Agricultural Research Knowledge
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/187
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- Traditional Mountain Recipes Cookbook – More than 50recipes from Morocco, Algeria, Italy, Croatia, Tunisia and LebanonAuthor(s): Liker, Josipa; Jurković, LeopoldDate: 2026-02-24Type: BookStatus: Open accessThis specialized cookbook offers a curated collection of recipes featuring wheat and barley, designed to celebrate not only traditional Mediterranean flavours but also the core principles of sustainable development and women's empowerment. This effort is inspired by the MountainHER Project, which is focused on empowering women in societies as a crucial driver for agro-ecological transformation and income generation across mountain communities in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Italy, and Croatia. Our focus centers on barley and durum wheat, two emblematic crops of the region. The project highlights the essential role of women from rural areas in transforming these agricultural staples. By processing the grains into traditional foods and value-added products, these women succeeded in fully establishing and managing sustainable value chains from field to table. The recipes within this collection demonstrate the full potential and versatility of locally sourced grains. They range from staple breads and porridges to contemporary culinary interpretations that reflect the unique terroir and cultural heritage of the partner communities. We aim to use this cookbook to connect culinary tradition with modern sustainable practices, underscore the richness of locally grown grains, and raise awareness of the critical importance of women's leadership in creating localized value. Ultimately, we hope to inspire readers to support socially inclusive and environmentally responsible practices by recreating these recipes in their own kitchens.
- زراﻋﮥ اﻟﺤﺒﻮب ﻓﯽ اﻟﻤﻨﺎﻃﻖ اﻟﺠﺒﻠﯿﮥ ﺑﺎﻟﺠﺰاﺋﺮ: ﻣﻘﺎرﺑﮥ زراﻋﯿﮥ إﯾﮑﻮﻟﻮﺟﯿﮥAuthor(s): Mrabet, Rachid (National Institute of Agronomic Research Morocco (INRA Morocco), 2026-01-01)Date: 2026-01-01Type: BriefStatus: Timeless limited accessتتضمن هذه النشرة: إجراء بحوث تشاركية مع المزارعين المحليين لتحديد أفضل أصناف القمح الصلب والشعير الملائمة للإنتاج الزراعي الإيكولوجي.، تعزيز الممارسات الزراعية الإيكولوجية بما يسهم في رفع استدامة إنتاج الحبوب والتبن المستخدم كعلف، تمكين النساء والشباب وتوسيع الفرص السوقية للتعاونيات والشركات المحلية من خلال دعم الحوكمة، وإنتاج البذور المعتمدة والأسمدة العضوية، وتحسين وتسويق الأغذية المحلية عبر الوسائل الرقمية.
- النشرة الرقمية للمزارع المغربيAuthor(s): Mrabet, Rachid (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), 2026-01-01)Date: 2026-01-01Type: BriefStatus: Timeless limited accessتهتم هذه النشرة الرقمية لتعزيز التواصل مع المزارعين المغاربة المهتمية بالزراعة الإيكولوجية بخصوص أنشطة مشروع جبلهن "تمكين الجمعيات النسائية كرائدات للتحول الإيكولوجي الزراعي وتحسين دخل المجتمعات الفلاحية الجبلية".
- اﻟﻨﺸﺮة اﻟﺮﻗﻤﻴﺔ ﺣﻮل ﺗﺜﻤﻴﻦ اﻟﺸﻌﻴﺮAuthor(s): Mrabet, Rachid (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), 2026-01-01)Date: 2026-01-01Type: BriefStatus: Open accessﻫﺬه اﻟﻨﺸﺮة ﻣﻮﺟﻬﺔ ﻟﻤﺮﺑﻲ اﻟﻤﺎﺷﻴﺔ وﻣﺰارﻋﻲ اﻟﻤﺤﺎﺻﻴﻞ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﻨﺎﻃﻖ اﻟﺠﺒﻠﻴﺔ اﻟﻌﺎﻣﻠﻴﻦ ﺿﻤﻦ ﻣﺸﺮوع MountainHER. وﻫﻲ ﺗﻌﺮض ﺗﻘﻨﻴﺔ اﻹﻧﺒﺎت اﻟﻤﺎﺋﻲ ﻟﻠﺸﻌﻴﺮ ﻛﺤﻞ ﻣﺴﺘﺪام واﻗﺘﺼﺎدي ﻹﻧﺘﺎج اﻷﻋﻼف اﻟﺨﻀﺮاء ﻋلى ﻣﺪار اﻟﻌﺎم.
- Farmers Bulletin: ItalyAuthor(s): Bassi, Filippo (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), 2025-04-16)Date: 2025-04-16Type: BriefStatus: Open accessThis bulletin contains MOUNTAINHER'S advice for growing cereals in the Mountains with an Agroecological approach.
- Enhancing Regenerative Agriculture for Healthier Soils and Sustainable FarmingAuthor(s): Zatezalo, Dubravka Kolarić (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), 2026-01-01)Date: 2026-01-01Type: BriefStatus: Open accessRegenerative agriculture is a key approach to maintaining soil fertility and improving the resilience of Farming systems to climate change. Techniques such as minimal soil disturbance, cover cropping, agroforestry, and integrated organic matter management can significantly enhance soil structure, reduce erosion, and increase water retention capacity (FAO, 2023). Beyond soil quality improvements, regenerative agriculture also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and fosters biodiversity (IPCC, 2022). This technical bulletin provides practical insights and recommendations for farmers to effectively implement regenerative agricultural practices and improve their farm sustainability.
- Open Data Kit (ODK): New Technology on Data CollectionAuthor(s): Al-Shamaa, Khaled (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), 2026-02-10)Date: 2026-02-10Type: PresentationStatus: Timeless limited accessThis presentation was conducted during the training course on ODK for the "Consortium of Red Palm Weevil Control (C4RPWC) Program" project, which was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from January 26 to 28, 2026.
- Smart Reproduction for Better Flocks: Innovative Practices for the Reproductive Management of Sheep and Goat Flocks in TunisiaAuthor(s): Tebourbi, Ons; Rouatbi, Mariem; Aloulou, Rafik; Chouaibi, Mohamed Amine; Kefi, Rouaya; Ben Said, Samia; Niama, Wejdene; Chemingui, Oumayma; Hamdene, Mounir; Zaidi, Ismail; Rekik, Mourad (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA))Date: 2025-12-31Type: Internal ReportStatus: Open accessThis report is about the development and the deployment of clean reproductive technologies and biotechnologies aiming at improving the productivity of sheep and goats under various production systems and contexts within the Mediterranean Landscape. These systems cover mixed, rainfed agro-pastoral systems, halophyte-based systems and more intensified forage-based systems in the North of Tunisia. The innovations are meant to be clean, green and ethical applications to monitor, assess and improve the reproductive performance of sheep and goats. The applications were co-designed, co-developed and co-implemented with national partners from both the research and the development systems.
- System Dynamics Modelling of Olive Supply Chain to Support Socio-ecological Gains in Multi-functional Landscape: General Model and Specification for Tunisian Semi-arid RegionAuthor(s): Le, Quang Bao; Dhehibi, Boubaker (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA))Date: 2025-12-25Type: Working PaperStatus: Open accessOlive value chains in the Mediterranean face linked problems: limited inclusion of smallholders, women, and youth; unpriced environmental harm; high exposure to climate and market shocks; weak incentives for stewardship; slow uptake of better practices; thin market information; infrastructure gaps; and weak ties among farmers, cooperatives, and processors. Because these pressures interact across stages, a single fix often shifts problems elsewhere. This motivates a system dynamics (SD) view that can display feedbacks, delays, and trade-offs within one structure. The paper has two aims. First, it specifies a transparent SD prototype for Tunisia’s olive sector that stakeholders can use now for discussion and later for calibration. Second, it makes three core outcomes central to analysis: socio-ecological gains (joint improvements in productivity and product quality, with lower environmental harm and fairer access to benefits), resilience (the ability to absorb shocks and recover), and inclusion (meaningful participation and benefits for smallholders, women, and youth). The first aim is not predictive: the model prototype serves as a clear boundary structure to organise participatory qualitative work—checking assumptions, locating leverage points, designing policy and technology scenarios, and sketching impact pathways—before full calibration and numerical testing. The model has seven modules. Four are supply-chain subsystems: (i) planting and tree cohorts (young, mature, senescent; rain-fed vs. irrigated), (ii) harvesting (losses, pick rates, technology adoption), (iii) processing and market allocation (extraction, capacity, local/export and premium channels), and (iv) demand (domestic and export). Three are cross-cutting: (v) ecosystem services (soil fertility, water, basic biodiversity), (vi) climate and adaptation (rainfall/heat indices, drought frequency, adaptive investment), and (vii) policy–finance (subsidies, certification premia, tax revenue, budget constraint). We present causal-loop and stock-and-flow diagrams, there variables and parameters, as well as define scenario levers. Empirical calibration and operational simulations will follow. The prototype adds value by adopting a cradle-to-cradle scope that links field stewardship and climate stress to losses, extraction, and premium channels; by keeping structural detail for drought response, stand renewal, and practice adoption; by treating resilience and inclusion as explicit outcomes with clear policy entry points; and by offering user-friendly system dynamics diagrams for co-learning. The Tunisia case is preliminary parameterized-ready yet portable to other Mediterranean regions. We outline next steps: assemble data (cooperatives, mills, prices, remote sensing), verify model structure with wider expert consultation, package an operational model version in Vensim DSS, conduct calibration and validation screening, and test policy and technology scenarios.
- Soil Quality Assessment for Sustainable Cultivation of Opuntia ficus-indica in Kutch (India): Identifying Key Edaphic FactorsAuthor(s): Louhaichi, Mounir; Naorem, Anandkumar; Hassan, Sawsan (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA))Date: 2025-05-10Type: PresentationStatus: Timeless limited accessThe presentation addressed the soil quality assessment necessary for the sustainable cultivation of Opuntia ficus-indica (cactus pear) in Kutch, India. Recognizing its potential to improve food security in arid regions, the study explores key edaphic factors affecting growth and yield. Soil samples were collected from farmers' fields, analyzing physical and chemical properties such as texture, pH, and nutrient availability. Findings suggest that sandy loam soils with a pH of 6.5–7.5, moderate electrical conductivity, and high organic matter (≥1.5%) are optimal. Balanced macronutrient availability enhances growth, while soil moisture retention helps mitigate water stress. The research offers valuable insights for effective soil management practices and recommendations for soil amendments, promoting sustainable agriculture in the region.
- Cactus pear ”Opuntia ficus-indica”: The 5F Crop for Food, Feed, Fuel, Fashion, and Fertilizer Enhancing Sustainability in Arid RegionsAuthor(s): Louhaichi, Mounir; Hassan, Sawsan (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA))Date: 2025-05-10Type: PresentationStatus: Timeless limited accessThe presentation highlighted the versatility of Opuntia ficus-indica (cactus pear) as a "5F crop," offering food, feed, fuel, fashion (bio-leather), and fertilizer. Well-suited to arid and semi-arid environments, OFI shows resilience against harsh conditions, making it vital for sustainable agriculture. However, assessments of its applications in these domains and their implications for food security are limited. Through extensive literature reviews, data on OFI's nutritional value, biomass yield, biofuel potential, textile applications, and soil enhancement were collected. Out of over 15,000 studies, 210 relevant articles were critically analyzed. The findings indicate that OFI enhances food security, provides renewable energy, offers sustainable textile alternatives, and improves soil health through biofertilizer use. This review underscores OFI's multi-dimensional benefits and its potential role in sustainable development.
- Enhancing Farmer Governance and Climate-Smart Legume Forage Practices in Silvopastoral Systems through Capacity Building and Enabling Seed Access in TunisiaAuthor(s): Hassan, Sawsan; Louhaichi, Mounir; Ouled Belgacem, Azaiez; Jalali, Khalifa (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA))Date: 2025-10-26Type: Internal ReportStatus: Open accessThis report described the silvopastoral restoration initiative at the Chahda site in Zaghouan Governorate, serving as a lighthouse model integrating ecological restoration, livestock productivity, and governance strengthening. The initiative addressed land degradation, grazing pressure, and climate variability affecting Mediterranean forest–rangeland systems. Interventions included reseeding adapted forage legumes—particularly Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium)—integration of native shrubs, and controlled grazing under the supervision of the Direction Générale des Forêts (DGF). A field and governance event on 26 October brought together 44 participants, including farmers, ICARDA and DGF representatives, and a legal expert, focusing on consolidating and formalizing the Groupement de Développement Agricole (GDA). The Chahda experience demonstrated that combining ecological rehabilitation with participatory governance and livelihood support ensures long-term sustainability.
- Enhancing Multifunctional Landscapes through the Cultivation of Aromatic and Medicinal PlantsAuthor(s): Hassan, Sawsan; Marzouki, Ezzeddine; Louhaichi, Mounir (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA))Date: 2025-12-31Type: Internal ReportStatus: Open accessThis report presented an initiative to integrate aromatic and medicinal plant cultivation into silvopastoral systems in Tunisia, focusing on Zaghouan and El Kef. Tunisia’s forest and rangeland ecosystems had been crucial for sustaining rural livelihoods, livestock production, biodiversity, and climate resilience. However, climate variability, prolonged droughts, overgrazing, and unsustainable harvesting practices had threatened both ecological integrity and rural income stability. To address these challenges, ICARDA, the Direction Générale des Forêts (DGF), the Regional Commissariats for Agricultural Development (CRDA), and the Rural Women’s Support Division collaborated to distribute approximately 15,000 seedlings and provide capacity-building training for farmers. The program emphasized structured cultivation of aromatic species over wild collection, highlighted ecological benefits, cultivation best practices, and market opportunities. Participatory discussions allowed farmers to share experiences and address challenges such as water scarcity, seed quality, and post-harvest processing. By promoting collective organization, technical capacity, and institutional collaboration, the initiative reduced pressure on natural forests, enhanced biodiversity and ecosystem services, and generated alternative income streams—particularly for women—supporting sustainable rural development in semi-arid landscapes.
- Optimizing seed harvest and processing of wild lentil genetic resources entering active and base genebank collectionsAuthor(s): Jawad, RamaDate: 2025-09-19Type: PresentationStatus: Open accessThis presentation was prepared for the 15th Biennial ISSS Conference / Seed Ecology VIII, which took place from September 15 to 19 in Australia.
- Development of Multiple Rust-Resistant Durum Wheat Genotypes and Identification of Resistance Sources Using Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS)Date: 2025-06-15Type: PosterStatus: Open accessWheat is the most strategic crop that provides about 20% of the daily dietary protein intake in the world. The productivity and production of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum) is affected by stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici: Pgt), leafrust (Puccinia triticina: Pt) and yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis f.sp. Tritici: Pst) in different countries (Silva et al. 2023). Virulent races of (Pgt), such as TTRTF, and races of (Pst), such as PstS7 and PstS14, have been recently identified in Morocco (El Hanafi, S. et al. 2018). Across North Africa and the Middle Eastern regions where durum wheat is a major staple crop, rust diseases pose a serious threat to wheat production, often leading to severe yield losses under favorable disease development conditions. The most prevalent diseases in farmers' fields were leaf rust (LR) and stripe rust (SR), highlighting the need to develop elite germplasm with multiple disease resistance. Efforts have been made to develop multiple resistance to three rust diseases in ICARDA durum wheat breeding pipelines. The objective of this work is to identify new sources of resistance to three rust diseases of durum wheat
- Measuring What Matters: Advancing Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Accounting in EgyptAuthor(s): Attaher, Samar; Govind, AjitDate: 2025-12-15Type: Internal ReportStatus: Open accessAgriculture is one of the most climate-sensitive sectors in Egypt and is central to national food security, employment, and economic stability. Climate change is already affecting agricultural systems through shifts in cropping seasons, increased frequency and intensity of extreme events such as heat stress, sand and dust storms, flooding, and through sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion in coastal zones. These impacts are exacerbated by water scarcity, groundwater over-abstraction, and ecosystem degradation. Accordingly, Egypt’s National Climate Change Strategy 2050 and its Updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) identify agriculture, irrigation, and water resources as priority sectors for adaptation and resilience building. Agriculture is also a significant source of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. National inventories submitted to the UNFCCC estimate that agriculture and AFOLU accounted for approximately 15–16% of Egypt’s total GHG emissions in 2005 and 2015, driven primarily by nitrous oxide (N₂O) and methane (CH₄) from soils and irrigated systems. However, most estimates rely on IPCC default emission factors due to the absence of country-specific data, introducing substantial uncertainty under Egypt’s arid, irrigated conditions. Country-specific emission factors are essential to improve inventory accuracy, support credible monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), and guide effective mitigation planning. Field-based GHG measurements provide the empirical foundation for deriving these factors, understanding key emission drivers, validating models for national scaling, and assessing the effectiveness of climate-smart agricultural practices. A phased national measurement strategy; combining standardized protocols, representative field campaigns, and institutional integration into MRV systems; will enable Egypt to reduce uncertainty, strengthen policy decisions, and advance integrated adaptation and mitigation in the agricultural sector.
- Water Footprint Network Approach Linked to Strategic Crop Value Chains in TunisiaDate: 2026-01-14Type: Internal ReportStatus: Open accessThis methodological note presents an integrated framework for assessing the water footprint of strategic crop value chains under conditions of increasing water scarcity, with a particular focus on Tunisia. Agriculture is the largest consumer of freshwater resources in the country, while climate variability, recurrent droughts, and competing demands place growing pressure on limited surface and groundwater supplies. To support informed water management and sustainable agricultural development, the study combines two complementary approaches: a volumetric water footprint assessment based on the Stepwise Accumulation Approach and a water footprint impact assessment aligned with ISO 14046 and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) principles. The first approach quantifies blue, green, and grey water use at each stage of the value chain and links water consumption to both physical and economic water productivity. The second approach evaluates the potential environmental impacts of water use, including water scarcity, eutrophication, ecotoxicity, and human toxicity, using established characterization methods such as AWARE, ReCiPe, and USEtox. Case studies from the literature illustrate how water footprints accumulate along value chains and identify irrigation and processing stages as critical hotspots. The results demonstrate that integrating volumetric and impact-based approaches provides a more comprehensive understanding of water use, productivity, and environmental risk than either method alone. While volumetric indicators support efficiency and water allocation decisions, impact-based metrics contextualize water use within local environmental constraints. Despite data limitations and methodological challenges, the proposed framework offers a robust and adaptable tool to inform policy, guide resource allocation, and support sustainability strategies in water-scarce agricultural systems.
- Scoping Study on Strategic Value Chains, Food Loss and Waste and Water Productivity in TunisiaDate: 2026-01-14Type: Internal ReportStatus: Open accessThis scoping study investigates the critical intersections between agricultural value chains, food loss and waste (FLW), and water productivity within the context of Tunisia’s severe water scarcity and climate vulnerability. Against a backdrop of renewable water resources falling below 500 m³ per capita and projected rainfall declines, the research synthesizes academic and grey literature to align agricultural development with environmental constraints. The analytical framework integrates global value chain theory, sustainable FLW concepts, and water footprint assessment methodologies, focusing specifically on strategic sectors such as olive oil, dates, cereals, and dairy. By reviewing existing assessment methods—ranging from SWOT and MACTOR stakeholder analyses to Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and volumetric water accounting—the study evaluates how production, processing, and consumption behaviours impact resource efficiency across the country’s primary agricultural systems. The analysis reveals deep structural interdependencies where water productivity and food loss are mutually reinforcing challenges. The findings highlight that crop production accounts for the vast majority of Tunisia's national water footprint, with blue water consumption in irrigated areas frequently exceeding sustainable renewable limits. While technologies like drip irrigation and two-phase olive oil extraction offer pathways to improved physical water productivity, the report identifies a "sustainability paradox" where private irrigation efficiency increases individual farm profitability but drives collective aquifer depletion. Furthermore, the study redefines food loss and waste in the Tunisian context to include not only physical post-harvest losses caused by aging infrastructure but also systemic misalignments between production and market requirements which result in the significant wastage of embedded blue and green water. Despite the economic importance of these strategic chains, the study identifies critical knowledge gaps, including inconsistent FLW quantification methods and a lack of granular, region-specific water productivity data for non-export crops. Current research tends to treat value chains, water use, and waste in isolation, failing to capture the cascade effects where upstream production inefficiencies lead to downstream resource waste. Consequently, the study emphasizes the urgent need for integrated, multi-scale analytical frameworks that combine physical water metrics with economic value assessments. It suggests that future strategies must prioritize institutional coordination between production and processing nodes, standardize measurement protocols, and leverage virtual water concepts to reconcile national food security goals with the arid-zone limitations.
- Towards Multifunctional Agro-Silvo-Pastoral Living Landscape in the Mediterranean Medjerda Valley – TunisiaAuthor(s): Frija, Aymen; Idoudi, Zied; Ouerghemmi, Hassen (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), 2025-12-18)Date: 2025-12-18Type: PresentationStatus: Open accessThis presentation provides a concise overview of the Multifunctional Agro‑Silvo‑Pastoral Living Landscape in the Mediterranean Medjerda Valley, Tunisia. It highlights the landscape’s significance as a highly representative case of Mediterranean dryland systems, covering highland–lowland–dryland transitions and their associated ecological and socio‑economic functions. The presentation was delivered during the MFL Technical Coordination meeting in Leuven, Belgium from December 16 to 18, 2025. It outlines the main problems in this Tunisian landscape—such as land degradation, resource competition, and climate‑induced pressures and presents integrated solution pathways. Finally, it identifies key partnerships and expected 2030 outcomes, including more resilient ecosystems, enhanced livelihoods, and a scalable model for Mediterranean landscapes.
- Biodiversity and agriculture in the Mediterranean regionAuthor(s): Juffe Bignoli, Diego; Maas, Bea; Maxted, Nigel; Jimenez, Randall; Wanger, Thomas Cherico; Gosling, Joe; Herrera, Jose; Kettle, Christopher; Macfarlane, Nicholas; Brehm, Joana Magos; Rey, Pedro; Toledo-Hernández, Manuel; Yazbek, Mariana; Weaver, Faye; Muñoz Cañas, Mercedes; Numa, Catherine (International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN))Date: 2025-12-10Type: ReportStatus: Open accesshis report, Biodiversity and agriculture in the Mediterranean region: A species conservation perspective, is designed to inform policymakers, conservation practitioners, and stakeholders across the Mediterranean region. Its purpose is to highlight the current challenges posed to biodiversity by intensive agricultural pressures, while identifying solutions and opportunities to reconcile biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture. It acknowledges that while certain unsustainable agricultural activities pose a key threat to species conservation in the Mediterranean, agricultural landscapes also provide habitat to numerous species - so considering agriculture as a threat requires a more nuanced approach, given its inherent linkages to nature.