The Challenges of Irrigated Wheat to enhance Food Security in Tunisia

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Chebika ouest

Sidi ali ben salem

El Haouareb

Abida

Rouissette

Jouaouda

Aouamria

Hammed

4 0 4 8 12 Kilometers

Tension_Critique(cbar)

Elevation Range

38 - 48

48 - 58

58 - 68

68 - 78

78 - 88

88 - 98

98 - 108

108 - 118

Pourtour

N

EW

S

IntroductionFood security is a strategic national objective and is related to increase wheat production.

Capita consumption of wheat (around 220 kg/year/person) is the highest in the world.

Current Cereal Production:

Average production of 2005-2010 period: 1,7 Millions tons

Average wheat yield: 1.3 t/ha in rainfed area and 4.3 t/ha in irrigated area

Deficit of cereal balance: 51 %

National Strategic objectives:

Reach self sufficiency in durum wheat production (1,6 Million tons) .

Ensure a minimal production of 1,0 million tons during unfavorable years through cultivation of wheat in irrigated and

favorable areas.

Increase irrigated wheat area to 130.000 ha and reach an average target yield of 6 t/ha.

Irrigated Project Site

Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)

Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFSED)

Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED)

OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID)

Contact /Information

ingc@planet.tnwww.ingc.com.tn

National Institute of Field Crops, Tunisia

Methodology

Wheat variety adaptation to irrigated areas

Testing water saving technologies by using making decision toolsTesting foliar fertilizer for improving wheat production and quality

The integrated Fertilization management for wheat

Testing and evaluating new wheat lines for late sowing date

20 advanced lines (CIMMYT ) for High production area and “Karim” were assessed at 3 sowing date (15 November,15

December and 15 January) for high grain yield potential in irrigated areas in the central of Tunisia

Farmers and technician have participated in the assessment of this nursery through the selection participatory activity

Four new varieties were highly preferred by farmers for early maturing. These cultivars are often associated with greater

yield. However, late sowing appeared to be associated with greater yielding ability for irrigated trials. These two results

would imply that genotypes characterized by short vegetative growth cycle are sought and suited for irrigated areas. Early

sowing in these areas could favor lodging and grain yield might be reduced by terminal heat.

Results of dissemination and applied research activities

Farmer-groups

Halim Ben Haj Salah, Tarek Jarrahi

Institut National des Grandes Cultures, B.P. 120, 8170 Bousalem, Tunisia.

Model of technology transfer to private

irrigated areas

Regular meetings in fields

Leaders farmers disseminate innovations

Discuss about the best crop management practices, then take

agro-economical decisions

Dissemination recommended package at satellite fields

Particular focus was given to mobile phone use that facilitated

communication between farmers and extension agents and to

assist on farm field operations and irrigation scheduling.

Number of

Demonstration Fields

2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013

12 132 220

Development and promotion of improved varieties

Increase farmer income by using appropriate wheat management practices

Make farmers experts of wheat production in their fields and promote farmer-to farmer training

Enhancing capacity of national research systems through training of young scientists

Establishment of an effective partnership in wheat research that will provide a new generation of agricultural

scientists

Objectives

The activities implemented are chosen in consultation with farmer groups, local extensionists, and scientists. To

achieve this, the project developed an innovative approach to accelerate dissemination and adoption of new

technologies by developing the cluster dissemination approach based on establishing a leader and demonstration

satellite farmers to disseminate innovations.

Arid climate

Average rainfall: 307 mm

Total cereal area: 14 000 ha

Irrigated cereal area: 4 500 ha

Number of irrigated area:19

Number of farmers : 1000

Mean Cereal Yield: 4 t/ha

5.98 5.64 5.626.58

4.83

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Khiar Razzak Saragolla Maali Farmers

Yie

ld (

T/h

a)

Fig.1: Grain yield (T/ha) of wheat varieties at Leaders farmers

Technology transfer of improved technical package for high yielding

durum wheat varieties

5.99

4.63

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Maali Farmers

Yie

ld(T

/ha

)

Fig. 2: Grain yield (T/ha) of wheat at Satellite farmers

Irrigation scheduling through water balance

Evaluation of drip irrigation for wheat

Treatmentwater amount

(mm)

Precipitation

(mm)

grain yield in

t/ha

WUE

(kg /m3)

100 cm spacing 412 125 8.1 1.51

50 cm spacing 238 125 7 1.97

Effect of the applied treatments on grain water use efficiency

Treatmentwater amount

(mm)

Precipitation

(mm)

grain yield

t/ha

WUE

(kg /m3)

Tensiometer 280 125 7.47 1.84

Penman 240 125 6.15 1.68

Class A ev.Pan 240 125 5.18 1.42

6,27 6,32 6,275,68

6,136,45 6,67 6,92

5,976,50

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Med Arbi Jarray Nacer Jhinaoui Youssef Rebeiai Med Jabbas Moy

Yie

ld (

T/h

a)

Fig.6: Grain yield (T/ha) from foliar fertilizer

No foliar fertilizer foliar fertilizer

6,04

4,71

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Yield IFM Yield Farmers

Yie

ld (

T/h

a)

Fig. 5: Compared grain yield obtained using (IFM) and common farmers fertiliser applications

Tensiometring map for warning

irrigation based on soil type and

available water

Project “Enhancing Food Security in Arab Countries”

The ICARDA Project “Enhancing Food Security in Arab Countries” activities in Tunisia were implemented at the

Governorate of Kairouan (county of Chebika). The aim of this project is to increase wheat yield for food security by

dissemination technologies on-farm, with farmers, and for farmers.

Promoting Permanent Bed Planting and Adapting Local Conventional Seeder

Institution of Agriculture Research and Higher Education

Dissemination activities

Applied research activities

Capacity Building

International Center for Agricultural Research

in the Dry Areas

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