ICARDA News

INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN THE DRY AREAS
P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria
Phone: (963-21) 2213433, 2213477, 2225112, 2225012
Fax: (963-21) 2213490, 2225105; E-mail: ICARDA@CGIAR.ORG
Website: www.icarda.cgiar.org
24 June 2004
For more information contact:
Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
GAP Reduces Gap between Technology Development and Adoption
Dr Ashutosh Sarker (left), ICARDA lentil breeder, explained the advantages of lentil variety ‘Firat-87’ to GAP farmers, Mehmet Emin Akil and Mustafa Akil.
GAP (Southeast Anatolia Project) is a development project operating under Turkey's Prime Minister’s office to promote agriculture and improve the livelihoods of farmers in the Southeast Anatolia region of the country. ICARDA has established a strong collaboration with the GAP project and is participating in the dissemination of improved crop varieties and production packages, and improvement of rangeland and livestock management and production.

ICARDA scientists, Drs Moussa Mosaad, Mustafa Pala, and Ashutosh Sarker, recently visited field activities of the GAP project. They were received by the GAP Regional Director, Dr Refet Yilmazoglu, the Deputy Director, Mr M. Acikgoz, and other senior officials. They visited seven demonstrations of improved wheat, barley, lentil and chickpea varieties planted in large areas in farmers’ fields. A total of 74 large-scale demonstrations of these crops were conducted in various agroecological regions within GAP. The farmers expressed strong interest in expanding cultivation of ICARDA’s improved varieties using the recommended production technologies.

‘Gidara,’ an improved durum wheat variety derived from ICARDA germplasm, and Turkish varieties ‘Pehlivan’ and ‘Ceylan 95’ are performing very well, with 7-8 t/ha yield expected by some farmers. The barley variety ‘EFES’ is also popular with farmers for its good malt quality which gives a premium price in the market. In almost all sites the improved varieties were doing far better than the local ones.

Among food legumes, chickpea varieties ‘Gokce’ and ‘Diyar-95,’ and lentil variety ‘Firat-87’ (all developed from ICARDA germplasm) have found their place in the farmers’ minds and fields. ‘Gokce,’ supplied by ITAS, Ankara, has a large seed size. Some farmers grew ICARDA supplied seeds of lentil variety ‘Firat-87’ for demonstrations, and others collected seed from Kiziltepe market, locally known as ‘COMANDO.’

GAP management observed the outstanding performance of ICARDA durum variety 'Gidara.'
A farmer, Mehmet Emin Akil, grew 40 ha of ‘Firat-87’ and expects to harvest about 3.5 t/ha. He mentioned that in Siverek region alone, more than 10,000 ha of land is grown to ‘Firat-87.’ The variety is high yielding and has a high level of wilt resistance. The GAP region is the most intensive lentil-growing area in the world. The crop is in high demand for local consumption and export. Farmers mentioned that improved varieties are now being cultivated widely. An impact assessment survey is being planned.

ICARDA scientists also participated in a field day organized at GAP Koruklu Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture. Those in attendance included about 50 farmers, in addition to extension staff and GAP management. The GAP Regional Director, Dr Yilmazoglu, and Mr Ibrahim Halil Cetiner, Director of the Koruklu Research Institute, made very positive opening remarks on the contribution of ICARDA to the success of farmers in the region. On behalf of ICARDA Director General, Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy, Dr M. Mosaad (Coordinator of GAP project) addressed the gathering and emphasized the role of ICARDA’s collaboration and activities in GAP region. The event was covered by local television. Dr Mosaad was also interviewed by the local media.

About ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.cgiar.org) serves the entire developing world for the improvement of barley, lentil, and faba bean; and dry-area developing countries for the on-farm management of water, improvement of nutrition and productivity of small ruminants (sheep and goats), and rehabilitation and management of rangelands. In the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region, ICARDA is responsible for the improvement of durum and bread wheats, chickpea, pasture and forage legumes and farming systems; and for the protection and enhancement of the natural resource base of water, land, and biodiversity.

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org) is a strategic alliance of 62 members and 16 Future Harvest Centers that mobilizes cutting-edge science to promote sustainable development by reducing hunger and poverty, improving human nutrition and health, and protecting the environment.
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