at the farm level, and by demonstrating how new technologies can be transferred effectively.
        The Iraqi experience with feed-blocks and ram selection was also passed on through training courses or consultancy visits to Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia.

Agricultural policy studies

The effectiveness of support price policies in stimulating crop production was examined. The overall effect of existing support price policy is to make rice and corn producers better off while barley producers are worse. The introduction of 'Rihane-03' has helped correct the distortion for now. Lifting the price of barley by, say 10%, will encourage greater use of inputs more than by reducing the price of those inputs by 10%.
        Different commodities are affected by alternative policy regimes. It is estimated that reducing the subsidy on livestock feed would increase meat imports by about 25% while decreasing those of wheat by about 36%. Removing feed subsidy at the same time as a cut in output price support will result in an average decrease of about 10% in the production of wheat, barley, meat and milk in the low-rainfall areas.

Gains in cereals

Dramatic improvements in barley grain yield were matched by equally dramatic take-up of the improved cultivar 'Rihane-03' which was introduced to Iraqi farmers during the project. From just 5,000 ha planted in 1994/95, the area planted with 'Rihane-03' leapt to 190,000 ha in the 1996/97 season, and was expected to reach 250,000 ha in 1999. The reason is simple -- yield. Tried out in low-yielding environments, 'Rihane-03' gave an extra 41% yield over farmer varieties and up to 262% more yield on high-yielding sites.
        In farmer hands the impact has been substantial too. Based on farm data from a survey of 495 growers, 'Rihane-03' increased yields over the local Aswad landrace by 67% on average in the moderate rainfall areas and 28% in low-rainfall areas. Setting the different input requirements of 'Rihane-03' aside and comparing the new variety on an equal basis with the local cultivar, there was still a yield advantage of 19%.
        The impact of 'Rihane-03' is so great that agricultural policy now has to be adjusted to encourage an increase in supplies of seeds, fertilizer, machinery and labor. Demand for all of these is up by 15-20% or more.
        Two further improved barley lines --'Tadmor' and 'Arta'--are now being multiplied for release in the drier zones where they have performed better than either 'Rihane-03' or 'Aswad'.

Training and education

Nearly 1,800 Iraqi farmers and technicians attended training courses, workshops, field days and symposiums over three years. The Mashreq/Maghreb project had a major impact on enhancing the country's own agricultural extension system by integrating researchers and extension workers

The future

The MM project has started a second phase, which will last four years and which should consolidate and build on the achievements of the first phase. The main focus will be on working with communities rather than dispersed individual farmers. Integration at the national and the regional levels will be strengthened and the role of farmers, through a participatory approach, will be enhanced. After all they are the ultimate end-users and beneficiaries of the project.

Dr Karnil H. Shideed, of the IPA Agricultural Research Center in Baghdad, is National Coordinator in Iraq for the Mashreq/Maghreb Project. Dr Habib Halila is Coordinator of ICARDA's West Asia Regional Program. Dr Nasri Haddad is Coordinator of ICARDA's Nile Valley and Red Sea Program.