Mounir Louhaichi & Rana Muhaisen, 2013-2014 Achievements managing agro-pastoral rangelands in Jordanian Badia Mounir Louhaichi & Rana Muhaisen,

Activity summaries Activity Achievements Potential impact Location Promoting spineless cactus as a multi-purpose species in the dry areas Erak Mchaqqar Introduction of new germplasm from Mexico, Tunisia, Italy, and Brazil Dissemination at farm level Adoption study initiated - Field day - Factsheet - At least 25 farmers had already planted cactus as a crop Additional farmers are expected to adopt this practice - Additional income due to selling of fruits and/or saving in commercial feed resources Introduction of alley- cropping and/or inter cropping Majdya - Sites have been identified - Seedlings were produced and transplanted in the field (on station and on farm) - 15% increase in forage resources - Adoption of alley cropping practices Evaluation of the effect of WHT on vegetation cover and productivity on drought-resistant shrubs (IWLM Program) Measurement (data collection is complete) Alleviate water and soil erosions Increased rangeland productivity

Activity summaries Activity Achievements Potential impact Location Sustainable intensification of low lands in pastoral ecosystems Majdya Site selected WHT established Testing dual purpose barley accessions 30% increase in forage resources Biodiversity conservation Restoration of salt affected rangelands Jordan - Assessment of selected halophytes under different salinity levels Restoration of salt affected soils (Sebkha) in MENA region Capacity building NARS partners in Jordan Group training courses Field days Students Visiting scientists (ARIs) Dissemination of technology at wider scale (training of trainers) Higher adoption by farmers

Characteristics of Pastoral Ecosystems in Jordan Causes of rangeland degradation Consequences Erak - Karak Majidya - Mhareb Solutions TIPO

Cactus: a promising species

Cactus accessions were introduced from to Jordan Enhancing the use of cactus (Opuntia focus indica) to promote better livelihoods of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in arid areas of West Asia Cactus accessions were introduced from to Jordan A new shipment is on the way from Brazil Country of Origin No Italy 46 Brazil 25 Tunisia 24 Mexico 13 Algeria 9 Morocco 6 New Mexico Argentina 4 Others 18  Total 151 Establishment of cactus gene field bank at NCARE Mchaqqar station with more than 150 accessions

Dissemination of cactus pads to farmers in Erak Enhancing the use of cactus (Opuntia focus indica) to promote better livelihoods of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in the dry areas Dissemination of cactus pads to farmers in Erak Erak - Jordan

Research Experiments on Cactus pear The Influence of soil volume (Root Confinement) on root and canopy growth, root turnover and canopy versus root ratio of Opuntia ficus-indica The influence of planting methods of Opuntia ficus-indica on root and canopy growth, root turnover and canopy – root ratio Adoption study for cactus in Erak (SEPRP & Jutta) Suitability map for outscaling cactus in West Asia (Geo-informatics, Sawsan and Kathryn)

Rangeland Rehabilitation through WHT & Shrub Plantations Erak Site Jordan

Sustainable intensification of lowlands in pastoral ecosystems Alley-cropping Practices Sustainable intensification of lowlands in pastoral ecosystems Water harvesting Shrub plantation Introduction of forage legumes

Sustainable intensification of lowlands in pastoral ecosystems November 2013 December 2013 January 2014 February 2014 May 2014 September 2014

Restoration of salt affected rangelands For salt affected soils: Selecting salt tolerant fodders... Study conducted at NCARE Research Station (Al Karama), Jordan Treatments include 2 salinity levels and 6 shrub species Preliminary results: Atriplex halimus showed great tolerance to salinity and has the greatest biomass, while Artemisia herba alba suffered even from the slightly saline soils. Kochia prostrata Mariana brevifolia Atriplex nummularia Atriplex lentiformis Salsola vermiculata Atriplex halimus

Restoration of salt affected rangelands Assessment of salinity tolerance mechanisms of selected halophytes under different salinity levels in Jordan

From this… …to this. Approach: No quick fix solutions (time/space) Multidisciplinary approach Farmers, agronomists, animal nutritionists, ecologists, hydrologists and economists

Collaboration with IWLM Program: Evaluation of the effect of water harvesting interventions on vegetation cover and productivity on drought-resistant shrubs in Majidyya - Jordan

LIDAR: LIGHT DETECTION AND RANGING Mapping and monitoring rangeland vegetation using latest technology LIDAR: LIGHT DETECTION AND RANGING

Capacity Building Group training courses Field days Students Agro-ecological monitoring Alley cropping Field days Cactus Grazing management Students - 2 MSc and 1 PhD - 1 internship Visiting scientists (ARIs) Paolo Inglese (U of Palermo - Italy) Douglas Johnson (OSU – USA) Steve Petersen (BYU - USA) Robert Washington (U of Tennessee – USA)

Group training course on agro ecological monitoring Capacity Building Group training course on agro ecological monitoring

Group Training on Agro-Forestry Practices Capacity Building Group Training on Agro-Forestry Practices Alley Cropping

Hima The Amman Declaration on Innovating Hima - May 2014 Hima is a comprehensive package of governance, conservation, science and markets that builds on and reinforces social, cultural and human capital.

Reinforcing best-bet grazing practices (DSIPS & IWLM) http://drylandsystems.cgiar.org/content/reinforcing-best-bet-grazing-practices

Investing in Rangelands: Agro-Ecological monitoring of Jordanian ‘action sites’ http://drylandsystems.cgiar.org/content/investing-rangelands-agro-ecological-monitoring-jordanian-%E2%80%98action-sites%E2%80%99#sthash.KfxCvj3R.dpuf