Achievements and Key Findings (Syria)

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6.  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

7. 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

8. Training Courses
and
Technology Dissemination

9. 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

13. 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

15. 100 posters and 500 flyers were printed and
distributed among Extension units and Olive
farmers in several famous provinces in Olive
growing.

16. Poster 1

17. Poster 2

18. Flyer 1-1

19. Flyer 1-2

20. Flyer 2-1

21. Flyer 2-2

22. SYRIAN TV COVERAGE

23. 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.

24. THANK YOU