ICARDA Project Reports, Papers, and Documents

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/51690

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Theory of change for the small ruminant value chain in Mali, developed for the CGIAR Initiative Sustainable Animal Productivity for Livelihoods, Nutrition and Gender Inclusion
(Report, 2023-11-30) Dione, Michel M.; Johnson, N.; Fall, Abdou; Marshall, Karen; Hoek, Rein van der; Rekik, Mourad; Sow, Ahmadou; Zannou, Olivier; Amole, Tunde A.; Kassie, Girma T.; Angel, Natalia Triana; Baltenweck, Isabelle
Mechanization in EiA Working Group Meeting 2023 : Workshop report
(Report, 2023) Loon, Jelle J. van; Calvert, Owen Duncan; Jamann, Leon Rafael; Senthilkumar, Kalimuthu; Devkota, Mina; Patiño-Espejel, Joshua Esaú; Yahaya, Rabé
Final report of IPSR pellets workshop
(Report) Souissi, Asma; Maanai, Amal; Tebourbi, Ons; Shiri, Zahra; Ouerghemmi, Hassen
The report shows elements of the workshop including scaling ambition, innovation packaging, innovation readiness and use as well as scaling readiness.
Workshop report for the "national training workshop on IPSR"
(Report) Souissi, Asma
The workshop report shows all the different steps and group work resulsts.
A Descriptive Design of Farming Systems Components, Priorities, and Sociotechnical Packages towards Sustainable Intensification in Ethiopia
(Report) Wamatu, Jane; Ekule, Muluken; Dessalegn, Bezaiet; Frija, Aymen
The workshop was designed to gain a deeper understanding of the farming systems in Ethiopia that are of particular interest to the SI-MFS Initiative. This comprehension is crucial for creating tailored interventions that effectively tackle the unique challenges and opportunities presented by each farming system
Assessment of Radio Communication Approaches for the Effective Dissemination of Livestock Production Technologies
(Internal Document, 2023-12-18) Wamatu, Jane; Zeleke, Muluken; Mebratie, Anagaw; Ephrem, Nahom; Abiso, Tesfaye; Belayneh, Tesfa; Haile, Aynalem
A key factor hindering the advancement of agricultural productivity among smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa is inadequate agricultural technologies that address specific local problems. The modalities employed for technology transfer often overlook the unique local contexts and the specific needs of the intended recipients. This study investigates various approaches that can be used to effectively disseminate livestock production technologies through radio received by smallholder farmers.
CGIAR Genetic Innovation Action Area: Theory of Change and Results Framework
(Internal Document, 2023-12-11) Bonaiuti, Enrico; Vermeulen, Sonja; Belcher, Brian; Philip Craven Thiele, Graham; Hunt, Adam Christopher; Barker, Ian; Derera, John; Lusty, Charlotte; Syed Alwee, Sharifah Shahrul
The theory of change depends on all work being done within partnerships, particularly with national research and extension systems(NARES) and with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) active in the national breeding and seed sectors. A core focus is to raise the NARES-CGIAR-SME breeding networks’ collective strategic and operational capacity to deliver a high rate of uptake and replacement in seed varieties among small-scale farmers in low- and medium- income countries. Co-generated genetic innovations will be delivered as part of integrated solutions across CGIAR. Together with System Transformation and Resilient Agrifood Systems Action Areas for food, land and water systems, and through close cooperation with CGIAR’s strategic partners, Genetic Innovation will enable progress on nationally defined pathways for development. Major effort will go into achieving affordable, accessible and fair benefits to low-income farmers, with particular emphasis on ensuring that research outcomes lead to greater equality for women. Genetic Innovation will contribute across all five of CGIAR’s Impact Areas, through maintenance of agrobiodiversity and through accelerated adoption by farmers of demand-driven improved crop varieties, delivered as part of integrated bundles of institutional and technical innovations that are designed to respond to priorities in partner countries.
Stakeholders’ views on the establishment of a tropical poultry platform (TROP)
(Report, 2023-10-30) Zewdie, Yihenew; Dessie, Tadelle
WOCAT SLM Technology: “Drought Tolerant Barley Variety: 'Kounouz' [Tunisia]”
(Internal Document, 2023-10-23) Rudiger, Udo; Ben Ghanem, Hajer; Zaiem, Anis; Frija, Aymen; Dhehibi, Boubaker; Idoudi, Zied
The introduction of 'Kounouz,' a drought-tolerant barley variety, has significantly enhanced farm income and reduced production risks for small-scale farmers in Tunisia. Tunisia has a semi-arid climate with annual precipitation ranging between 200 and 450 millimeters. Many people are dependent on the agricultural sector. Typically, barely is cultivated and used for fodder or sale. Barely production is increasingly in danger for failures because of droughts caused by climate change. Therefore, a new and drought tolerant barley variety was sought. NARS developed such seed by using the germplasm that was made available by the International Center of Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA). The benefits of 'Kounouz' encompass enhanced farm income through reduced production risks and increased yields. The adoption of this approach has already made significant strides. By 2019, approximately 617 tons of certified seeds were available. This accomplishment was the result of a successful collaboration between a large-scale cooperative, “Societe Mutuelle Centrale de Semences” (COSEM), and a private seed company, “Société Tunisienne de Fertilisation et d'Irrigation” (Tunifert). Presently, two more cooperatives, namely “Société des Semences Séléctionnées” (SOSEM) and “Coopérative Centrale des Semences et des Plants Sélectionnés” (CCSPS), have also become actively involved. It is worth noting that a mere 5% of the Kounouz seeds are estimated to be sourced from certified suppliers, with the majority being multiplied on individual farms. Consequently, it is estimated that the cultivation of Kounouz now spans over 20,000 hectares.
WOCAT SLM Approach: “The 4-Wheels Approach for sustainable scaling [Tunisia]”
(Internal Document, 2023-10-18) Frija, Aymen; Idoudi, Zied; Rudiger, Udo
The 4-Wheel Approach is built upon knowledge hubs and partnerships. These knowledge hubs encompass physical structures, such as formal and informal training centers. The purpose of these hubs is to disseminate knowledge, potentially through established partnerships with stakeholders. Four categories of stakeholders, also referred to as change-agents, are identified: i) farmers’ groups and various associations, ii) civil society (including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector), iii) national public development partners, and iv) lead farmers and extensionists, who play a pivotal role in locally spreading the technology. Consequently, these knowledge hubs will serve to mainstream technical knowledge through intermediary beneficiaries, who in turn facilitate dissemination to the ultimate users, i.e., farmers. Viewing the approach's scaling and knowledge hubs through this lens underscores the necessity of investing in continuous networking. The success of a knowledge hub and its scalability are contingent upon the business model of a technology. An underlying belief is that technologies primarily capable of generating income or reducing workload for farmers or their organizations will be adopted and can be scaled.
WOCAT SLM Technology: “Small-Scale Seed Cleaning Unit [Tunisia]”
(Internal Document, 2023-09-13) Rudiger, Udo; Frija, Aymen; Idoudi, Zied; Zaiem, Anis; Dhehibi, Boubaker; Rekik, Mourad; Louahdi, Nasreddine
The mobile seed cleaning machine improves the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Tunisia by significantly enhancing seed quality, increasing crop production, reducing workload and costs, and promoting local value chains and social cohesion. In Tunisia and Algeria, the agricultural system is characterized by low levels of mechanization, particularly among small and medium-sized farmers who cannot afford expensive imported machines. As a result, a substantial amount of manual labor is required to carry out various agricultural operations, such as seed cleaning, which is traditionally done by women and children. While seed production is often handled by large suppliers, this does not always meet the demand. Therefore, many smallholder farmers in Tunisia prefer to use their own seeds, despite the time-consuming manual cleaning process and the risk of lower quality. To address these issues, the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) collaborated with national partners to develop a mobile seed cleaning machine for small-scale farmers. The prototype, designed and tested with input from a local manufacturer, is suitable for primary field crops, such as wheat, barley, vetch, and faba beans, commonly grown in Tunisia. The machine sorts out damaged or undersized seeds and removes rocks or pebbles, while treating the remaining seeds to eliminate contamination or weeds, ensuring quality and longer shelf life. The introduction of the mobile seed cleaning machine has several advantages, including a reduction in the workload for women and children, improved crop production and quality, increased land productivity, reduced dependence on imported seeds and machinery, and the promotion of local value chains and social cohesion through cooperative ownership and shared utilization of the machines.
WOCAT SLM Technology: “Small-Scale Nutrient-Dense Pellet Production [Tunisia]”
(Internal Document, 2022-12-30) Rudiger, Udo; Dhehibi, Boubaker; Elayed, Monia; Zaiem, Anis; Idoudi, Zied; Frija, Aymen
Compressing agro-industrial by products into nutrient dense livestock feed pellets is a worthwhile innovation to compete with expensive and imported feed pellets. This innovation consists of a small-scale compressor 'pelletizer' and formulas to create qualitatively suﬃcient feed pellets with local available inputs. In Tunisia, there are many agro-pastoralists that are dependent on expensive and imported livestock feed pellets to improve livestock quality and to supplement fodder shortages. Risks of relative food shortages are likely to increase due to climate change. Also, there are many discarded by-products from (local) agro-food supply chains such as olive cakes and cactus pe el, which still contain nutrients. The International Center of Agricultural Research in Dry Area saw an opportunity in the two above-explained issues and tested imported small scale pelletizing machines which were able to compress nutritious by-products into pellets. These machines are imported via Juhaina company and available for Tunisian farmers. In addition to the machine, ICARDA experimented with feasible inputs and diﬀerent ratios, considering local availability as well. It achieved highly dense and nutritious feed pellets from local available inputs, with similar or better quality than the imported pellets.
Context Document [Tunisia]: Context Assessment for Agroecology Transformation in the Tunisian Living Landscape
(Internal Document, 2023-11-23) Alary, Veronique; Frija, Aymen; Ouerghemmi, Hassen; Idoudi, Zied; Rudiger, Udo; Rekik, Mourad; Souissi, Asma; Dhehibi, Boubaker; Bahri, Haithem; Mekki, Insaf; Toukebri, Wael; Barbouchi, Meriem; Annabi, Mohamed; Ajmi, Larbi; Fendri, Mahdi; M'hamed, Hatem Cheikh
The purpose of this Context Assessment is threefold: first, to characterize the environmental, social, economic, and political contexts of the Tunisian Agroecological Living Landscape (ALL); second, to understand the data and information currently available in the sub-region of this ALL; and third, to characterize the extent to which agroecological principles are already being employed locally at the ALL level. This report constitutes a basis of information and discussion to conduct an impact assessment. It is also valuable to all work packages in the CGIAR Initiative on Agroecology as it provides critical quantitative and qualitative data and information regarding capacity assessment, policy influence, and other environmental attributes that can guide the implementation and impact of the Initiative in 2023–2024.
Characterization of the wheat production in irrigated lands in Egypt
(Internal Document) Devkota Wasti, Mina
In Egypt, wheat (Triticum aestivum) plays a pivotal role in the country’s agricultural and economic landscape. It is the major component of the national diet and an essential contributor to food security. Its cultivation in the country has a rich history dating back to ancient times. The Nile Delta has always been an ideal location for wheat cultivation. Historically, Egypt was known as the “Breadbasket of the Roman Empire”, highlighting its crucial role in sustaining its population and neighbouring regions. In the country, compared to all crops, it is grown in the largest area (1.33 million ha) and the country produces 9.1 million tons of wheat (average productivity of 6.81 t ha-1) (Source: Economic Affairs Sector, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, 2023). Compared to all crops, its cultivation area is increasing in the country. However, it is meeting 50% of the demand from the international market to fill the gap between production and consumption (5.86 million t, one of the top 10th largest importers), where the import value of wheat and wheat products was 2.49 billion USD in 2021 (FAOSTAT, 2023).
Effectiveness of Innovation Platforms in Enhancing the Viability of the Wheat Seed Sector in Terbol Station, Lebanon
(Internal Document, 2023-11-17) Saad, Sarah; Dhehibi, Boubaker; El Amil, Rola; Machlab, Hassan; M. Oumer, Ali; Souissi, Asma; Akramov, Kamiljon T.; Baum, Michael; Belhouchette, Hatem; Darwich, Salem
The objective of this research was to assess the effectiveness of the innovation platform (IP) (Terbol Station) on the wheat seed sector in Lebanon. Data were collected from 16 seed producers after identifying and mapping the key stakeholders in the seed sector. Descriptive statistics was used to categorize and evaluate the efficacy of the innovation platform by identifying six groups: seed availability and access, knowledge and training, seed production and market impact, incentives, joint planning, and the situation of the seed sector in Lebanon. Incentives and joint planning were found to be the primary groups of the IP that the farmers emphasized their importance. The correlation between different groups was found to be statistically significant. Farmers noted that the wheat seed sector is non-profitable and, therefore, needs financial support and joint planning of the value chain. The study recommends the intervention of the government and the Ministries of Agriculture and Economy & Trade by customizing governance strategies and policies. In addition, the adaptation of regulatory measures of the wheat seed sector and agricultural guidance can provide essential information, recommendations, and expertise to optimize the production, distribution, and utilization of seeds in Lebanon.
Training Course on Seed Collection & Conservation and Nursery Management of Indigenous Silvopastoral Species
(Internal Document, 2023-11-12) Ouled Belgacem, Azaiez; Hassan, Sawsan; Louhaichi, Mounir
In Tunisia, pastoral and silvopastoral lands play a crucial role as vital resources, constituting a substantial portion and significantly contributing to livestock feed requirements. Unfortunately, the excessive exploitation of these lands, involving overgrazing and wood cutting, has resulted in their deterioration and diminished productivity. Acknowledging the imperative for rehabilitation, the General Directorate of Forests (DGF) and the Office of Livestock and Pastures (OEP) are actively involved in restoration projects. Nonetheless, persistent challenges, particularly concerning the availability and quality of indigenous plant seeds and seedlings in public nurseries, pose obstacles to successful implementation. In response, the Livestock and Climate OneCGIAR initiative, specifically through its Work Package Three (WP3), is dedicated to enhancing the capacity of partners. To this end, ICARDA has organized a training course aimed at bolstering the skills and capacities of stakeholders engaged in rangeland rehabilitation. The course, covering seed management, nursery operations, and field visits, employs a participatory approach and collaborative learning, with the ultimate objective of empowering participants to adeptly handle indigenous plant seeds and cultivate healthy seedlings. The target beneficiaries encompass staff from DGF, OEP, and other development agencies, along with researchers and community-based organizations. Facilitated by Dr. Azaiez Ouled Belgacem, Dr. Sawsan Hassan, and Dr. Mounir Louhaichi, the training successfully engaged 33 participants, fostering a cohesive and knowledgeable team by the program's conclusion.
Cultivating Sulla for Silvopastoral Restoration the Mediterranean Basin
(Report, 2023-07-07) Louhaichi, Mounir; Slim, Slim; Hassan, Sawsan; Verbist, Joren
This innovative agricultural approach employs the drought-resistant native forage legume, Hedysarum coronarium (Sulla), to address the challenges faced by semi-arid regions in Tunisia. The strategy focuses on enhancing soil quality through soil cover, nitrogen fixation, biodiversity enhancement, and improved water infiltration. Additionally, Sulla contributes to improved fodder quality and availability, offering a sustainable solution for livestock grazing in areas prone to degradation. The collaboration between the International Centre of Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) and national partners has yielded positive impacts, demonstrating increased productivity, reduced erosion, and enhanced socio-economic resilience.
Cultivating cactus
(Report, 2023-08-21) Louhaichi, Mounir; Hassan, Sawsan
This innovative technology harnesses the natural benefits and versatile applications of spineless cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) to rejuvenate underutilized lands in central Tunisia, leading to positive environmental and socioeconomic outcomes. Developed by the International Centre of Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) in collaboration with local partners, this approach transforms marginal and semi-arid regions, addressing historical challenges of land degradation and low-productive grazing areas. The spineless cactus proves to be well-suited for the Tunisian environment, thriving in high temperatures, requiring minimal water, and offering multiple products, including fodder for livestock and fruit for human consumption. Despite the challenges posed by pests, the benefits include enhanced climate resilience, reduced soil erosion, and improved livelihoods for local communities.
Training of Trainers in Rangeland Monitoring & Assessment: Integrating LandPKS, VegMeasure, and Traditional Methods
(Internal Document, 2023-06-21) Louhaichi, Mounir; Hassan, Sawsan
Effective rangeland management relies on precise monitoring and assessment of natural resources, offering insights into ecosystem structure and function. Standardized methods, consistently applied over time and space, are crucial for ensuring data quality across various applications. Achieving successful rangeland monitoring necessitates significant investments in time and human resources, emphasizing comprehensive training. This proficiency extends beyond professionals to academics, playing a pivotal role in education. Notably, ICARDA contributes to capacity development through diverse training programs, fostering collaboration with institutions and agencies. The primary aim of these events is to enhance trainers' capacity in rangeland monitoring, assessment, and data collection, enabling effective knowledge transfer and strengthening institutional capacity. This, in turn, supports local institutes in providing informed recommendations to decision-makers, contributing to national development. The training approach seamlessly integrates traditional and advanced methodologies, including LandPKS and VegMeasure, enabling real-time monitoring. The LandPKS application revolutionizes land potential assessment, bridging local wisdom with scientific knowledge. VegMeasure, a sophisticated vegetation mapping tool, streamlines data collection using digital cameras and facilitates precise analysis. Foundational traditional methodologies like Line-Point Intercept, plant density assessment, and biomass estimation remain integral components of this holistic approach. The training of trainers empowers professionals to disseminate knowledge effectively, fostering confidence and productivity. This comprehensive understanding ensures sustainable rangeland management, respecting both traditional practices and modern technologies.
Measurement of wheat grain yield and aboveground biomass at maturity for crop cut at plot level
(Report, 2023) Devkota, Mina; Verhulst, Nele

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