1. Introducing and disseminating forage
and grain based CA systems in Jordan
Harun Cicek, Serkan Ates , Yacoub
Hijazeen & Mohamed Rifaee
Consortium Research Program on Dryland Systems (CRP DS)
ICARDA – NCARE Technical Meeting for Tafilah-Salamieh Action Site
(Jordan sites)
Ayass Hotel, Amman September 21-22, 2014

2. Conservation Agriculture (CA)
and forage activities
Activity Locations Station
/site
Area (ha)
2013
Target area
(ha) 2014
CA– alley
cropping
Meharb , Majdiyah,
Irak
Farmers’
fields
1 2
CA - agronomic
research trials
Mushaqar, Khaldiyah,
and Maru
Research
station
5 5
Demonstration
trials
Karak/Mazar
Madaba/Mushagar
Farmers’
fields
6 30

3. Forage activities in Jordan
Productivity of drought tolerant forage legumes and cereals under
different tillage systems (2013-2016)
• The forage seeds originating from Tel
Hadya and sown in Ramtha Station
(due to availability of the water) for
multiplication in November 2013.
• A long-term trial will be established at
Mushaqar station in autumn 2014 to
investigate the performance of various
forage legumes in different tillage
systems and their impact on the
subsequent cereal crop.

4. Forage crops procured from various sources or
multiplied in Ramtha station in Jordan

5. Evaluation and management of alternative forage cereals under saline
conditions (2013-2015)
A total of 10 barley varieties originating
from Tel Hadya and Jordan were sown in
December 2013 to evaluate their dual
purpose potentials under saline
conditions (Khalidiyah station). The first
year data is under process. The second
year of the experiment will be
established in mid-October 2014.
Forage legume-cereal rotations under no till and conventional tillage
systems in saline conditions (2013-2015)
Integrated experiment to measure the
forage production, of triticale or
berseem clover under no till or
conventional tillage system under saline
conditions (Khalidiyah station)

7. Khaldiyah forage/CA experiment
10000
9000
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
Dry matter Kg/ha
Crop Weeds
Second cut
First cut

8. Mushaqar station CA experiments
1. Crop rotation under CA and
conventional tillage
– Barley, vetch, lentil
2. Time of sowing
– Lentil and wheat at early,
normal and late seeding
• Trials are in first year and
were on tilled land,
therefore no CA vs. Conv
data.

10. Maru station CA experiments
1. Crop rotation under CA
and conventional tillage
– Lentil and wheat
2. Time of sowing
– wheat and vetch at early,
normal and late seeding
• Data analysis underway

11. Al Karak governorate farmer
demonstrations (2013-2014)
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Vicia ervilia Vicia ervilia Vicia ervilia Barley (6
row)
Vicia sativa Barley (2
row)
Biomass (kg/ha)
ZT Biological yield
CT Biological yield
ZT Grain yield
CT Grain yield

12. Repairing Syrian
ICARDA no-till seeder
at Al Ghweer station

13. Karak region stubble (soil?) grazing

14. Coming up!
• CRP Dryland System and FAO RNE Water
Scarcity Initiative
• ICARDA-FAO
• Joined Activities in the Framework of CRP
Dryland Systems and The Near East and North
Africa’s Water Scarcity Initiative
• In Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia

15. Coming up!
• Repaired and new seeders
• New farmers (20-30 farmers, 1 ha each)
• InshaAllah rain
• Motivated team
• Great crops!

16. Some selected farmers for 2014-15