OVERVIEW
The food crisis and hunger projections in the North Africa region have become increasingly concerning in all countries over the last decade.
North Africa, already the largest wheat-importing region, could see grain imports rise sharply annually as drought threatens cereal crops in several countries. Increased reliance on imports could potentially strain national budgets and further fuel food price inflation.
Description of the project.
Meeting this demand is very challenging and is complicated by the following factors such as climate change; increasing drought/water shortages; soil degradation; reduced fertilizer supply and rising costs and demand for bio-fuels; and the emergence of new virulent diseases and pests that attack wheat crops. To address these issues, the agricultural research and extension community needs to better understand the drivers of past wheat production trends as well as future challenges. It needs to build on this perspective to design effective strategies that leverage the most recent technologies, farming practices, and enabling policies, as well as engage in global knowledge sharing in new networks and research for development partnerships on an ongoing basis.
The project is identified as a Regional Project for the improvement of the Wheat System in North Africa, particularly in Mauritania with involvement of the international scientists/expert from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Sudan, and Senegal by making an assessment and incorporating the existing knowledge and practices in a collaborative initiative with the recommendations and long-standing partnership for the sustainable and resilient wheat production.
The project will focus on assessment on the following aspects:
- Changing environment;
- Availability of seeds, certified seeds;
- Existing Irrigation system;
- Seed management, seed system, production of seeds;
- Availability of water;
- Available conservation program;
- Soil health;
- Disease/insects management;
- Extension and interaction with the private sector;
- Possibility of germplasm exchange;
- Integration of precision farming, available technologies and innovations;
- Identification of the necessary training workshops to the farmers and wheat producing companie.
The regional project for North Africa with the Pilot Initiative for Mauritania in which the Task Force consisting of Wheat Experts from the OIC Member States which is initiated by the IOFS to proceed with the project with full commitment and collaboration to achieve the aforementioned goals. The participating scientist the Members of the Task Force will be as Resource Persons of the project shall contribute to the Report of the entire visit.
The Representatives of the National Research Institutes of the following countries from North Africa will be involved in the project: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, and Sudan.
Furthermore, the best agricultural practices of Regional Organizations will be incorporated into the regional project.
The IOFS as Coordinator and Hosting country will work on the seeking for a funding for the implementation of stated Regional Project. Discussions of the Task Force, Inception Workshop and the field visits will play an initial role in preparing the Project Proposal to the funding institution with a proper assessment and recommendations.
- TASK FORCE MEETING
The First Task Force Meeting, Inception Workshop will be expected to be organized on 15-17 March 2023.
Venue: Nouakchott, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Language: Main to be used as English. For the necessity and official part, the Arabic and French languages will be in use.
Focal point:
IOFS: Ms. Makpal Bulatova IOFS Programme Manager, IOFS, email: m.bulatova@iofs.org.kz, phone: +7 7017773649
