Scalability in Egypt to address the critical issues and opportunities surrounding agricultural mechanization in Egypt. The workshop was held at the Agricultural Engineering Research Institute (AEnRI- ARC) in Dokki-Giza. This workshop brought together 58 diverse groups of experts, including agricultural engineers, economists, industry representatives, researchers, and policymakers, to discuss and evaluate the current state and prospects of small-scale agricultural machinery in Egypt. Recommendations from the workshop included revising cooperative laws, exploring funding programs for small-scale projects, and promoting multi-purpose machinery to enhance cost efficiency. Participants also emphasized the need for collaboration between manufacturers and researchers to create tailored solutions for small plots and fragmented landholdings. Digital tools, such as online platforms for machinery promotion and technical support, were proposed to bridge gaps in communication and accessibility. The workshop underscored the importance of coordinated efforts to address the barriers to mechanization and drive sustainable agricultural practices in Egypt. By fostering partnerships and leveraging innovation, the sector can unlock its potential and significantly improve productivity for smallholders. To improve the state of agricultural mechanization, coordinated efforts among government bodies, private sector players, NGOs, and research institutions are essential. Recommendations include subsidizing machinery costs, promoting local manufacturing, and developing cooperative-run machinery pools. Training farmers and creating financing options, such as leasing or installment plans, will further support smallholders in adopting mechanization. Private sector involvement in designing compact, affordable machinery tailored to small-scale farming is also critical. Strengthening spare parts availability, improving diagnostic capabilities, and fostering collaboration between manufacturers and farmers will also be pivotal in driving mechanization. With strategic investments and focused initiatives, Egypt's agriculture can transition toward higher productivity and sustainability. Addressing the gaps in mechanization will reduce dependency on manual labor, improve crop yields, and ensure food security, particularly for small-scale farmers who form the backbone of the agricultural sector.
Sustainable Land Productivity and Community Resilience: Micro and Meso-Scale Water Harvesting in Jordan's Rangelands and Rainfed Areas
(Working Paper, 2024-12-31) Dhehibi, Boubaker; Haddad, Mira; Souissi, Asma
This section should provide a snapshot of the entire document and highlight the most important findings. This working paper highlights the economic and environmental benefits of implementing micro and meso-scale water harvesting (RWH) technologies in Jordan’s arid and semi-arid regions, emphasizing their potential for sustainable water and land management. Technologies analyzed include Vallerani RWH, Marab RWH, and olive farming techniques (soil and stone bunds) tailored to diverse topographical and ecological conditions. Key findings demonstrate the cost-effectiveness and profitability of these systems. Olive soil bunds emerge as the most cost-efficient option, with a low investment of US$76 per hectare and an exceptional Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) of 23.36, reflecting significant economic returns. Marab RWH shows moderate capital expenditure (US$918/ha) but offers strong financial viability with a Net Present Value (NPV) of US$6,699 and a payback period of just three years. Vallerani RWH, while having a more extended payback period (6 years), provides extensive ecosystem restoration benefits alongside economic returns. Beyond financial indicators, these technologies enhance ecosystem services by reducing runoff and soil erosion, improving soil fertility, and increasing water retention. They support agricultural productivity, stabilize degraded lands, and contribute to climate resilience. The integration of these systems into national water management strategies can address pressing challenges like water scarcity, desertification, and land degradation. Policy recommendations emphasize scaling up these RWH systems across suitable regions, ensuring community engagement, and integrating them into broader watershed management frameworks. Strategic investment in these technologies will not only enhance agricultural sustainability but also strengthen Jordan’s resilience to climate variability and resource scarcity.
Research for Promoting Sustainable Farming Systems in arid and semi-arid areas of Morocco: Challenges, achievements and future prospects
(Book, 2024-12-01) Moussadek, Rachid; Ouabbou, Hassan; El Gharras, Oussama; Dahan, Rachid; El Mourid, Mohamad
This book introduces research axis results that aim conserving natural resources, improving the efficiency of resource use, and research schemes to developing crop varieties that can improve productivity by increasing yield, reducing the crop cycle to mature, increasing tolerance to stresses such as drought, salinity, pests, and disease, and improving technological quality of crops, in all, solutions on the ground that farmers can adopt to enhance positive effects towards greater adaptive capacity.
Farmers' Participation in Messenger-Based Social Groups And Its Effects on Performance in Irrigated Areas of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
(Journal Article, 2024-11-09) Kurbanov, Zafar; Tadjiev, Abdusame; Djanibekov, Nodir; Govind, Ajit; Akramkhanov, Akmal
he penetration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in farming communities is increasing the use of smartphone-based instant messaging apps. Despite this, the reasons behind participation and the impact on farm productivity in developing countries remain unexplored. This study uses survey data of cotton growers in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to explore factors explaining participation in social media groups and its impact on farm performance. The results show that the factors and benefits differ across these two countries. Participation in social media groups has a positive effect on cotton yields in both countries, but increases revenue only in Kazakhstan. We discuss possible reasons for contrasting results and policy implications for improving agricultural extension and advisory services in Central Asia. Scaling up smartphone-based e-extension should focus on younger, more educated farmers. Emphasizing associated economic benefits and fostering decision-making autonomy among farmers will be crucial for creating conducive environment for benefiting from e-extension services.
دراسة سلسلة القيمة و القدرة التنافسية لنخيل التمرفي مملكة البحرين
(Working Paper) Abdel el Karim, Abdel Aziz Mohamed; Dhehibi, Boubaker; Ibrahim, Abdulbasit
دراسة سلسلة القيمة و القدرة التنافسية لنخيل التمرفي مملكة البحرين
Genotype Specific Agronomic Solutions in Wheat production in Irrigated Drylands of Egypt: Genotype x Environment x Management Experiments
(Report) Attaher, Samar; Devkota Wasti, Mina; Devkota, Krishna; Omar, Mohie; Nangia, Vinay
The agricultural system in Egypt is facing increasing water scarcity, soil salinity, and unsustainable farming practices such as over application of water, fertilizer, and pesticides. Addressing these challenges requires sustainable agronomic solutions tailored to specific genotypes, environments, and management practices. These studies investigated genotype × environment × management (G × E × M) interactions to optimize wheat production. Field experiments were conducted over the 2022/23 and 2023/24 winter seasons to evaluate the effects of wheat varieties, seeding methods, and irrigation systems on crop yield, water productivity (WP), and energy efficiency in the old lands of Egypt’s Nile Valley. Three wheat varieties—Giza 171, Sids 15, and Masr 3—were evaluated alongside three seeding methods (hand-broadcasting, seed drilling, and raised beds) and three irrigation systems (border surface irrigation, gated pipes, and drip irrigation). Results showed a significant difference in agronomic performance among the tested treatments. All three-variety produced more than the national average yield (6.8 t/ha) under all three-crop establishment and three irrigation system. There was no significant interaction effect of variety x crop establishment methods and irrigation method in both years. This Indicates that all three varieties can be successfully grown under all three-establishment method and irrigation systems without yield penalty.
Guidelines for Sustainable Intensification of Wheat Production in Sudan
(Book) Devkota, Krishna; Idris, Amani A. M.; Mohamed Mustfa, Hala; Elamein, Hala Mohamed Mustafa; Devkota Wasti, Mina; Eltayeb, Salah; Jabow, Maie Kabbashi Alla; Elkhawad, Mohamed; Abdelgadir Elnour, Omer; Abdelrahman Yousif, Lotfie
Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a staple crop with significant importance to the national economy and food security in Sudan. As a primary component of the Sudanese diet, wheat-based products— such as bread, porridge, pastries, pasta, cookies, and sweets—provide a substantial portion of daily caloric intake and contribute to the overall nutritional well-being of the population. Although wheat cultivation in the country dates back to ancient times, it was largely confined to the Northern State (17-22° N) until the 1940s, where traditional wheat consumption was prevalent. With limited land and high production costs in the Northern State, increasing demand led to an expansion southward to warmer regions and irrigated schemes in central and eastern areas (13-15° N). Today, major wheat-growing regions include the Nile River Valley, Gezira Scheme, Northern States, Eastern Sudan, Central Sudan, North Kordofan, and other irrigated areas. Due to the country’s arid and semi-arid climate, production depends heavily on irrigation. The area under wheat cultivation varies year-to-year (187,000 to 321,000 hectares, with a 26% coefficient of variation), influenced by changing weather, market demand, and government policies. In 2021, wheat was grown on approximately 260,000 hectares, making it the sixth-largest crop by area, following sorghum, groundnut, sesame, millet, and melon (FAOSTAT, 2023). Productivity has increased modestly, with a growth rate of 353 kg/ha per year and an average yield of 2.3 t/ha (totaling around 600,000 tons). Despite these gains, local production meets only 23% of domestic wheat demand, necessitating substantial imports. In 2021, the country imported 1.96 million tons of wheat at a cost of USD 621 million, placing a significant strain on its limited foreign exchange reserves (FAOSTAT, 2023). Expanding local production and improving yields are essential strategies for reducing dependence on imports and enhancing food security.
Empowering Women through Silvopastoral Practices: Enhancing Livelihoods, Governance, and Sustainability with Aromatic and Medicinal Plants
(Internal Document) Hassan, Sawsan; Louhaichi, Mounir; Chafri, Neila; Mhamdi, Fathia
This report outlines the capacity development efforts focused on silvopastoral systems in Tunisia, emphasizing the integration of climate-smart practices to enhance resilience in semi-arid regions. It highlights the benefits of using native legume species, particularly Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium), to improve soil health, livestock productivity, and biodiversity conservation. During this event, farmers received Sulla seeds to cultivate on their lands and benefited from the knowledge exchange with experienced farmers who shared practical insights on Sulla cultivation and utilization through a farmer-to-farmer approach
Enhancing Silvopastoral Resilience with Climate-Smart Practices in Tunisia's Semi-Arid Lands
(Internal Document) Hassan, Sawsan; Louhaichi, Mounir
This report outlines the capacity development efforts focused on silvopastoral systems in Tunisia, emphasizing the integration of climate-smart practices to enhance resilience in semi-arid regions. It highlights the benefits of using native legume species, particularly Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium), to improve soil health, livestock productivity, and biodiversity conservation. During this event, farmers received Sulla seeds to cultivate on their lands and benefited from the knowledge exchange with experienced farmers who shared practical insights on Sulla cultivation and utilization through a farmer-to-farmer approach.
On-Job Training in Rangeland Restoration
(Internal Document) Ouled Belgacem, Azaiez; Hassan, Sawsan; Essifi, Bouajila; Louhaichi, Mounir
This report details an on-the-job training session conducted to improve the skills of engineers and technical staff from the General Directorate of Forests (DGF) in the assessment and restoration of degraded rangelands in Central Tunisia. The training focused on evaluating rangeland conditions and implementing appropriate restoration techniques, emphasizing the use of native species and sustainable practices to enhance ecosystem resilience and productivity amid climate challenges.
Radio-based agricultural extension promotes uptake of entrepreneurship in sheep fattening: Evidence from Central Ethiopia
(Report) Wamatu, Jane; Ekule, Muluken; Abiso, Tesfaye; Belayneh, Tesfa; Rete, Cherinet; Haile, Aynalem
The radio-driven initiative has significantly increased awareness and practical application of improved sheep fattening techniques among smallholder farmers in rural Ethiopia. In collaboration with FM radio stations, 3.6 million farmers across 11 local languages were reached in Central and Southwestern Ethiopia. The result was an enhanced 67% uptake of improved sheep fattening practices, with a significant 343% increase in household incomes.
Rapport sur la plateforme numérique Zar3Direct pour l'agriculture de conservation
(Presentation, 2024-12-01) Moussadek, Rachid
Zar3Direct Digital platform for Conservation Agriculture report Zra3Direct est une plateforme de connaissances et modèle de gestion des cultures en semis direct et AC adaptées au Maroc et aux agriculteurs marocains participant à la chaine de valeur
Developing automated machine learning approach for fast and robust crop yield prediction using a fusion of remote sensing, soil, and weather dataset
(Journal Article, 2024-04-25) Kheir, Ahmed M.S.; Govind, Ajit; Nangia, Vinay; Devkota Wasti, Mina; Elnashar, Abdelrazek; Omar, Mohie; Feike, Til
Estimating smallholder crop yields robustly and timely is crucial for improving agronomic practices, determining yield gaps, guiding investment, and policymaking to ensure food security. However, there is poor estimation of yield for most smallholders due to lack of technology, and field scale data, particularly in Egypt. Automated machine learning (AutoML) can be used to automate the machine learning workflow, including automatic training and optimization of multiple models within a userspecified time frame, but it has less attention so far. Here, we combined extensive field survey yield across wheat cultivated area in Egypt with diverse dataset of remote sensing, soil, and weather to predict field-level wheat yield using 22 Ml models in AutoML. The models showed robust accuracies for yield predictions, recording Willmott degree of agreement, (d>0.80) with higher accuracy when super learner (stacked ensemble) was used (R2=0.51, d=0.82). The trained AutoML was deployed to predict yield using remote sensing (RS) vegetative indices (VIs), demonstrating a good correlation with actual yield (R2=0.7). This is very important since it is considered a low-cost tool and could be used to explore early yield predictions. Since climate change has negative impacts on agricultural production and food security with some uncertainties, AutoML was deployed to predict wheat yield under recent climate scenarios from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6). These scenarios included single downscaled General Circulation Model (GCM) as CanESM5 and two shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) as SSP2-4.5and SSP5-8.5during the mid-term period (2050). The stacked ensemble model displayed declines in yield of 21% and5%under SSP5-8.5 and SSP2-4.5 respectively during mid-century, with higher uncertainty under the highest emission scenario (SSP5- 8.5). The developed approach could be used as a rapid, accurate and low-cost method to predict yield for stakeholder farms all over the world where ground data is scarce.
Greening the agriculture sector of Uzbekistan: Costs of inaction, benefits of action, and returns on investment to combat degradation in land, water, and forest resources
(Internal Document) Yigezu, Yigezu; Nurbekov, Aziz; Akramkhanov, Akmal; Nazarkulov, Umidjan; Ganiev, Akmaljon; Vogl, Adrian; Sarmiento, Jorge; Agostini, Paola; S. Golub, Elena; M. Piabuo, Serge
This report is based on a comprehensive study which analyzed the drawbacks of the current brown economic growth model that is followed in the agriculture, forest, and water sectors of Uzbekistan. The study also estimated the total economic costs of degradation in the three main forms of natural capital, namely crop & pasture lands, forests, and water in the country. While there exist some past studies which made attempts to estimate the total cost of land degradation in Uzbekistan, this study tried to make improvements on several fronts: 1) unlike past studies which were limited either thematically, geographically or in scale, this study considers and attempts to provide estimates of all degradation-induced losses of ecosystem service provisions and their associated economic losses covering the three main capitals and all three biomes (crops/pasture, forests, and water); 2) Methodologically, it makes improvements by first generating per unit-area estimates which were then aggregated to the level of each province, and finally to the national level using appropriate weights (mostly land area under each biome). Such estimates are important in informing provincial and national governments’ policy actions and priority setting; 3) It is based on a theoretically sound and consistent method that can be applied to all dimensions of losses which are induced by the degradation of all natural capitals; 4) The study used official statistics, published and unpublished research findings, and systematically solicited expert estimates on important variables to generate new estimates or make useful extrapolations for parameters necessary for some of the components of degradation-induced losses for which no provincial or national estimates existed; 5) Every effort was made to document all theoretical underpinnings, the procedures and models used, data sources, and simplifying assumptions made during estimation, that are expected to be useful in providing the reader the context under which these estimates are made. Acknowledging that some of the parameters and assumptions made could be contentious, the report aimed at providing conservative estimates of the total cost of degradation in natural capitals in the agriculture, forest, and water sectors of Uzbekistan.
Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.)
(Book Chapter) Abou-Khater, Lynn; Balech, Rind; Maalouf, Fouad
Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is an important cool season food legume, rich in protein and essential micronutrients. It plays a critical role in improving land structure and contributing to wild pollinator maintenance. It was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent of the Near East and spread to more than 60 countries with diverse agroecology around the world. Despite its nutritional value and adaptability, faba bean cultivation faces challenges, including biotic and abiotic stresses, reducing cultivation areas in various countries. Conservation efforts, notably by organizations like the ICARDA Gene Bank, have preserved diverse genetic resources, ensuring the genetic resilience of this valuable crop. These genetic repositories are invaluable for breeding programmes, enabling the development of high-yielding and stress-resistant varieties. Despite the historical limited funding provided to faba bean, the research on crop improvement and agronomy led to a substantial increase in its yield. Moreover, to achieve higher productivity in the farming field, modern tools were developed to ensure higher genetic gains and faster release of cultivars. These include speed breeding with four generations per year, and the discoveries of single nucleotide polymorphism markers which are key achievements towards the development of marker-assisted selection techniques.

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