Algeria
A Training course on: "Best management practices for cereals cultivation in Mediterranean environments" was organized on 18–20 March 2014
Jordan
ACLIMASField day on:“Sowingdates and fertilizer application”, Irbid, Jordan, 12 Feb 2014
The main objective of the event was to demonstrate to farmers the benefits/drawbacks of application of different sowing dates and fertilizers inputs on cereal cultivation. The impact was shown and discussed considering several varieties of cereals planted at the demonstration fields. More than 20 farmers from the target area participated in the event. The field day was organized at the Maru Agricultural Research Station where the demonstration fields of ACLIMAS are established.
ACLIMAS Field day on "Weed Control" - Irbid, 11 March 2014;
After an open discussion between farmers and ACLIMAS team about the considerable economic losses due to weed spread in the region, researchers from NCARE tried to give a work plan to deal with this problem during the whole crop cycle by adopting the following practices: prevention (strategies helping farmer to prevent weed from invading his field), monitoring (Is it a real concern or an isolated cases), analyzing (determining the percentage of losses that farmer can tolerate) and control (strategies to stop the damage spread). Also, researchers described preventative, cultural and chemical weed control, specifically for cereals and legumes. Particular emphasis was given to best ways to a combine the use of these methods in order to get satisfactory results. More than 20 farmers participate in the event.
Morocco
ACLIMAS Field day on: “Crop establishment in Lahyout (implementation site)” – Settat, 12 Feb 2014
The field day had the objective of making the farmers aware about the advantages of conservation agriculture; it was organized by “Mellita” association for agricultural development in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Center in Settat, the Regional Directorate of Agriculture of Chaouia-Ourdigha (DRA) and the Association "AGENDA" on the subject "Development of direct sowing and its prospects".
ACLIMAS Field day on: “Weed control in Gdana (implementation site)” -Settat, 25 Feb 2014
The Regional Center for Agronomic Research (CRRA) Settat and the Gdana Association for Agricultural Development organized a field day about “weed control” in the Commune of Gdana in the region of Settat. Sixty farmers, ten researchers from INRA-Settat and agricultural advisors from ONCA took part in the animation of this event. The Association “Agriculture, Development, Environment for the Future” (AGENDA) and other associations of agricultural development brought their contribution in the field day activities.
ACLIMAS Training Course on “Sustainability analysis of adaptation to climate changes of Mediterranean region” - Settat, 11 - 13 March 2014
This training course targeted researchers, farmers and presidents of associations of agricultural development in the region who are involved in the implementation of ACLIMAS project activities.
ACLIMAS Field day on : “Fertilization under conservation agriculture”, Tamadroust implementation site -Settat, 4 March 2014 ;
Conservation agriculture (in contrast to traditional and intensive agricultures) is used for resource-saving agricultural crop production that has as main objective to achieve acceptable benefits with sustained production levels while conserving as much as possible the environment. Starting from this consideration, the use of fertilizers in conservation agriculture is subjected to specific rules (quantities, types, date etc), thing that was amply explained during this field day to local farmers by researchers from INRA-Settat. The event was held at Tamadroust implementation site, Settat, with the participation of 20 farmers.
ACLIMASField day on: “Disease and insect control” - Sidi M’hammed be Rahal implementation site, Settat Region, 25 March 2014
About 100 farmers from Association "Addoha" and other regional agricultural associations, 10 researchers from INRA-Settat, Agricultural Advisors from ONCA and representatives of the Regional Directorate of Agriculture participated in the activities of this field day. The Field day was organized also in the presence of Mr. Baali Essghir, the Regional Director of the Office of National Agricultural Advisory, Mr Mohamed Kamal, the president of the R'hamna Foundation for Agricultural and Rural Development together with some members of the foundation of elected officials and representatives of the local authority.
Brahim El Yousfi, Researcher in Plant Pathology at the CRRA-Settat, demonstrated the importance of prevention and control measures to mitigate damage caused by fungal diseases particularly on wheat crop in the region. El Yousfi, also, emphasized the importance of certain behaviors of farmers that could increase/decrease the severity of diseases. Furthermore, he gave a detail presentation on available treatments against the fungal diseases.
Tunisia
ACLIMAS Training course on: “Integrated management of water and soil resources”- 24–28 Feb 2014
This training course attempted to demonstrate to the farmers how to use water and land resources for optimal agricultural production while resources are limited. Moreover, the course focused on the long-term productive potential of the resources and the maintenance of their environmental functions (maintenance of soil fertility, water quantity and quality, micro-climate amelioration, bio-diversity preservation etc). 33 local farmers have beneficiated from this activity organized by the ACLIMAS team in Tunisia.
Technical Visits
Technical visits organized in the period January-March 2014 had the objective to monitor and discuss on-going demonstration/implementation activities in the target areas and to collect data necessary for the completion of technical and financial reports for 2013. In several occasion the visits coincided with the field days and training courses organized by local partners, which permitted the direct contact with the local stakeholders and promotion of the project to a larger audience.
- Technical visit to Tunis, Tunisia, 20 – 24 Jan 2014 ;
- Technical visit to Settat, Morocco, 27 – 31 Jan 2014 ;
- Technical visit to Amman and Irbid province, Jordan , 9 – 14 Feb 2014 ;
- Technical visit to Beirut, Lebanon, 17 – 21 Feb 2014;
- Technical visit to Settat, Marocco, 10–16 March 2014
- Technical visit to target area in Tunisia, 25 March – 1 April 2014.
Materials, leaflets and videos recently uploaded on the project’s website
Leaflet on: “Sustainability analysis”
Leaflet on: “Conservation agriculture”
Video on: “On ground implementation full pack Bani Khananah, Jordan (Arabic)”
Video on: “On ground implementation, Bani Khananah, Jordan (Arabic)”
Video on: “On ground implementation, Ramtha, Jordan (Arabic)”
Video on: “Improved varieties at Qasabat, Irbid, Jordan (Arabic)”
Video on: “Objectives and Importance for Jordan (Arabic)”
Video on: “Sowing period, Shaat, Bekaa valley, Lebanon”