ICARDA supports smallholder farmers in dryland regions through agricultural research and development efforts. It produces improved crop varieties and livestock breeds that are drought tolerant and produce higher yields. It also promotes more efficient irrigation techniques, integrated crop-livestock systems, and value addition activities. Examples presented showed how ICARDA's chickpea and wheat varieties increased farmer incomes in Turkey, and how wastewater irrigation projects and livestock interventions benefited smallholders in Gaza, Jordan and Syria. ICARDA's new strategy aims to continue providing innovative science-based solutions to make dryland agriculture and communities more resilient and prosperous.

1. FAO side event at the Global Forum for
Innovations in Agriculture
Abu Dhabi
20-21 March 2017
From Farm to Market: The importance of smallholder farmers for the
agricultural value chain in the MENA region: Experiences from
ICARDA’s Research for Development Efforts
Andrew Noble
Deputy Director General
ICARDA

2. 2 billion smallholder
farmers—men,
women and children -
have been the engine
of growth producing
70% of all global food

3. ICARDA supports research and
innovative science for
improving the livelihoods of
resource-poor farmers in the
dry areas to reduce poverty,
food and nutritional insecurity
and environmental
degradation
in the face of climate
change….

4. 4
How Does ICARDA Support Smallholders?
 Produces cutting-edge science
 Promotes technologies, knowledge, capacity
development & policies
 Develops and enhances strategic partnerships
across the R-D continuum
 Supports functional value chains and viable off-
farm activities for diversified incomes and
improved livelihoods
 Focuses on women & youth empowerment for
inclusive & equitable growth

5. 5
ICARDA Unleashes the Productive Potential of Small Farmers in the Drylands
 In low potential and marginal
drylands: helping smallholders to
develop strategies and tools to
minimize the risk they face and
reduce their vulnerability
 Higher-potential drylands regions:
supporting smallholders to
sustainably intensify their agricultural
production systems

6. 6
Examples of Research Achievements to Support Smallholders in the Dry Areas
 Crop Improvement for yield potential & for
abiotic and biotic stresses
 Intensification & diversification of
cropping systems
 High value crops & protected agriculture
 Improving water availability and
management & grey water use
 Integrated livestock/rangelands/crops
production systems & added value dairy
products in marginal dry areas

7. Drought Tolerant Chickpea Variety Survived 2007 Drought in Turkey
• Kabuli chickpea, ‘Gokce’, developed by
Turkish and ICARDA scientists withstood
severe drought in Turkey and produced
when most other crops failed in 2007.
• A yield advantage of 300 kg/ha over other
varieties, and world prices over USD 1000/t,
this represented an additional USD 165
million for small Turkish farmers in 2007
alone.

8. 8
Chickpea Certified Seed Production in Turkey: 2012-2016
Year
Total Certified
Seed Prod. (t)
ICARDA
Origin (t)
ICARDA
%
2012 1240 1155 93
2013 1603 1535 96
2014 2031 1623 80
2015 2305 1981 86
2016 3916 3544 91
“Gokce” today has been
replaced by new ICARDA
cultivars that account for
about 90% of the total
production of certified
chickpea seeds. The main
cultivars

9. “Frike” A Family Endeavor for Health and the Market
 Stable food in WANA: made from early
harvested green grains of durum wheat
 Important source of income for rural families
in marginal areas
 Highly nutritious: high protein, fiber, vitamins
(thiamin and riboflavin) and minerals (Ca, Fe,
Zn), low carbohydrate, rich in prebiotic
properties, low glycemic index
 High value addition in established markets
 High labor requirements: grains are harvested,
parched, roasted and dried---village industry.
Involves the entire family

10. 10
“Frike” Improving the Welfare of Smallholders
ICARDA Scientists:
 Developed and supported uptake of drought-
tolerant durum wheat varieties with improved traits
for the production of fresh & dried frike.
 Strengthened the organizational capacity of farmers
to engage in seed multiplication, processing, storage
& distribution by establishing farmer cooperatives.
 Researched constraints: high production costs,
inefficient roasting techniques, labor shortages,
poor access to markets, health issues
 Quantified the contribution of Frike processing to
household incomes: twice the profit of unprocessed
grain, contributing 30-40% of total income in poor
households.
https://www.slideshare.net/ifad/3-
miloudi-m-nachit-durum-ifad-icarda-
aleppo-workshop-2629-october

11. • Diversifies production
and diets
• Generates
employment and
income for men and
women
• Improves water use
efficiency
Protected Agriculture for Smallholders in Yemen and Jordan

12. Increases yields per unit of
water, space and energy
through protected agriculture
and soilless culture:
• UAE: hydroponics saves about 120m3 of water to
produce one ton of tomato compared to conventional
soil systems under protected agriculture
• higher water productivity: 28.2 versus 2.8 Kg/m3 for
tomatoes
• 6.7 versus 1.2 Kg/m3 for pepper
• higher quality of crop and easier control of pesticides
and diseases.
Protected Agriculture vs Open Fields:
High Initial Investment Costs and High Skills Needed But……..

13. Enhancing Water Productivity
 More efficient irrigation systems: enhancing
water productivity through modernization of
irrigation systems and improving the efficiency
of surface irrigation
 Modifying cropping patterns towards high
value crops
 Supplemental irrigation
 Water harvesting: macro- and micro-water
catchments & contour planting
 Deficit irrigation
 Watershed management
 Promoting the use the safe marginal water

14. Practice Conventional
methods
New developed
technologies
Impact
Irrigation Drip Subsurface - 30-40% water saving without
reduction in date production
Pollination Manual Liquid
- Saves time and effort
- Less quantity of pollen
- Reduction of the cost to 89%
Integrated
Pest
Management
(IPM)
Pesticides IPM - Reduces the environmental effect
of pesticides,
- Improves the date palm
production by: 30-40%
Post
harvesting
(Drying dates)
Traditional
techniques
Polycarbonate
house
- Improves the quality of the fruits
- Avoids the contamination
- Saves more than 30% of the losses
of production
Technology packages Developed by GCC Date Palm Project: Saving Water and Reducing
Production Costs

15. 15
Women and men smallholders from
the West Bank and Gaza visit Jordan
to exchange practical knowledge on
waste/greywater use in irrigation
Knowledge Exchange: Waste/Greywater Reuse for Gaza & West Bank Smallholders

16. 16
Field Days & Awareness Sessions for the Safe Use of Treated Grey/Wastewater in Irrigation
 15 field days were conducted I
 West Bank and Gaza
attended by 165
farmers
 Brochures on safety
and productive use
guidelines were
distributed

17. Successful Technologies in Farmers Fields: Development of Integrated
Crop/Rangelands/Livestock Production Systems
 Feed blocks using crop residues
and agro-industrial by-products
 Improved rams
 Early weaning
 Improved barley cultivars
 Rotations of barley with forage
legumes
 Improved flock management
 Pasture rehabilitation
 On-Farm feed production
 Fodder shrubs

18. Adding Value: Small Holder Livestock Production

19. 19
Value addition: Improved milking and processing
Research steps :
 Assess local knowledge and identify problems with
researchable solution
 Identify available technologies or develop suitable
technology
 Integrate the proposed solution with the local
knowledge
Example: Yoghurt processing in Syria
Problem: High acidity and weak texture
Solution:
 Improved yogurt with high viscosity that does not
collapse during transport
 Market price was 5 Syrian Lira more per kg than the
yogurt produced by farmers

20. 20
Challenges and further work
 Challenges to reach millions of smallholder farmers;
 Challenges associated with an enabling environment: policies, institutions,
services and access to resources, credit, insurance, infrastructure and social safety
nets and markets and a voice in policy making;
 Challenges associated with gender and social equality
 Challenges in finding opportunities to making agriculture innovative and
interesting to the NENA Youth

21. 21
The New ICARDA: A Futuristic Strategy for 2017-2026
ICARDA Strategy 2017-2026: A new strategic approach for delivering
innovative science based solutions for thriving and resilient drylands
building on 40 years of past achievements, lessons learned and
successful partnerships and investments

22. 22
Our Vision: thriving and resilient dryland communities
Creating Value for our Stakeholders
Creating value for our stakeholders
• Improved livelihood outcomes in
drylands through reduction poverty
(SLO1), increased food and nutrition
security (SLO2) and sustainable
natural resources management
(SLO3)
• Delivering demand-driven research
that is translated into practice