Durum wheat scaling in Algeria

Enhancing Food Security in Arab Countries

2011 - 2023

Project Highlights

Yield Improvements: Released 12 improved wheat varieties, adopted across 38% of wheat areas in five countries, boosting productivity by ~30% and increasing annual wheat production by 652,153 tons.

Country Successes: Boosted crop yields, produced 1,930 tons of quality wheat seed, conserved 7.4 billion m³ of water, and expanded seed production across participating countries.

Food Loss & Waste: Post-harvest wheat losses can be significantly reduced through the project’s recommended policy, institutional, and technological changes.

Economic Impact & ROI: Every US$1 generated US$46 in Morocco, US$21 in Egypt and Tunisia, US$17 in Sudan, and US$13 in Jordan.

Capacity Building & Knowledge Transfer: Over 128,000 people (71% women) were trained, 80 young scientists gained hands-on research experience, and 23 scientific papers were published

Project Summary: A Regional Success

The Enhancing Food Security in Arab Countries (EFSAC) Project (2011–2023) was a regional initiative to boost wheat-based food security across 10 Arab countries —Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen — in response to the 2008 global food crisis. Arab countries are among the most import-dependent countries in the world, importing at least 50% of the calories they consume, including up to 30% of the world’s globally traded wheat supply. The EFSAC project’s main objective was to boost agricultural productivity whilst maintaining the precious natural resource base through sustainable intensification of wheat-based production systems, thereby reducing the substantial costs of imports and dependence on external food sources.

The project implemented wheat technology packages made up of improved wheat varieties packaged with good agronomic practices, irrigation, and land preparation technologies and innovations across the regions three typical production systems: rainfed, supplementally irrigated, and irrigated.

EFSAC project also implemented an innovative three-pronged technology promotion approach of: (1) “mass dissemination” in Egypt through numerous farmer-managed demonstration plots in diverse conditions, supported by a coordinated network of extension agents and researchers; (2) “Leading and satellite (clustered) farmers” in Tunisia and Morocco showcasing wheat technology packages on farmer-managed demonstration plots, supported by extension agents and researchers, and SMS advisory services; and (3) “Multi-tool dissemination approach” in Algeria, Jordan, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, using a classical technology transfer extension approach of setting up a small number of demonstration plots and hosting farmer field days and travelling workshops.

Adoption and impact assessment studies conducted in the five countries of Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia, across the three production systems, showed widespread adoption of these innovations, with the use of improved varieties becoming standard practice. As a result, millions of households benefited from increased productivity, higher incomes, and strengthened food security, reducing dependence on cereal imports while conserving natural resources.

Key Achievements & Impacts

Yield Improvements

Germplasm distribution and variety release:

Elite wheat germplasm with resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses was distributed to national programs and evaluated in a participatory approach. More than 12 wheat varieties were released in the project member countries: 5 in Sudan, 2 in Morocco, 2 in Syria, 2 in Egypt, and 2 in Iraq.

Adoption of improved wheat varieties and at least two other technologies in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia reached about 38% of the total wheat area in these countries.

Wheat productivity increased by 30% in rainfed systems and by 29% in under-supplemented and fully irrigated systems across participating countries.

In the five sample countries alone, the project increased wheat production by 652,153 tons per year.

Demonstration and scaling improved wheat varieties and best agronomic practices resulted in significant production gains.

Country Successes

Farmers produced 1,930 tons of high-quality wheat variety seeds in Jordan
Barley productivity increased by 22% in Jordan, 25% in Palestine, 46% in Syria, and 26% in Tunisia by using improved practices.
The productivity of faba bean increased by 18% in Syria and 25% in Tunisia.
Water-saving techniques saved 2.66 billion m³ of water in Morocco and 4.79 billion m³ in Egypt.
Farmers in Sudan successfully initiated a seed production business and became a major seed supplier to neighbouring areas.

Food Loss & Waste

Post-harvest losses along the wheat value chain were 20.6% in Egypt, 36% in Morocco, and 34% in Jordan, which can be substantially reduced with the policy, institutional, and technological changes identified by the project.

Economic Impact & Return on Investment

For every US$ 1 invested, the project generated:

US$ 46 in Morocco

US$ 21 in Egypt

US$ 21 Tunisia

US$ 17 in Sudan

US$ 13 in Jordan

Capacity Building & Knowledge Transfer

Capacity development initiatives trained over 128,000 individuals, 71% female, with a focus on farmers, Extension staff and other stakeholders.
Through the Young Agricultural Scientist Program (YASP), 80 young agricultural scientists (54 men and 26 women) were successfully trained in different thematic areas, as prioritised by each partner country.
Five young scientists earned their MSc and PhD degrees from regional universities because of the support and scholarships provided by the project.
Twenty-three scientific articles from partners and ICARDA scientists were published in international and national journals.