Open AccessAn overview of Conservation Agriculture in the dry Mediterranean environments with a special focus on Syria and Lebanon
Author(s) -
Isam Bashour,
A. Al-Ouda,
Amir Kassam,
Roula Bachour,
Kassem Ali Jouni,
Berthold Hansmann,
C. Estephan
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
aims agriculture and food
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 8
ISSN - 2471-2086
DOI - 10.3934/agrfood.2016.1.67
Subject(s) - middle east , agriculture , conservation agriculture , agroforestry , productivity , soil conservation , vulnerability (computing) , diversification (marketing strategy) , rainfed agriculture , geography , natural resource economics , business , agricultural economics , environmental science , economics , economic growth , computer security , archaeology , marketing , computer science
Conservation Agriculture (CA), comprising minimum or no mechanical soil disturbance through no-till seeding, organic soil mulch cover, and crop diversification is now practiced on some 157 million ha worldwide, corresponding to about 11% of the global cropped land. CA adoption in the Middle-East is low compared to other regions. Lack of knowledge on CA practices and systems discourages farmers from giving up ploughing. The main reason why farmers in the Middle-East have begun to apply the no-till system has been the cost reduction in fuel, labor and machinery required for land preparation. Soil and water conservation concerns do not appear to be the main drivers in the Middle-Eastern farmers’ decision to adopt or not to adopt CA. The adoption and uptake of CA by Middle Eastern farmers has been slow but it is nonetheless occurring gradually. Collection of information and research parameters related to agricultural practices are needed for designing a suitable soil and water conservation program for sustainable production intensification. Governmental policy encouraging the adoption and spread of CA systems in the Middle-East region is certainly a necessary condition for uptake. The objective of this article is to review the current status of adoption and spread of CA in the Middle-East, focusing mainly on Syria and Lebanon, and the potential beneficial consequences that can be harnessed through CA systems under rainfed conditions in both countries. The benefits include: higher factor productivity, yield and income; improved soil properties; climate change adaptation, including reduced vulnerability to the erratic rainfall distribution; and reduction in machinery, fuel and labor costs