The programme will achieve its purpose through six main complementary components described below. The integration of these components is illustrated schematically in Schematic Representation of Programme Components.
(i) Consolidating and outscaling the Community Approach
The community approach developed by the Mashreq / Maghreb project has been recognized as a highly innovative and valuable tool. The agro-ecological characterization techniques using new technologies of information and GIS that helped in identifying constraints at the community level will be applied at larger scale beyond the community to help in the planning of land use and orientation of the productions systems and the evaluation of land degradation. This will help determine communities with similar characteristics and constraints during the outscaling process.
(ii) Implementation of Community Development Plans (CDPs)
The CDPs vary according to the different production systems, the priorities and the existing institutional structures of each community and the agencies (research, extension, NGOs, etc.) involved in implementation of the plans. Implementation of CDPs will be the national responsibility of each of the participating countries. However, the TAG programme will (a) monitor implementation of the CDPs, (b) address emerging constraints or unforeseen problems that arise in the implementation of these plans, and (c) identify where national policy and institutional support is needed.
(iii) Applied and adaptive research themes
Further specific applied and adaptive research, testing and evaluation, is needed to address emerging constraints identified in the implementation of CDPs, and specific issues, as follows :
New TIPOs for agricultural diversification and income generation
Targeted adaptive research is needed to introduce, or incorporate into CDPs, new options generated elsewhere from ongoing or new research. Research will include :
- Water harvesting : Emphasis will be on the use and dissemination of appropriate water harvesting techniques including micro-catchments, contour ridges, collection and storage of rainfall water in cisterns, pits or earth dams. The new tools developed by ICARDA to assess the potential for water harvesting on a larger scale, using remote sensing and GIS applications, will be applied.
- Alternative cropping systems : Alternative cropping systems for better soil and water use efficiency will be tested including drought tolerant trees (olive, almond, fig, and others) and native plants with medicinal, social and economic value that could play a major role in the diversification of production systems and income generation.
- Livestock health and milk transformation : For animal health, the programme will link with an on-going
IFAD-supported initiative. In addition, the programme will test new opportunities for increasing farm incomes by adding value to livestock products, such as local transformation of milk into ghee, yogurt, and cheese. The focus will be on identifying TIPOs that support the improved quality, processing and marketability of these products with the involvement of women.
- Identification of market opportunities : The identification of market opportunities for dryland products and the removal of market constraints is critical for expanding the portfolio of income generation options available to poor households and valorizing some of these products. This will foster community and household investment in the production of value-added products from crop and livestock resources, as well as other products such as medicinal and herbal plants. Experience and results gained in other projects within the region will also be accessed to support this element.
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| Empowering rural women lets them identify the problems they face and suggest practical, workable solutions. |
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Options for communal management of rangeland resources
Building on the work initiated by the Mashreq / Maghreb Programme, research will focus on developing the TIPOs necessary for community management of rangeland resources and in understanding the factors that contribute to their sustainability. In addition, incentive structures that would promote wider adoption of rangeland technologies will be identified by the programme.
Risk management and drought mitigation : drought coping strategies and drought management policies
The frequent and prolonged drought in the region limits both the incentive and the capacity of communities to adopt new technical options. To help improve drought management strategies, the programme will undertake the following research activities : (i) analyze existing community livelihood strategies to mitigate drought, (ii) evaluate existing national or sub-national strategies and policies for drought preparedness and mitigation, (iii) assess existing technology options in terms of their risk and capacity to mitigate drought, and (iv) develop drought mitigation options.
(iv) Evaluation of the return to investment in the dry areas
The research work will evaluate the returns to various types of public investments in the dry areas in terms of poverty, inequality, and economic growth.
(v) Development of social, environmental and economic (SEE) indicators
The research work will develop and make available to decision-makers and other stakeholders social, environmental and economic (SEE) indicators utilizing the baseline information collected during the Mashreq / Maghreb Project. Using these indicators, the impact of the proposed programme will be assessed at the household and community levels. The community modeling work will be continued and institutionalized in partner institutions for evaluating their interventions in the rural areas. The model will be improved to better handle institutional issues, in partnership with advanced research institutes. In addition, the programme will evaluate the impacts of TIPOs using the sustainable livelihoods framework, which has the benefit of looking at household assets and their level of vulnerability.
(vi) Regional integration and capacity building
This will be achieved through : (i) Exchange of information and transfer of innovations between the eight countries, (ii) Capacity building and institutionalization of the community approach in agricultural research and extension,
(iii) Inter-country backstopping based on NARS' comparative advantages in specific targeted research to improve research efficiency and complementarity, and (iv) Capacity building of farmer and communities through travelling workshops.
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