Improving the Food Security and Climate Change Adaptability of Livestock Producers using the

Rainfed Barley-based System in Iraq and Jordan

(IFAD Grant 1240-ICARDA) Duration: four years (2011-2014)

Dr Nasri Haddad, Dr Abderahim Bawalize, Dr Maan Salah.

ICARDA Planning Meeting, 19-23 January 2014Amman-Jordan

Goal and Objective

Goal: Improved food security, livelihoods, and climate change adaptability for poor rural households in rainfed areas dependant on barley and livestock production.

Objective: Increased productivity and climate change resilience of farming communities in targeted areas of Jordan and Iraq.

Budget: 1,500.000 US$

Project components and their associated outputs

  Ready-to-use options and technologies, that will

assist communities to cope with expected climate change impacts, effectively transferred to the target groups

Enhanced understanding and awareness of the impacts of climate change and response options, at the national and community level.

Outputs

 Climate-change proofing technologies for barley-based systems successfully demonstrated with community participation

Improved livestock husbandry and processing technologies, that enable communities to cope with climate change, are successfully demonstrated

Extension agents’ capabilities and mechanisms to respond to farmer needs are improved.

Understanding and awareness of the impacts of CC and adaptation options are enhanced at the policy-maker and at the community level.

Target Groups

Poor farmers and communities whose livelihoods are dependent on the barely-livestock based system

Women who are responsible for livestock production and product processing

National agricultural research and extension institutions

Policy makers at the national and regional levels are also direct beneficiaries from the CCA recommendations

ICARDA Programs/Units involved in the project

DSIPS, SPER, BIGM, GUCODIS, CDU

Partners

NARIMoAMetrological DepartmentsUniversitiesNGOsDevelopment projectsFarmers and sheep producers

IFAD Agricultural Resource Management Project – Phase II (ARMP-II): The project is working with ongoing activities related to livestock improvement and natural resource conservation developed by. ARMP II

Target Site in Iraq: Ninevah Governorate

Target Site in Jordan: Karak Governorate

Demonstrate under farmers’ field conditions the potential of drought tolerant barley varieties

Jordan: Muata, Adrouh and local landraces.Iraq: Zanbaka, and Local landrace

Component 1: Ready to Use Technologies developed for adaptation and adoption

Grain yield Biological yield0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

852

3228

705

2871

Zero TillageFarmer practice

JordanKG/ha

Zero Tillage Farmer pracice0

200

400

600

800

1000 860

460

Grain Yield Kg/ha

Iraq

Conservation Agriculture is used as an adaptation strategy to climate change; Conserve soil moisture, improve yield, reduce cost and protect the environment

Locally manufactured ZT seed drill

Using press wheel in the ZT seeder improve water harvesting and soil moisture conservation

Alley cropping of barley with Atriplex using water harvesting and conservation agriculture (Zero-tillage)

To diversify and improve feed availability, minimize risk of single crop plantation and maximize farmers’ incomes from the small ruminants new feed source.

Improve feed quality

Hay production fromBarley-vetch mixtures

Development of feeding strategy for winter feeding based on barley and vetch hay: Reducing the feeding gap by

increased production of forages during the shortage period

Treatment: Improved diet (2/3 barley and vetch  hay and 1/3 concentrate)

Control: Conventional diet (Barley  grains, wheat bran and 

straw)

Measurements

4 Farmers

36 36 Total no of ewes (n)

0.91 (15% increase) 0.79 Milk production (kg/ewe/day)

4.1 (47% decrease) 7.8 Lambs mortality (%)

Improve small ruminant productivity

Reproduction improvement Vaccination against major

disease Distribution of genetically

improved rams and artificial insemination from improved breeds

Improving the milk processing skills and market access of women

Main achievements:

1. Setting up a functional laboratory of 

sheep A.I. in El-Karak

2. Building-up a well-trained national 

team

3. Achieving satisfactory conception 

rates in farmers flocks > 40%  

Reproductive Biotechnologies to Support Delivery of Improved Awassi

Application of a holistic package to improve reproductive outcome in Iraq project sites (Setta, 

Sheikh Ibrahim, Khowitlaa and Tall Asmair)

Treatment Control Measurements

10 Farmers

200 200 Total no of ewes (n)

160 110 Ewes lambing

198 115 Lambs born

80 55 Fertility (%)

24 5 Twining rate (%)

Enhancing dairy processing skills and market access of rural women in Jordan

- Characterization of the socioeconomic conditions, dairy processing and marketing methods in 4 target villages in El-Karak governorate– Quality of Jameed improved through hygienic processing 

– Improved method of making Jameed for small-scale dairy processors developed• Saves 60-70% of water consumed during processing

• Saves 60-70% of energyWater Energy

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Water and energy consumption by process-ing method

Traditional Modified 

Benefits of the improved processing method at the level of a village of 10,000 inhabitants, 40,000 sheep in 

Central Jordan

ICARDAs’ improved processing method

Increase ghee yield 8.5 tons

Energy saving at least 60%

Reduce water consumptionSaving at least 

216 m3 

Increase in net income 

8%

Introduce Bee keeping as an income generating activity: improve the nutrition of the household members and improve family income

Changes in agroclimatic zones of Iraq

Significant changes were found in the agroclimatic (ACZ) zones of Iraq . The map shows the changes between current climatic and projected climatic conditions for 2010-2040 under change scenario A1b. 1.

Component 2: Climate Change AdaptabilityDownscaling exercise of Climate Change Modeling

Downscaling at the Governorate level

Publication of the Climate Change Atlas

Knowledge Sharing

Component 2: Climate Change Adaptability

The Iraqi farmers’ Families and Iraqi scientists in their visit to the West Asia Regional Program in Amman

Discussion among Iraqi and Jordanian women farmers related to their activities in milk 

processing

Knowledge dissemination

• Flyers• Posters• Manuals

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION WORKSHOP3 October 2013, Amman, Jordan

Attended by 55 participants from Jordan and Iraq, ICARDA, IFAD, farmers and decision makers.

Objective: to review how the results of research on dryland technologies, obtained through this or other related projects, can be used for adaptation to the climate change

The workshop was structured into 3 main sessions:Climate change assessmentDryland technologies for adaptation to climate changeConclusions/recommendations for managing climate change in

Iraq and Jordan

Project web site

A project web site was developed and some information on the project was posted. Project activities, new information, and project findings, following their verification, will be uploaded to the site. The site is part of the ICARDA web page and can be accessed through the link

http://www.icarda.org/barley-livestock-systems/teaser 

Thank You