N. JOUNI

M. HAYEK

A. HIJAZI

M. DOGHOZ

PROGRAM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION OF

SUSTAINABLE IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT IN OLIVE GROWING

ACHIEVEMENTS AND KEY FINDINGS - SYRIA

2010-2014

PROJECT FINAL MEETING

MARRAKECH OCTOBER 8-10, 2014

Objectives: Determining olive water requirement for different irrigation treatments Find out irrigation efficiency and water use efficiency

Study the relationship between yield and water for the different treatments

Year Location Treatment

Water

applied

(mm) Olive yield (kg/ha)

Water productivity (kg/m3

applied) Oil yield (kg/ha)

Sorani cv.

Jlout

cv. Sorani cv. Jlout cv. Sorani cv. Jlout cv.

2011

Daraa research

station

100% ETc 230 12012 9282 5.18 4.03

50% ETc 115 9360 7644 8.12 6.63

Rainfed 316 4375

Daraa farmer's

field

100% ETc 256 12250 4.78

50% ETc 128 9950 7.75

2012

Daraa research

station

100% CWR 678 11076 9984 1.63 1.47 2437 1268

50% CWR 515 9828 7956 1.91 1.54 2345 1218

Rainfed 353 7368 4056 2.09 1.15 1178 769

Daraa farmer's

field

100% CWR 695 9100 1.31 2067

50% CWR 524 7400 1.41 1810

Rainfed 353 3900 1.10 1065

2013

Daraa research

station

100% CWR 700 9984 8892 1.42 1.27 2671 1010

50% CWR 558 8580 7332 1.53 1.31 2544 928

Rainfed 416 4836 4056 1.16 0.98 1103 497

Daraa farmer's

field

100% CWR 715 7500 1.05 1751

50% CWR 565 6400 1.13 1648

Rainfed 416 3600 0.87 908

Jlout cv. Yields increased by 81% (from 4,446 kg/ha

under rainfed treatment to 8,060 kg/ha under

50% CWR treatment) when 142 mm of irrigation

was applied (in addition to 416 mm rainfall) by

drip system;

A further increase of 1,690 kg/ha (21%) was

achieved by applying additional 142 mm of

irrigation (100% CWR) in addition to the rainfall

KEY FINDINGS

Sorani cv. Yields increased by 78% (from 4,816 kg/ha

under rainfed treatment to 8,586 kg/ha under

50% CWR treatment) when 142 mm of irrigation

was applied (in addition to 416 mm rainfall) by

drip system;

A further increase of 1,734 kg/ha (20%) was

achieved by applying additional 142 mm of

irrigation (100% CWR) in addition to the rainfall

KEY FINDINGS

An increase of 85% in olive oil yield when farmer switched

from rainfed treatment to 50% CWR treatment. For rainfed

treatment, the farmer earned SYP 57,328/ha (USD382/ha).

Whereas, for 50% CWR treatment, farmer earned SYP115,500

(USD770/ha). A profit increase of 101%.

Input costs in case of 100% CWR treatment were higher.

Yields too are higher but the net profit was not as high as the

50% CWR treatment.

Switching from rainfed to 100% CWR treatment, increased

profit by 52% with an oil yield increase of 93%. Farmer earned

SYP87,530 (USD584) per hectare for 100% CWR treatment

compared to only SYP57,328 (USD382) per hectare for rainfed

treatment.

COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS

Presently 695,711 ha area is under olive

plantation

Based on project results, if 25% of this area

(173,928 ha) starts applying supplemental

irrigation, there will yield increase of 119%

(922,514 ton) for Jlout variety and 114%

(957,392 ton) increase for Sorani variety.

At USD 0.7/kg olive, this translates into approx.

USD 646 million additional income for Jlout

variety and USD 670 million for Sorani variety .

OUT-SCALING PROJECTIONS

Training Courses

and

Technology Dissemination

March 10-14, 2013: Training course for 15 extension agents

from GCSAR-Daraa on irrigation water management for olive

growing

June 16-20, 2013: Training course for 15 extension agents from

GCSAR-Daraa and Extension Directorate on irrigation water

management for olive growing

February 9-13, 2014: Training course on increasing olive trees’

productivity by applying advanced irrigation techniques, Dept. of

Agricultural Extension, Damascus, 20 engineers from GCSAR

centers in olive production provinces participated

June 15-19, 2014: Training course on improving olive

productivity, Agricultural Research Center, Tartous Province, 16

extension agents of GCSAR were trained

Sept 28-Oct 2, 2014: Training course on application of advanced

techniques in olive irrigation and fertigation, Agricultural Research

Center, Latakia Province, 20 extension agents from GCSAR were

trained

FIELD DAYS

Daraa experimental station, May, 2013, 30 farmers

participated

Daraa Research Station, May 2014, 35 farmers

participated

Daraa Research Station, July 2014, 29 farmers

participated

Daraa Research Station, Sept 2014, 39 farmers

participated

100 posters and 500 flyers were printed and distributed among Extension units and Olive farmers in several famous provinces in Olive growing.

Poster 1

Poster 2

Flyer 1-1

Flyer 1-2

Flyer 2-1

Flyer 2-2

SYRIAN TV COVERAGE

CHALLENGES FACED

It was a challenging period because of the civil unrest in

the country. Scientists had to manage research under such

difficult circumstances. However, they were able to conduct

farmer field days, make posters and flyers, conduct

trainings and workshop and cost -benefit analyses.

Also, cost of operations went up and the team had to

manage in the limited budget allocated to them to achieve

the project objectives. It was a learning experience for all

to overcome such conditions to achieve project objectives.

The team was unable to attend majority of project

meetings, which were held in Marrakech, and trainings in

Jordan and Spain because of inability to get visa in time.

This was a challenge and caused many difficulties to the

Syrians as well as the organizers of the event.

THANK YOU