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Progress report - Protecting Ethiopian lentil crops
No full textSix Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lentis (Fol) isolates were collected between 2018 and 2021 from the ICARDA breeding station in Morocco and multiplied using autoclaved sorghum seeds. Sterilized peat moss was infested with the inoculum of each isolate five days before sowing (5 g of inoculum per 100 g of sterilized peat moss, treated with 1% solution, per cone). Nineteen elite lentil genotypes from the lentil breeding program, including released varieties in Morocco, were tested under glasshouse conditions. Prior to sowing, lentil seeds were surface
sterilized using a sodium hypochlorite solution for 2 minutes, then dried at room temperature and planted. The genotypes were evaluated in three replications (five seedlings per cone), and plant mortality was recorded 40 days after planting
Integrated Bundled Solution for Growing Wheat Under Irrigated Conditions in Uzbekistan
No full textUzbekistan grows wheat on more than a million hectares under irrigation, mostly in rotation with cotton, fodder maize, and short-season legumes that must fit tightly into the canal-water calendar. Long-term research and on-farm assessments reveal a yield gap of about 42% (≈3.25 t/ha): farmers commonly harvest 2.5–6.5 t/ha, whereas trials and better-managed farms in Karshi, Samarkand, and the Fergana valley reach 7–8.5 t/ha under the same climate and water regime. The shortfall is linked to a recurring bundle of constraints — soil salinity and rising groundwater salinity, late sowing after cotton, spring heat that shortens grain filling, erratic winter–spring rainfall, and imbalanced fertilizer use (too little P and K, poorly timed N, and biofertilizers applied on weak foundations). On station and crop modelling evidence showed that closing this management gap through timely sowing, CRI and booting irrigations, balanced N–P–K, and early weed/disease control could raise average irrigated wheat yields by around 45% to about 6.6 t/ ha, putting Uzbekistan much closer to wheat self-sufficiency while increasing resilience to climate variability and water scarcity
Determinants and multidimensional outcomes of adoption of sustainable agricultural practices in irrigated areas of Uzbekistan
No full textAdoption of agricultural technologies, particularly modern ones, remains relatively low in many developing and low-income economies. While adoption has traditionally focused on boosting productivity and income, there is growing attention to the environmental and social dimensions of technology use in agriculture. This study focuses on four sustainable agricultural practices (SAP’s), such as crop rotation, manure application, drip irrigation, and laser levelling, commonly promoted for sustainable intensification, and examines their effects on three outcome dimensions such as farm revenue, sustainability of farming practices, and gender wage gap among seasonal farm workers. The study draws on nationally representative survey data from 1,225 farmers collected in 2024 in Uzbekistan, and employs multivariate probit models to analyze determinants of SAP adoption and treatment effect models to assess adoption impacts. The results reveal that determinants of adoption across the four SAPs are largely technology and context-specific, although a small set of factors emerges as consistently important across practices, namely perceived benefits and challenges of adoption, access to training, social networks and information channels. Drip irrigation emerges as the most promising technology that improves multiple outcomes, particularly when combined with other practices. These findings underscore the need for practice-specific policy design and for promoting context-appropriate technology bundles that can jointly advance economic, environmental, and social objectives
Comprehensive evaluation of Lagenaria siceraria and Cucurbita species seeds: proximate composition, antioxidant potential, lipid profiling, and oil properties
No full textSeeds from the Cucurbitaceae family are generally considered waste. This study focuses on the seeds of four species: Lagenaria siceraria and three species of Cucurbita spp., evaluating their nutritional composition, mineral content, bioactive properties, and oil characteristics. C. moschata var. “Slaouiya” exhibited the highest protein content (37.12 ± 0.01 g 100 g -1 ), while C. moschata var. “Hamra” had the highest oil content (43.60 ± 0.37 g 100 g -1 ). The mineral analysis showed high levels of potassium (875.59 ± 28.87 mg 100 g -1 ) and magnesium (435.89 ± 3.36 mg 100 g -1 ) in C. moschata var. “Slaouiya”. L. siceraria recorded the highest TPC (5.71 ± 0.12 mg GAE g -1 ) and TFC (16.06 ± 0.27 mg QE g -1 ). Linoleic acid (C18:2) was the most abundant fatty acid, particularly in L. siceraria (70.73 ± 0.10%), which also had the highest content of PUFAs (70.89 ± 0.11%). In terms of oxidative stability and nutritional indices, L. siceraria exhibited the highest COX value (7.40 ± 0.01) and OS (3206.81 ± 5.50). C. moschata var. “Slaouiya” had the lowest atherogenic indices (AI) (0.23) and thrombogenic indices (TI) (0.09), suggesting potential cardiovascular benefits. These findings high - light the exceptional potential of these seeds, which could serve as a basis for innovations in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industrie
Conservation Agriculture combined with supplemental irrigation enhances resilience and food security in Morocco’s rainfed drylands
No full textMorocco’s rainfed drylands are highly vulnerable to recurrent drought and increasing rainfall variability, threatening wheat production and national food security. Conservation agriculture (CA) and strategic supplemental irrigation (SI) offer promising pathways to stabilize yields and improve water productivity in these fragile systems. This study evaluates the combined effects of CA and SI on grain yield, biomass production, and water productivity of wheat at ICARDA’s Merchouch research station during the 2021–2022 season under exceptionally dry growing season.
A field experiment was established with two conventional tillage systems (CT) and conservation agriculture (CA)—combined with three water regimes: rainfed (no SI), one supplemental irrigation (20 mm at tillering, 25 January), and two supplemental irrigations (20 mm at tillering + 30 mm on heading). All irrigation was applied via drip, with scheduling guided by soil moisture status, crop stress, and dry spells.
Results show that CA consistently outperformed CT across all water regimes. Under rainfed conditions, CA increased grain yield from 442 to 661 kg/ha (+49%) and water productivity from 2.04 to 3.06 kg/mm (+50%) compared with CT. With one SI, CA boosted grain yield from 845 to 1,484 kg/ha (+75%) and water productivity from 3.58 to 6.29 kg/mm (+75%). With two SI events, yields increased from 2,698 to 3,158 kg/ha (+17%) and water productivity from 10.14 to 11.87 kg/mm (+17%). Biomass and straw yields showed similar positive trends under CA, indicating improved overall system productivity.
These findings demonstrate that combining CA with modest, well-timed SI can transform vulnerable rainfed wheat into a more productive and water-efficient system. If adopted at scale on suitable dryland areas, CA+SI has strong potential to narrow Morocco’s wheat yield gap, enhance climate resilience, and reduce dependence on imported wheat, thereby contributing directly to national food security
Enhanced soil salinity index prediction using hybrid stacking ensemble machine learning with explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) technique: a case study of the Nile Delta, Egypt
No full textSoil salinity represents the leading form of land degradation in arid and semi-arid regions. This study employed five hybrid stacking ensemble (SE) machine learning models (SE-GBM, SE-RF, SE-SVM, SE-XGB, and SE-MARS) to map salinity distribution across Egypt’s Nile Delta for 2023 and projected conditions for 2030, using EC-Earth3 and MIROC6 CMIP6 climate scenarios under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5. Results reveal substantial differences between scenarios, with SSP5-8.5 indicating up to a 15% higher salinity increase in the eastern Delta compared to SSP2-4.5. This highlights its reliability for assessing future salinity dynamics across the Nile Delta. Model validation confirmed that the SE-GBM model achieved the highest accuracy in predicting soil salinity, with an R² of 0.396 and RMSE of 0.061. Except for MARS model due to their low accuracy, all models indicated that the north-eastern, eastern, and south-eastern Nile Delta had the highest soil salinity in 2023. Salinization in these zones is driven by climate change, seawater intrusion, poor irrigation, and human pressures. Boruta analysis highlighted pH as the most influential predictor, while bulk density was least significant. SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) results further showed precipitation and clay content as key drivers of salinity variability. These findings underline the robustness of Machine learning models in capturing complex soil–climate interactions. Future work should expand applications in globally, especially in resource-constrained regions
A field-based data-driven modeling approach for livelihood vulnerability examination of rice farmers' considering climate risk in parts of West Bengal, Eastern India
No full textAgriculture is crucial for the rural economy in India, making it essential to assess how environmental and climatic changes impact rice farmers’ livelihoods. This study employed the Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS) model for a multi-criteria decision analysis method, to compute a Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) and an IPCC-based LVI, reflecting rice farmers’ adaptive capacity, exposure, and sensitivity. Data from 1814 rice farmers across eight districts in West Bengal were collected in 2023. In 2023, field surveys of 1814 rice farmers across eight West Bengal districts were conducted. The LVI values ranged from 0.17 to 0.93, with an ROC-AUC accuracy of a model classification accuracy (ROC-AUC) of 0.89. LVI-AC ranged from 0.02 to 0.97, LVI-E and LVI-S from 0.00 to 1.00, and LVI-IPCC values from − 0.48 to 0.54, with an ROC-AUC accuracy of 0.86. Component indices varied widely: adaptive capacity (LVI-AC) ranged from 0.02 to 0.97, and exposure/sensitivity (LVI-E/S) from 0.00 to 1.00. The composite LVI-IPCC ranged from − 0.48 to 0.54 (ROC-AUC = 0.86). District-level analysis showed that Birbhum and Murshidabad were the most vulnerable districts, whereas Purba and Paschim Bardhaman were relatively less vulnerable (e.g. nearly half of Murshidabad’s area was highly vulnerable vs. less than 10% in Purba Bardhaman). Adaptive capacity was lowest in Jhargram and Paschim Bardhaman, reflecting limited adaptation resources, whereas Purba Bardhaman was the most exposed to climate risk. In contrast, exposure vulnerability was minimal in Bankura. Sensitivity to climate hazards was highest in Bankura and Jhargram. The LVI-IPCC analysis identified Birbhum as highly vulnerable to climate change. Notably, the combined LVI-IPCC measure singled out Birbhum as particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. By highlighting livelihood vulnerabilities, this study informs interventions that support poverty reduction and food security (SDGs 1–3) while promoting sustainable economic growth (SDG 8) and climate resilience (SDG 13). The approach provides a practical tool for policymakers to target adaptation strategies and enhance climate-adaptive farming practices among vulnerable communities
Consumer survey: Agroecological products
No full textThis survey is part of a scientific research project aimed at examining the psychological, economic, and behavioral factors influencing Tunisian consumers' preferences, attitudes, and willingness to pay for agroecological products
Enhancing Women’s Participation: Toward Inclusive Agricultural Organizations In Tunisia/ éRENFORCER LA PARTICIPATION DES FEMMES : VERS DES ORGANISATIONS AGRICOLES INCLUSIVES EN TUNISIE
No full textTunisia’s 4,007 agricultural organizations (General Directorate of Finance, Investments, and Professional Structures) are crucial for rural development, including cooperative agricultural service companies and agricultural development associations. Despite their central role, farmer participation remains very low (≤4%). These organizations are particularly important for women, who constitute 93% of informal agricultural workers in rural areas (vs. 80% of men, ILO 2019), often lacking social protection, earning low wages, and facing irregular and seasonal employment. Female rural unemployment reaches 28%, compared to 14% for men, making agricultural organizations a more stable source of employment. The BAFR currently supports 267 women’s organizations (246 associations, 21 cooperatives) with 8,202 members, operating under a national regulatory framework. These organizations contribute to local economic empowerment, social dynamism, and support for value chains. However, they face persistent challenges in governance, financing, sustainability, institutionalization, and market access. Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive reform strategy grounded in objective diagnostics, strategic analysis, and targeted interventions to improve efficiency, adaptability, and long-term continuity, ensuring that women’s agricultural organizations can fully realize their potential as engines of rural development.
Les 4 007 organisations agricoles tunisiennes (Direction générale des Finances, des
Investissements et des Structures Professionnelles) jouent un rôle crucial dans le développement
rural, comprenant des sociétés coopératives de services agricoles et des associations de
développement agricole. Malgré leur rôle central, la participation des agriculteurs reste très faible
(≤4 %). Ces organisations sont particulièrement importantes pour les femmes, qui représentent
93 % des travailleuses agricoles informelles en milieu rural (contre 80 % des hommes, ILO
2019), souvent sans protection sociale, avec des salaires faibles et des emplois irréguliers ou
saisonniers. Le chômage féminin rural atteint 28 %, contre 14 % pour les hommes, faisant de ces
organisations une source d’emploi plus stable.
Le BAFR soutient actuellement 267 organisations féminines (246 associations et 21
coopératives) regroupant 8 202 membres, opérant sous un cadre réglementaire national. Ces
organisations contribuent à l’autonomisation économique locale, à la dynamisation sociale et
au soutien des chaînes de valeur. Elles restent toutefois confrontées à des défis persistants de
gouvernance, de financement, de pérennité, d’institutionnalisation et d’accès aux marchés.
Les surmonter nécessite une stratégie de réforme globale fondée sur un diagnostic objectif,
une analyse stratégique et des interventions ciblées pour améliorer efficacité, adaptabilité et
continuité, permettant aux organisations agricoles féminines de réaliser pleinement leur
potentiel comme leviers du développement rural.
تُعدّ الهياكل المهنية الفلاحية في تونس، والبالغ عددها 4007 هيكلاً (وفقاً للإدارة العامة للتمويل والاستثمارات والهياكل المهنية)، من الركائز الأساسية لدعم الاقتصاد الريفي. وتشمل هذه الهياكل الشركات التعاونية للخدمات الفلاحية (المركزية والأساسية) ومجامع التنمية الفلاحية. ورغم الدور المحوري الذي تضطلع به في تعزيز التنمية الزراعية والاجتماعية، فإن نسبة انخراط الفلاحين التونسيين في هذه الهياكل لا تزال منخفضة جداً، إذ لا تتجاوز 4%. وتحظى هذه الهياكل بأهمية خاصة لدى النساء، نظراً لمحدودية فرص العمل المتاحة لهن في المناطق القروية. فبحسب بيانات منظمة العمل الدولية لعام 2019، تعمل 93% من النساء في المناطق القروية في القطاع الزراعي في وظائف غير رسمية، مقارنة بـ80% من الرجال. أما في قطاعي الخدمات والصناعة، فلا تتجاوز نسبة النساء العاملات في الوظائف غير الرسمية 31%. يؤدي العمل غير الرسمي إلى غياب الحماية الاجتماعية، وانخفاض الأجور، وعدم انتظام العمل، وتكرار الموسمية، وسهولة الاستغناء عن العاملات. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، تسجل معدلات البطالة لدى النساء في المناطق القروية نسبة 28%، مقابل 14% فقط لدى الرجال (وفقاً لمنظمة العمل الدولية لعام 2019)، مما يجعل فرص العمل ضمن الهياكل المهنية أكثر استقراراً.
بناءً على ذلك، تلعب الهياكل المهنية الفلاحية دوراً محورياً في التمكين الاقتصادي للمرأة، وتعزيز الديناميكية الاجتماعية داخل المجتمعات الهشة، فضلاً عن دعم سلاسل القيمة المحلية. وقد أولت الدولة اهتماماً خاصاً بهذه الهياكل النسائية، من خلال وزارة الفلاحة والموارد المائية والصيد البحري، عبر “مكتب الإحاطة بالمرأة الريفية” (BAFR)، الذي يضطلع بدور أساسي في بلورة وتنفيذ السياسات العمومية المتعلقة بالهياكل المهنية الفلاحية النسائية (OPA). ويبلغ عدد هذه الهياكل النسائية حالياً، وفقاً لمكتب الإحاطة، 267 هيكلاً (246 مجمع تنمية و21 شركة تعاونية)، ويضم عدد المنخرطات فيها 8202 امرأة. وتتمتع هذه الهياكل بإطار قانوني منظم يتيح لها العمل ضمن منظومة مهنية على المستوى الوطني.
ورغم التقدم المحرز، ما تزال هذه الهياكل تواجه تحديات متعددة تتعلق بالحوكمة، والتمويل، والاستدامة، والانفتاح، والمؤسسة، مما يستدعي رؤية إصلاحية شاملة ترتكز على تشخيص موضوعي، وتحليل استراتيجي دقيق، وتدخلات موجهة ومحددة الأهداف، لتعزيز كفاءتها وقدرتها على التكيف والاستمراري
Evaluating hydroclimate dynamics: trend analysis and change detection for enhanced drought monitoring in the upper Blue Nile basin
No full textHydroclimatic changes are key indicators of climate change, and tracking their direction of change is essential for effective water resources management. This study analyzed the trends and change points in the annual and seasonal time series TerraClimate data of key hydroclimate variables (rainfall, potential evapotranspiration (PET), maximum temperature (Tmax), and minimum temperature (Tmin)), and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) from 1958 to 2023 in the upper Blue Nile basin. The modified Mann–Kendall and Sen's slope estimator tests were employed for the trend analysis, while Pettitt's test detected abrupt changes in the time series data. Moreover, the sensitivity of SPEI to rainfall and PET was evaluated using correlation analysis. Results showed a significant increase in Tmin, Tmax, and PET, especially in spring in the western parts of the basin. Rainfall trends were mixed, mostly showing non-significant changes, except in winter. Change point analysis revealed significant shifts in SPEI and hydroclimate data, showing declines in SPEI and rainfall, with increases in PET, Tmin, and Tmax after their change points. Correlation analysis confirmed that rainfall has a stronger relationship with SPEI than PET. The findings of this study could serve as a proxy for climate change and guide the implementation of adaptive measures