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ICARDA meeting in Izmir, Turkey - Enhancing wheat-legume production


November 2014

Wheat and food legumes are staple foods across the West Asia and North Africa region, providing a valuable source of protein, particularly among the poorer sections of society. A project, that is testing, validating, and disseminating proven innovations to assist wheat and food legume farmers to intensify the wheat-based system on sustainable basis, recently held its annual technical and steering committee meetings in Izmir, Turkey.

Participants, including representatives from national partners, the main donor agency, EU-IFAD, and ICARDA, listened as project researchers presented the initiative’s progress over the past year. Notable successes included the development of germplasm capable of coping with the effects of climate change – varieties of faba bean, chickpea, lentil and wheat with the ability to tolerate higher temperatures, diseases and water-scarcity.

The varieties have also generated higher yields and net benefits for participating farmers. In Turkey, new wheat varieties and recommended technology packages have increased grain yields by 11.8 percent, and generated benefits that are 33 percent higher than those generated by conventional varieties. The results generated by improved chickpea have been even more impressive: grain yields have increased by 182 percent, and net benefits to farmers, by up to 259 percent.

Faba bean trials in Egypt have demonstrated an average yield increase of 21.5 percent, and further afield in Lebanon, chickpea varieties have performed well under both conventional conditions and conservation agriculture – a condition that involves minimum- or zero-tillage, which helps to both reduce the labor and fuel costs associated with plowing, and conserves soil and scarce water resources.

The meetings concluded with the development of work plans for the forthcoming year. Budget commitments were made and activities planned: an increased number of demonstrations and more trainings and capacity development initiatives, particularly those targeting farmers and extension agents. A workshop is planned for September 2015 in Egypt where the final results of the Project will be presented.

Wheat and food legumes are staple foods across the West Asia and North Africa region, providing a valuable source of protein, particularly among the poorer sections of society. A project, that is testing, validating, and disseminating proven innovations to assist wheat and food legume farmers to intensify the wheat-based system on sustainable basis, recently held its annual technical and steering committee meetings in Izmir, Turkey.

 

Participants, including representatives from national partners, the main donor agency, EU-IFAD, and ICARDA, listened as project researchers presented the initiative’s progress over the past year. Notable successes included the development of germplasm capable of coping with the effects of climate change – varieties of faba bean, chickpea, lentil and wheat with the ability to tolerate higher temperatures, diseases and water-scarcity.

 

The varieties have also generated higher yields and net benefits for participating farmers. In Turkey, new wheat varieties and recommended technology packages have increased grain yields by 11.8 percent, and generated benefits that are 33 percent higher than those generated by conventional varieties. The results generated by improved chickpea have been even more impressive: grain yields have increased by 182 percent, and net benefits to farmers, by up to 259 percent.

 

Faba bean trials in Egypt have demonstrated an average yield increase of 21.5 percent, and further afield in Lebanon, chickpea varieties have performed well under both conventional conditions and conservation agriculture – a condition that involves minimum- or zero-tillage, which helps to both reduce the labor and fuel costs associated with plowing, and conserves soil and scarce water resources.

 

The meetings concluded with the development of work plans for the forthcoming year. Budget commitments were made and activities planned: an increased number of demonstrations and more trainings and capacity development initiatives, particularly those targeting farmers and extension agents. A workshop is planned for September 2015 in Egypt where the final results of the Project will be presented.

- See more at: http://www.icarda.org/blog/izmir-meeting-enhancing-wheat-legume-production#sthash.dkF0fFqI.dpuf


More news from: ICARDA (International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas)


Website: http://www.icarda.org

Published: November 24, 2014

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