The red palm weevil can devastate the valuable date palm plantations of the Middle East. Yet, date producers are still hesitant to apply new technologies that can control this invasive pest. A recent ICARDA study reveals factors that hinder pest control adoption. In the arid regions of the Near East and North Africa (NENA), where palm trees stand as
Broadcasting innovations in livestock production through native-language radio programs effectively communicate with farmers, promoting agriculture and development in rural areas. ICARDA launched a radio program on sheep fattening in Ethiopia, broadcast in six native languages to engage local communities. The interactive format allows farmers to share comments and questions, and a baseline survey reveals radio’s value in disseminating agricultural
By Mounir Louhaichi, Research Team Leader for Rangeland Ecology and Forages, ICARDA Through CGIAR’s Research Initiative on Livestock and Climate, ICARDA’s Sustainable Rangeland Management toolkit and regenerative grazing practices combine modern science and indigenous knowledge that combat desertification by restoring degraded lands to generate sustainable agriculture for dryland farmers. Desertification is a growing global concern, leading to biodiversity loss, environmental degradation,
ICARDA’s innovative Analysis Pack for Economics of Land Degradation (APELD) tool, developed through the CGIAR Research Initiative on Livestock and Climate, quantifies economic losses of Land degradation (LD) and analyzes the benefits of land rehabilitation interventions. Land degradation (LD) poses a substantial economic threat globally, with estimates suggesting annual agricultural productivity losses ranging from USD 6.3 to 10.6 trillion,
The launch in Mali in 2023 of the country’s first-ever community-based breeding scheme for goats demonstrates that when small-scale livestock keepers collaborate, they can improve the genetic potential of their goats and enhance their livelihoods. By including key public, private, and professional stakeholders in the design of the program, ICARDA and ILRI ensure it is tailored to the Malian context
A new ICARDA study shows how applying key agri-innovations can strengthen dryland rainfed production systems in the face of accelerating climate change. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region predominantly relies upon rainfall to service its agricultural production systems. Still, in today’s climate change environment, such reliance is increasingly risky for farmers in the region. In Morocco, where about
Amid escalating climate change and dwindling water resources in dryland regions, FAO Egypt, ICARDA, and the Egyptian Ministry of Water and Irrigation launched the Water Productivity Enhancement in Agriculture Project, funded by the government of Japan. Through ICARDA’s innovative water management approaches, the project aims to achieve at least a 20% increase in water usage efficiency by smallholder farmers, as
The International Day of Biological Diversity 2024,’ themed “Be part of the plan”, reflects how ICARDA’s genebanks are bio-digital resource centers where useful traits within plant genetic resources are selected according to predictions of their performance.