This paper presents recent analysis and recommendations that can assist Arab countries in their e... more This paper presents recent analysis and recommendations that can assist Arab countries in their efforts to design and implement policies and investment strategies to strengthen agricultural development. It summarizes the conclusions of a series of papers (presented elsewhere in this publication) on food security in the Arab region. In most Arab countries, food production is limited by severe shortages of water and arable land, leaving the region dependent on food imports and vulnerable to weather and market fluctuations. Growing concerns about food security, highlighted during the 2008 food price crisis, are encouraging policy makers to seek ways to ensure stable, affordable food supplies. The data presented here suggest that food security in the region can be significantly improved by more effective use of currently available technologies and a more supportive policy and institutional environment. This summary paper highlights a range of issues: specific research and development needs, investment priorities, tools that can aid policy development and reduce risk, mechanisms to protect the most vulnerable households, ways to improve farmers' ability to respond to price signals, and the implications of the rapid growth in foreign land investments by some Arab countries.
ABSTRACT The low rainfall areas (200-350 mm) of the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region are ... more ABSTRACT The low rainfall areas (200-350 mm) of the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region are characterized by low levels of economic activity, a high incidence of land degradation and a high percentage of rural popu- lation. Agriculture accounts for nearly 30% of the total labour force in the region. Public and private sector investment in agricultural research and technology transfer is small and hence adoption rates of improved tech- nologies are low. Coupled with increased incidences of drought, the lack of appropriate new technologies has resulted in increased poverty among small producers and environmental degradation in rural areas. More than 38 million people in the WANA region live in rural areas, and depend mainly on farming for their livelihoods. Crop-livestock systems are the predominant farming systems, with the major share of household income generated from small ruminant pro- duction. Traditionally, the source of livestock feed during winter and spring is extensive rangeland grazing. In summer and autumn livestock depend on crop areas for grazing of cereal stubbles and other crop
The project established three GHs in Integrated Research Sites to increase and diversify income o... more The project established three GHs in Integrated Research Sites to increase and diversify income of the local communities. A recent feasibility study clearly indicated the potential and profitability of protected agriculture (PA). In the first year, the net return of GH-produced cucumbers was US$117 in one community, compared with US$12 from wheat in open fields using the same amount of water. Net return per m 3 of water under PA was estimated at US$3.31. The Net Present Value was US$954, which was higher than the initial annual investment cost of US$474.50. The Internal Rate of Return was 27%, which was higher than the 7% interest rate in Pakistan. Sensitivity analysis using different electricity rates and marketing prices confirmed the economic feasibility of PA under different scenarios of water charges and crop prices. It is expected that the production will increase as farmers gain experience and become familiar with the new techniques and management practices.
Integrated barley-livestock production systems in the low rainfall areas of the Mashreq and Maghr... more Integrated barley-livestock production systems in the low rainfall areas of the Mashreq and Maghreb region (Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia) were improved through the development of technological, institutional and policy options by a multidisciplinary and multi-institutional team consisting of two CGIAR centres (ICARDA and IFPRI), the national agricultural research systems and two farming communities from each of the eight participating countries. Over five years the project evolved from an adaptive research programme that developed and tested component technologies to an INRM project that addressed technical, socioeconomic, cultural, institutional and policy issues for farming communities in marginal dry areas. Communities chose tried and tested technologies via the development of negotiated action plans and community development plans. Successful technologies included improved barley varieties, multinutrient feed blocks, forage legume-barley rotations, multipurpose cactus and shrubs, improved sheep fertility and reproduction, and the rehabilitation of degraded rangelands. The community approach resulted in closer links between local and central governments, enhanced bargaining power, and increased collective insight and vision for innovative conceptualization of development opportunities and options. A bioeconomic model was designed and tested to analyze the effects of technical, policy and institutional options on productivity, income, income distribution and the sustainability of the natural resource base. This resulted in a shift from emergency relief efforts by governments towards greater investment in feed blocks, improved sheep reproduction, and drought tolerant plants. Future efforts will focus on scaling out the work on policy and property rights, and replicating the approach to other target dryland areas. CASE 5
... are important physical assets, which can be liquidated at times of financial need ... demand ... more ... are important physical assets, which can be liquidated at times of financial need ... demand and create production surpluses for export, while protecting the local market from external ... and Grabowski (1985) estimated that average technical efficiency for rice production in Nepal is 74 ...
Participants at the international conference on policies for water and food security in the dry a... more Participants at the international conference on policies for water and food security in the dry areas, held in June 2013, agreed that, given the fast pace of depletion of groundwater, the issue of water valuation in the dry areas is no longer one of whether or not, but rather of how. Policies that have been or are perceived to have adverse effects on the cost of agricultural production or food prices in the dry areas are often not well received and have historically led to popular uprisings. As a result, despite clear evidence of misuse of irrigation water by many farmers, governments have been avoiding the idea of water pricing. This government stance is mainly based on the assumption that policies that aim at valuing water will necessarily affect farmers negatively. Using a case study from Syria and applying a simple optimization model, this paper provides empirical evidence that a policy which introduces a penalty for excessive application of irrigation water would compel farmers to adopt water saving technologies. By so doing, the policy will not only lead to groundwater conservation but also to Pareto-optimal distribution of benefits (i.e., a situation where nobody loses and at best some or all gain).
International research on natural resource management: advances in impact assessment, 2007
ABSTRACT The low rainfall areas (200-350 mm) of the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region are ... more ABSTRACT The low rainfall areas (200-350 mm) of the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region are characterized by low levels of economic activity, a high incidence of land degradation and a high percentage of rural popu- lation. Agriculture accounts for nearly 30% of the total labour force in the region. Public and private sector investment in agricultural research and technology transfer is small and hence adoption rates of improved tech- nologies are low. Coupled with increased incidences of drought, the lack of appropriate new technologies has resulted in increased poverty among small producers and environmental degradation in rural areas. More than 38 million people in the WANA region live in rural areas, and depend mainly on farming for their livelihoods. Crop-livestock systems are the predominant farming systems, with the major share of household income generated from small ruminant pro- duction. Traditionally, the source of livestock feed during winter and spring is extensive rangeland grazing. In summer and autumn livestock depend on crop areas for grazing of cereal stubbles and other crop
This paper presents recent analysis and recommendations that can assist Arab countries in their e... more This paper presents recent analysis and recommendations that can assist Arab countries in their efforts to design and implement policies and investment strategies to strengthen agricultural development. It summarizes the conclusions of a series of papers (presented elsewhere in this publication) on food security in the Arab region. In most Arab countries, food production is limited by severe shortages of water and arable land, leaving the region dependent on food imports and vulnerable to weather and market fluctuations. Growing concerns about food security, highlighted during the 2008 food price crisis, are encouraging policy makers to seek ways to ensure stable, affordable food supplies. The data presented here suggest that food security in the region can be significantly improved by more effective use of currently available technologies and a more supportive policy and institutional environment. This summary paper highlights a range of issues: specific research and development needs, investment priorities, tools that can aid policy development and reduce risk, mechanisms to protect the most vulnerable households, ways to improve farmers' ability to respond to price signals, and the implications of the rapid growth in foreign land investments by some Arab countries.
ABSTRACT The low rainfall areas (200-350 mm) of the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region are ... more ABSTRACT The low rainfall areas (200-350 mm) of the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region are characterized by low levels of economic activity, a high incidence of land degradation and a high percentage of rural popu- lation. Agriculture accounts for nearly 30% of the total labour force in the region. Public and private sector investment in agricultural research and technology transfer is small and hence adoption rates of improved tech- nologies are low. Coupled with increased incidences of drought, the lack of appropriate new technologies has resulted in increased poverty among small producers and environmental degradation in rural areas. More than 38 million people in the WANA region live in rural areas, and depend mainly on farming for their livelihoods. Crop-livestock systems are the predominant farming systems, with the major share of household income generated from small ruminant pro- duction. Traditionally, the source of livestock feed during winter and spring is extensive rangeland grazing. In summer and autumn livestock depend on crop areas for grazing of cereal stubbles and other crop
The project established three GHs in Integrated Research Sites to increase and diversify income o... more The project established three GHs in Integrated Research Sites to increase and diversify income of the local communities. A recent feasibility study clearly indicated the potential and profitability of protected agriculture (PA). In the first year, the net return of GH-produced cucumbers was US$117 in one community, compared with US$12 from wheat in open fields using the same amount of water. Net return per m 3 of water under PA was estimated at US$3.31. The Net Present Value was US$954, which was higher than the initial annual investment cost of US$474.50. The Internal Rate of Return was 27%, which was higher than the 7% interest rate in Pakistan. Sensitivity analysis using different electricity rates and marketing prices confirmed the economic feasibility of PA under different scenarios of water charges and crop prices. It is expected that the production will increase as farmers gain experience and become familiar with the new techniques and management practices.
Integrated barley-livestock production systems in the low rainfall areas of the Mashreq and Maghr... more Integrated barley-livestock production systems in the low rainfall areas of the Mashreq and Maghreb region (Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia) were improved through the development of technological, institutional and policy options by a multidisciplinary and multi-institutional team consisting of two CGIAR centres (ICARDA and IFPRI), the national agricultural research systems and two farming communities from each of the eight participating countries. Over five years the project evolved from an adaptive research programme that developed and tested component technologies to an INRM project that addressed technical, socioeconomic, cultural, institutional and policy issues for farming communities in marginal dry areas. Communities chose tried and tested technologies via the development of negotiated action plans and community development plans. Successful technologies included improved barley varieties, multinutrient feed blocks, forage legume-barley rotations, multipurpose cactus and shrubs, improved sheep fertility and reproduction, and the rehabilitation of degraded rangelands. The community approach resulted in closer links between local and central governments, enhanced bargaining power, and increased collective insight and vision for innovative conceptualization of development opportunities and options. A bioeconomic model was designed and tested to analyze the effects of technical, policy and institutional options on productivity, income, income distribution and the sustainability of the natural resource base. This resulted in a shift from emergency relief efforts by governments towards greater investment in feed blocks, improved sheep reproduction, and drought tolerant plants. Future efforts will focus on scaling out the work on policy and property rights, and replicating the approach to other target dryland areas. CASE 5
... are important physical assets, which can be liquidated at times of financial need ... demand ... more ... are important physical assets, which can be liquidated at times of financial need ... demand and create production surpluses for export, while protecting the local market from external ... and Grabowski (1985) estimated that average technical efficiency for rice production in Nepal is 74 ...
Participants at the international conference on policies for water and food security in the dry a... more Participants at the international conference on policies for water and food security in the dry areas, held in June 2013, agreed that, given the fast pace of depletion of groundwater, the issue of water valuation in the dry areas is no longer one of whether or not, but rather of how. Policies that have been or are perceived to have adverse effects on the cost of agricultural production or food prices in the dry areas are often not well received and have historically led to popular uprisings. As a result, despite clear evidence of misuse of irrigation water by many farmers, governments have been avoiding the idea of water pricing. This government stance is mainly based on the assumption that policies that aim at valuing water will necessarily affect farmers negatively. Using a case study from Syria and applying a simple optimization model, this paper provides empirical evidence that a policy which introduces a penalty for excessive application of irrigation water would compel farmers to adopt water saving technologies. By so doing, the policy will not only lead to groundwater conservation but also to Pareto-optimal distribution of benefits (i.e., a situation where nobody loses and at best some or all gain).
International research on natural resource management: advances in impact assessment, 2007
ABSTRACT The low rainfall areas (200-350 mm) of the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region are ... more ABSTRACT The low rainfall areas (200-350 mm) of the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region are characterized by low levels of economic activity, a high incidence of land degradation and a high percentage of rural popu- lation. Agriculture accounts for nearly 30% of the total labour force in the region. Public and private sector investment in agricultural research and technology transfer is small and hence adoption rates of improved tech- nologies are low. Coupled with increased incidences of drought, the lack of appropriate new technologies has resulted in increased poverty among small producers and environmental degradation in rural areas. More than 38 million people in the WANA region live in rural areas, and depend mainly on farming for their livelihoods. Crop-livestock systems are the predominant farming systems, with the major share of household income generated from small ruminant pro- duction. Traditionally, the source of livestock feed during winter and spring is extensive rangeland grazing. In summer and autumn livestock depend on crop areas for grazing of cereal stubbles and other crop
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