IFAD/ICARDA Knowledge Exchange Workshop, 26-29 October 2009

 Knowledge and Technology Exchange for

Enhanced Quality of IFAD/ICARDA Operations in the NENA region

Presented byAhmed T Moustafa

Improving Agricultural Productivity and Food Security in the Arabian Peninsula

Arabian Peninsula

Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia

KuwaitKuwait

BahrainBahrainQatarQatar

EmiratesEmirates

OmanOman

YemenYemen

Constrains

• Extreme aridity • Over grazing & degraded

Rangeland• Higher demand for food as a result

of increasing population• Limited renewable water resource

Excessive use of under ground water

lowering of water table& see water

intrusion

salinity

Asia (exclude ME) 3,947.6

ME & NA 1,397.5

Europe 10,685.7

NA 16,557.8

CA & Carrabin 6,653.4

SS Africa 6,956.6 Oceanic 52,673.8

SA 44,816.4

Renewable water resources per capita in different regions (m3/person/year)

Arabian Peninsula Arabian Peninsula Extreme Water ScarcityExtreme Water Scarcity

Project Approach

(i) On-Farm Water Use Management

(ii) Rangelands & Forages

(iii) Protected Agriculture

(i) On-Farm Water Use Management

(ii) Rangelands & Forages

(iii) Protected Agriculture

A Potential SolutionPotential Solution to water and rangeland problems

developing production and rehabilitation systems

Exploit the well adapted genetic variability of indigenous forage speciesindigenous forage species

Identify promising indigenous species for forage production with less water

Plant collection missions (9) in deserts of AP

190 indigenous plant and shrub species collected and identified

23 indigenous plant species prioritized for further research

Dry matter production of six forages (t/ha) under deficit irrigation(4 L/m2 /day)

56% improvement in56% improvement in productivity productivity

Buffel Grass

Buffel as Indigenous forage Tolerates high salinity and water stress conditions

Ten annual harvests

Average annual DM yield of up to 20 t/ha

Water productivity of Buffel Grass (0.8kg/m3) is more then

30% higher than Rhodes Grass (0.6 kg/m3)

Chemical Component Buffel Grass Rhodes Grass

% Dry Mather BasesCrude Protein 9.6 9.4

Natural detergent fiber 70.1 72.9

Acid detergent fiber 38.6 38.8

Acid detergent insoluble N 0.1 0.1

Ash 10.0 9.9

Comparison of chemical composition between Buffel Grass & Rhodes Grass

Cumulative number of Buffel growers in UAE from 2003 to 2009

Irrigated Forages & Rangeland Rehabilitation

• Water harvesting, reseeding and grazing management on rangelands;

• Mechanization of Buffel grass cultivation & harvesting;

• Improve seed quality of promising indigenous plant species;

• Alternate forage (cactus) and feed resources (feed blocks).

• Water use efficiency

• Integrated Production & Protection Management Programs (IPPM)

• GH Structure, Covering Materials, Ventilation & Cooling

Productivity of 1 mProductivity of 1 m33 of water of water Protected Agriculture Vs. Open FieldProtected Agriculture Vs. Open Field

Source: Y.T. Guma, A. Al-Masoum, Acta Hort. 434, ISHS 1996Source: Y.T. Guma, A. Al-Masoum, Acta Hort. 434, ISHS 1996

Total open field production of Tomato in Abu

Dhabi (MEW data for 2005)

111,867 ton

Photo: Peter Essick Photo: Peter Essick

which consumed which consumed 19.619.6 million mmillion m33 of water of water Same production would only consume Same production would only consume

1.3 million m1.3 million m33 of water under of water under Protected Agriculture Protected Agriculture

93% reduce 93% reduce

Technology Package:

Integrated Production & Protection Management (IPPM)

Improved integrated production and protection Management (IPPM) practices

that ensure strong healthy plants with adequate protection from pests and

diseases, using safe control practices with minimal use of chemicals

•IPPM techniques applied in a greenhouse (500 m2) planted with Cucumber•Similar GH with cucumber crop selected as control

A.Kirshi, N. Al Ragihi & A.Al Thoris, 2003, ICARDA-APRP Annual Report 2002-03

Applying IPPM techniques in Dhamar, Yemen1 Aug 2003-1 Dec 2003

Applying IPPM techniques in Dhamar, Yemen1 Aug 2003-1 Dec 2003

Increasing farmers’ incomes by introducing simple cash crop production system in greenhouses

Adoption of protected agriculture in Yemen

resulted in Up to 400% increase in their income.

Production After First Season

Comparing Selected Pilot Growers Cucumber Production in Comparing Selected Pilot Growers Cucumber Production in Open field and under GH (2005) Open field and under GH (2005)

Base on Bench mark study and production records

Introduction of Protected Agriculture into Mountain Introduction of Protected Agriculture into Mountain Terraces in YemenTerraces in Yemen

created additionaladditional income for income for farmersfarmers through the cultivation of cash crops

Introduce new techniques of cultivation and irrigation

Intensified the use of terrace lands

Create additional jobs for the rural population, thereby encouraging farmers to settle in rural areas

Improving Family Incomes and Livelihood in Rural Afghanistan through Promotion of Improving Family Incomes and Livelihood in Rural Afghanistan through Promotion of Sustainable Production Systems for High Value Crops with Less WaterSustainable Production Systems for High Value Crops with Less Water

• Establishment of Establishment of PACPAC in Kabul in Kabul• 1818 Training Courses Training Courses• 7 7 Farmers Field School conductedFarmers Field School conducted• 430430 Farmers, Extension Agents, NGO Farmers, Extension Agents, NGO

trainedtrained• 1616 Afghan Farmer, Extension Agent Afghan Farmer, Extension Agent

trained in a leading farms and advanced trained in a leading farms and advanced research centers in Oman and Egyptresearch centers in Oman and Egypt

• 3535 GHs Established at Farmers sites in GHs Established at Farmers sites in 66 provincesprovinces

• Increasing farmers income up to Increasing farmers income up to 135%135%• Another Another 3030 growers shared growers shared 50% 50% of GH of GH

costs with ICARDA and received GHs as costs with ICARDA and received GHs as well as technical back stoppingwell as technical back stopping

Socio-Economic StudyComparison of profitability of cucumber production

under greenhouse and in open field (1 jerib)

Data source: information obtained on spring production of cucumbers from the grower in Parwan.1. For adequate spacing and ventilation 6 greenhouses could fit on 1 jerib of land. 2. Open field cucumbers are longer and bigger than those being produced in greenhouses due to variety difference; accordingly 6 open

field cucumbers weigh 1 Kg while 8 greenhouse cucumbers weigh 1 Kg.3. Cucumbers are sold per unit not per kilogram; greenhouse cucumber carries a price premium for quality. 4. Assume open field uses 10 times more water than greenhouse cucumber production.

PA as Alternative Livelihood for Poppy Growers

Comparison between the Net Income of one Jerib of Poppy and one GH Comparison between the Net Income of one Jerib of Poppy and one GH (270 m2) of cucumber (one year production)(270 m2) of cucumber (one year production)

Poppy GH (Cucumber)

US$ 500

US$ 710

Based on interview with farmers and socio-economic study

Increased yield per unit of water, space and energy

Comparison of cost of production between soil bed and Hydroponics System in Kuwait

Items Costs (KD)

Soil Beds Hydroponics

Green House 55,397.00 29,734.00

Production Materials 176.00 3900.00

water (Irrigation) 32,610.00 720.00

Growing Media 750.00 2,050.00

Fertilizers 660.00 245.00

Insecticides 346.50 144.00

Manpower 7,200.00 3,000.00

Total 97,139.50 39,793.00

Comparison of Production and Plant Density between soil bed and hydroponics system in Kuwait

Hydroponics Maximizes Production per Unit of Water

BeforeBeforeAfterAfter

Now

Cost, Income and Profits of cucumber in Hydroponics System (Farsi farm, 3 GHs - 5 growing seasons 04-05)

10,067

25,522

15,455

0

10000

20000

30000

Production cost Income Profit

OR

Establish soilless production system at growers sites, UAE

Cucumber Production from Soil and Soilless in Hamranieh RS and Pilot Growers in Ajman and Ras Al Khaimeh

(Feb to May 2009)

Plant/m2Soil HRS

SoillessGrower in RAK

Soilless HRS

Soilless Grower in AJM

Weekly Harvest of Cucumber (kg) from Soil and Soilless (Feb-May 2009)

• Indigenous plant species has higher water productivity and great potential for replacing exotic species;

• Protected Agriculture and its associated techniques increases income of the resource-poor farmers;

• Financial mechanism to support growers for adopting the new technologies is required;

• On the job training for researcher and growers increases the adoption rate of new technologies

• The Agricultural promotional fund, the Credit Banks, and other financial agencies should be encouraged to provide

support to growers who adopted the new technology;• More degree & non-degree training programs should be

planed for researcher in the region; • Growers who successfully adopted the new technology

should be recognized;• Establishment of growers production union/association

should be supported by policy makers.