MELSpace (Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning)
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Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, Impact Assessment and Foresight (MELIAF) Policy
No full textThis policy clarifies ICARDA’s approach to MELIAF, harnessing existing and applicable policies and procedures and entrenching industry best practices
Effect of replacement of noug (Guizotia abyssinica) seed cake with dried areke atella on feed intake, digestibility and body weight change of Menz sheep in central highlands of Ethiopia
No full textEvaluation of the effect of replacement of noug (Guizotia abyssinica) seed cake with dried areke atella on feed intake, digestibility and body weight change of Menz sheep in central highlands of Ethiopia
Genetic mapping and validation of QTL for whitefly resistance in cassava (<i>Manihot esculenta</i> Crantz)
No full textWhitefly species pose a major threat to cassava production in tropical regions causing direct plant damage and transmitting viruses that lead to devastating cassava diseases. Aleurotrachelus socialis whitefly is one of the pests that affect cassava in South America. Developing resistant cassava varieties is the most sustainable control strategy for managing whiteflies. This study aimed to map the quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance to A. socialis and develop molecular markers to facilitate marker-assisted selection. An F2 cassava population (N = 183) was generated by selfing a highly resistant F1 derived from a cross between ECU72 (resistant) and COL2246 (susceptible) landraces. Phenotyping was performed using an efficient glasshouse screening method and high throughput image analysis of infested leaves (Nymphstar). We identified QTL on chromosomes 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 14, with a stable and highly significant QTL on chromosome 8 (MeF2WFly8.1), explaining 35.44% of the phenotypic variation. To enable efficient selection, high-throughput KASP markers were developed and validated across diverse genetic backgrounds. Three SNPs displayed the highest association with whitefly resistance, with Chr08_6483145 as the most effective marker for selection in diverse backgrounds. These markers are provided for improving the efficiency of whitefly resistance breeding in the global cassava community
A Native Pastoral Plant in North-WestTunisia Boosts Spring, Out-of-Season Reproduction in Queue-Fine de l’Ouest Ewes
No full textPoster to display the effects of the local wild plant Scabiosa atropurpurea var. maritima, with a specific focus on the Queue Fine de l’Ouest sheep breed
Nutrient utilization and productive performance evaluation of Dorper-Awassi crossbreeds with Menz sheep and indigenous Menz breeds
No full textMSc thesis on the comparative evaluation of nutrient utilization and productive performance of Dorper-Awassi crossbreeds with Menz sheep and indigenous Menz breeds
Land restoration for food security and climate action
No full textA brief about land degradation highlights its impact on biodiversity, food security, and livelihoods, with over 25% of agricultural land globally affected. Nutrition-sensitive and climate-resilient restoration of landscapes can enhance food production and ecosystem health. Integrated approaches that promote inclusive governance and strategic investments are crucial for sustainable restoration and resilience. Successful case studies from Tunisia, Colombia, West Africa, and India demonstrate effective practices that align with global climate goals
Policies and development models for “sustainable” agriculture in Tunisia an “agroecological transition” in question
No full textThis article examines the rise of so-called “sustainable agriculture” projects in Tunisia after the 2011 revolution, a period of deep political and institutional change. This era opened a debate on redefining the development model, particularly in the agricultural sector, raising social expectations for structural shifts toward sustainability. While rural demand remains strong, policy responses remain fragmented over a decade later. Multiple terms and initiatives – such as agroecology – coexist under the broader “transition to sustainable agriculture,” leading to unclear institutional footing and a lack of unified vision. Analyzing agricultural policies and policymakers’ discourse, this study highlights how institutional actors – state agencies, ministry divisions, international organizations – appropriate the debate on agricultural transformation, through diverse projects, from quality promotion to entrepreneurship support, or collective organization. Agroecology and related initiatives are diversifying, circulating and evolving, reflecting broader tensions over equity and spatial justice amid profound environmental, economic and political crises. One key conclusion is that this project diversity underscores the need for policymakers to change the rural narrative. Agroecology, often framed as a success story for struggling rural areas, appears less as a national paradigm shift and more as a new localized development model
Durable resistance to stripe rust in wheat: integration of breeding tools and genomic technologies
No full textStripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp., is a widespread and serious fungal disease that affects wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivation worldwide. Its rapid development, high adaptability, and ability to cause significant yield losses threaten global food security. Although conventional breeding strategies play a role, they are limited by the evolutionary dynamics of the pathogen. Therefore, genomic and molecular approaches have been employed to improve resistance breeding techniques. This review summarizes relevant research findings on the pathogenicity of Pst and the genetic basis of resistance to stripe rust, categorized as all-stage resistance (ASR) and adult plant resistance (APR). More than 300 QTLs and 86 yellow rust (Yr) resistance genes have been identified through marker-assisted selection (MAS), quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Meta-QTL analyses have advanced to the point where fine-tuning candidate gene regions across different backgrounds is possible, facilitating marker-assisted breeding in closed systems. In addition, genomic selection (GS) enables the combined use of major and minor resistance loci when selecting for multiple traits, allowing rapid gene pyramiding to improve durability. Recent developments in CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing and pan-genomics offer the opportunity to induce a broad spectrum of durable resistance in elite wheat lines. Collectively, these integrative genomic approaches hold promise for sustainable strategies to combat the persistent threat of stripe rust and protect wheat production worldwide
Geographical indication of Olive oil in Elles-Sers, North-West Tunisia: Implementation Process
No full textEllès-Sers, in the Kef Governorate (Northwest of Tunisia), is one of the country’s oldest olive oil producing areas. It is characterized by a very small-scale farming system, with traditional orchards cultivated using an ancestral irrigation distribution system and distinguished by the continued cultivation of multi-century olive trees. The olive groves contain several ancient cultivars, as well as other fruit trees and annual crops. The olive growing area is also characterized by animal production, especially cattle. This producing area is one of the most appropriate sites to be an agroecological living laboratory for olive oil production in Tunisia due to the above-mentioned technical characteristics and the challenging socio-economic context of the region. The Implementation of a new Olive Oil Geographical Indication was motivated by the configuration of Ellès-Sers as an example of vulnerable olive oil producing areas that are still using traditional local know-how, ancestral cultivars, some existing agroecological practices of sustainability, all within a challenging context of producer fragmentation and small-scale farming.
Traditional olive-growing systems and small-scale production are less competitive in a cost-driven global olive oil market. The Geographical Indications (GIs) process was presented as a valuable tool that offers the small producers of Ellès -Sers the opportunity to work together as a community to better promote their products and their specificity, with the aim of generating higher incomes, while using sustainable practices based on local know-how. It is based on the sensitivity of specific market segments worldwide to product quality, authenticity, sustainability, and storytelling. The agroecological transition is an opportunity that can open new horizons for producers by supporting the process of the GI in such a fragile context.
The GI implementation process in Ellès-Sers started early 2015. The Agroecology Initiative (i.e., WP3 on Inclusive business models and financing strategies) in Tunisia began supporting this process in 2022. This report offers an overview of both completed and ongoing steps in the GI implementation process, which is currently being supported as part of the CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes (MFL) Science Program
Effect of Irrigation with SalineWater on Germination, Physiology, Growth, and Yield of Durum Wheat Varieties on Silty Clay Soil
No full textFreshwater scarcity in arid regions forces farmers to use saline water, reducing durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum) productivity, particularly during early growth stages. This study evaluated two Moroccan varieties, Faraj and Nachit, on silty clay soil under five salinity levels (0.2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 dS m−1) in a randomized complete block design with three replications, aiming to identify tolerance thresholds and characterize physiological and agronomic responses. Key traits measured included germination percentage, germination stress index, mean germination time, root and coleoptile length, plant height, leaf number, chlorophyll fluorescence, grain yield, weight of 200 grains, and straw yield. Germination percentage declined from 8 dS m−1, with delayed germination and inhibited vegetative growth at higher salinity. Both varieties maintained grain yield up to 8 dS m−1 and weight of 200 grains and straw yield up to 12 dS m−1, with Nachit showing higher tolerance. Multivariate analyses, including principal component analysis and heatmaps, linked soil sodium, chloride, and electrical conductivity negatively to growth and yield, whereas potassium, calcium, and magnesium supported plant growth and physiological activity. These findings provide insights for breeding and irrigation strategies to sustain durum wheat under salinity stress