Regional Initiative on Sustainable small-scale agriculture for inclusive development- Achievements to date , Cairo, March 2015

1. Regional Initiative on
Sustainable small-scale
agriculture for inclusive
development
Cairo, March 2015
Achievements to date

2. 10101- Improving capacities of governments and stakeholders
for developing sectoral and cross-sectoral policy frameworks
and investment plans and programmes for food security and
nutrition.
 Sensitization workshop on Voluntary Guidelines on
responsible governance of tenure (VGGT)
 Sensitization workshop on Voluntary Guidelines for Securing
Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries in the Context of Food
Security and Poverty Eradication (VGSSF)
 Study on land tenure and land consolidation in NA
 Review of investments in the agricultural sector in NA
 Analysis of agricultural policies and regional integration in the
Maghreb Union

3. 20102 - Integrated and multi-sectoral approaches for
ecosystems valuation, management and restoration are
identified, assessed, disseminated and their adoption by
stakeholders is facilitated.
 Support to North African Fishery Research Institutes network
and adoption of a five year Action and Cooperation Plan
 Formulation of a GEF-5 project to monitor and manage
oases natural resources in the Maghreb
 Formulation of GEF-6 project on non-conventional waters in
the Maghreb
 Adoption of mechanized raised-bed production packages in
small-scale farming systems with a strong focus on gender
equity in Egypt
 Promotion of small-scale, affordable grey water systems for
irrigation in Egypt
 Promotion of low cost drip irrigation system among small
farmers in Tunisia.

4. 20201 - Countries are supported to analyze governance issues
and options for sustainable agricultural production and natural
resources management.
 Review of forestry management methods to improve the
access of population to forestry resources in Tunisia
 Capacity strengthening in the field of small-scale water
harvesting, agriculture income-generating activities and
community development
 Support to decision makers in Egypt to better manage
scarce natural resources, improve farmers’ livelihood, and
country food security
 Improvement of women’s livelihoods in clams data
collection in Tunisia
 Virtual Extension, Research and Communication Network
(VERCON) in support to Green Morocco Plan
 Support to the Near East Plant Protection Organization
(NEPPO)

5. 20401 - Relevant data and information is assembled,
aggregated, integrated and disseminated, and new data
generated through analyses and modeling – jointly with partners.
 Development of an E-learning platform in the area of
animal production
 Preparation of toolkits for economic analysis of Income
Generating Activities (dairy sector, small ruminants,
beekeeping)
 Launching of LADA project phase II (Land Assessment
Degradation in Arid Zones).

6. 20403 - Capacity development support is provided to institutions
at national and regional levels to plan for and conduct data
collection, analyses, application and dissemination.
 Review of Cost of production data collection methods in NA
 Development of an application for decision-making in the
area of animal disease control

7. 30101 - Support to strengthen rural organizations and
institutions and facilitate empowerment of rural poor.
 Mapping of producers organisations (Egypt, Morocco,
Tunisia)
 Technical support and capacity development of producers
organisations (small-scale fisheries, dates, vegetable crops)
on institutional and legal aspects, finance and accounting,
management and communication in Tunisia
 Promotion of micro-enterprises based on non-wood forest
products in Tunisia
 Capacity building in agriculture sector institutions responsible
for agricultural extension, Farmer Field Schools for Integrated
Pest Management (GTFS/REM/070/ITA)
 Technical support to WB project in Tunisia, which include
activities on establishment/implementation of community
development plans

8. 30102 - Support to the promotion and implementation of pro-
poor approaches to policies and programmes which improve
access to and sustainable management of natural resources.
 Analysis of the role and importance of livestock in food
security and poverty alleviation in NA
 Review of forestry management methods and of forestry code
to improve the access of population to forestry resources in
Tunisia
 Technical assistance to IFAD project in the Sudan focused on
value addition in livestock sector; income diversification
 Recovery and rehabilitation of dairy sector in Bekâa Valley
and Hermel-Akkar Uplands, Lebanon
 Emergency Vaccination and Targeted Feeding of Livestock
Grazing in Areas along the Syria-Lebanon Border

9. 30103 - Support to improve access of poor rural producers and
households to appropriate technologies and knowledge, inputs
and markets.
 Training manuals (in 3 languages) on conservation agriculture
for lead-farmers and decision-makers
 Promotion of low cost drip irrigation system among small
farmers
 Support to innovative and participatory technology transfer for
major crops in Tunisia
 Experimental campaign on fishing gear selectivity in the Gulf
of Gabes, Tunisia
 Youth and women empowerment through figs valorisation, in
partnership with the Réseau Maghrébin des Associations
pour le Développement Local (REMADEL) in Morocco and
Tunisia.

10. 30105 - Cross-sectoral policy advice and capacity development
for the definition of gender equitable and sustainable rural
development and poverty reduction strategies.
 Co-organisation of a regional seminar on Mediterranean
family farming in partnership with regional think-tank PARM
 Organisation of a regional expert meeting on gender and
agriculture
 World Food Day workshop on “Women role in the valorisation
of family farming products”
 Support to gender integration in ICARDA local products
valorisation programme in Tunisia

11. 30201 - Evidence-based policy support and capacity
development in the formulation and implementation of policies,
strategies and programmes that generate decent rural
employment with particular focus on fostering youth and rural
women’s economic and social empowerment.
 Assessment of FAO projects and activities related to rural
youth employment, in partnership with Institut National
Agronomique de Tunisie (INAT)
 Study on young agricultural engineer graduates’ entry in the
labour market, in partnership with Agence Nationale pour
l’Emploi et le Travail Indépendant (ANETI)
 Contribution to a national strategy for rural youth employment

12. 30301 - Policy advice, capacity development and advocacy are
provided for improving social protection systems to foster
sustainable and equitable rural development, poverty reduction
and food and nutrition security.
 Not yet started

13. 40203 - Value chain actors are provided with technical and
managerial support to promote inclusive, efficient and
sustainable agri-food chains.
 Gender sensitive chain value analysis of local products, and
youth and women organisations to increase added value and
improve market access, in partnership with ICARDA in
Tunisia
 Promotion of local food products, including national exhibition
fair in Tunisia
 Analysis of 3 Value Chains (small-scale fisheries, dates,
vegetable crops) to improve integration of producers
organisations in Tunisia

14. 40301 - Public and private sector institutions are supported to
design and implement financial instruments and services that
improve access to capital for efficient and inclusive agri-food
systems.
 Not yet started

15. Lessons learned
 Lack of data, HH survey, census, CoP, etc.
 Subregional approach (Maghreb) adequate
 POs as a strong entry point
 Value chain & economic benefits
 Gender mainstreaming
 National institutional setting
 Partnerships

16. Challenges
 Quick wins (technical) vs more strategic (knowledge,
empowerment)
 Access to resources (land, forest, fish, $)
 Targetting youth employment
 Addressing social protection
 Resource mobilization
 Competition and coordination

17. Questions and Answers