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of semicircular long depressions in the ground to drop seeds

of selected palatable forage species. Livestock scientists

also conducted research into rams and ewes in an effort to

improve sheep flock productivity. The project provided 265

drought-tolerant and rust-resistant wheat genotypes devel-

oped in collaboration with ICARDA, which were tested by

the Iraqi Government under irrigated conditions. Finally,

significant policy research and support were provided to the

Government on the national seed law, wheat seed policy

and policy modelling. This holistic agroecological inte-

grated research approach was effective in understanding

and addressing the complex realities of Iraq’s drylands and

received positive evaluations from the donors, the govern-

ments of Iraq and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Government.

Thus, through this project a new body of evidence related

to soil and water salinity management was developed that

included rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage networks,

introduction of new salt-tolerant crops, improving the

quality and management of groundwater, and introducing

best farming practices to enhance crop production. This

can provide new options and solutions for reducing the

negative effects of salinity on Iraqi agriculture.

Jordan’s rain-fed Badia

ICARDA, in collaboration with Jordan’s National Center for

Agricultural Research and Extension, is working with the

Jordanian Government to reverse and prevent land degrada-

tion and desertification across the Jordanian Badia. The Badia

stretches across most of Jordan and receives less than 200 mm

of rainfall per year. It is a highly fragile, marginal and threat-

ened agroecosystem that has become severely degraded over

the last few decades as a result of overgrazing of rangelands

and monocropping, the agricultural practice of culitvating the

same crop year after year on the same land.

An elaborate integrated research site selection process

was carried out involving the collection and analysis of

geographic information systems data, hydrological surveys

and rapid rural appraisals conducted by crop, livestock and

soil scientists as well as social scientists to interact with

the local communities and to conduct socioeconomic and

policy analysis. The final sites were selected to test various

innovations which included water harvesting, natural

resource management technology packages and drought

tolerant crops — mainly barley.

Among the interventions tested and adopted is the micro-

catchment water harvesting technique using the Vallerani

plough which ICARDA’s scientists have further upgraded

with an inexpensive auto laser-guiding technology. This new

system enhances water harvesting capacity for forage shrub

growth and reduces the cost and time required to identify

effective water harvesting contours. It has tripled the water

harvesting capacity, improved efficiency and precision and

substantially reduced the cost of creating micro-catchments.

The impact of the large-scale application of the Vallerani water

harvesting technology has effectively reduced soil erosion and

enhanced the collection of scarce water resources to conserve

the precious rainfall as well as boost crop production — a

win-win situation for the people of the Badia.

The improved Vallerani technology has been implemented

on over 1,800 hectares of rangeland so far and the adoption

Greening the Badia: laser-guiding micro-catchment water harvesting technology on contours for forage shrubs

Images: ICARDA

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