1.2 Detalles de contacto de las personas de referencia e instituciones involucradas en la evaluación y la documentación de la Tecnología

Nombre del proyecto que financió la documentación/ evaluación de la Tecnología (si fuera relevante)

ICARDA Institutional Knowledge Management Initiative

Nombre de la(s) institución(es) que facilitaron la documentación/ evaluación de la Tecnología (si fuera relevante)

International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) - Líbano

1.3 Condiciones referidas al uso de datos documentados mediante WOCAT

El compilador y la/s persona(s) de referencia claves aceptan las condiciones acerca del uso de los datos documentados mediante WOCAT:

Sí

1.4 Declaración de la sostenibilidad de la Tecnología descrita

¿La Tecnología aquí descrita resulta problemática en relación a la degradación de la tierra, de tal forma que no puede considerársela una tecnología sostenible para el manejo de la tierra?

No

2.1 Breve descripción de la Tecnología

Definición de la Tecnología:

Mechanized Raised Beds (MRB)-technology improves livelihoods because raised beds lead to significantly reduced costs (30% less water, 20-40% less nitrogen fertilizer) and higher wheat yields increased by 20-30%. MRB-technology helps to do more with less.

2.2 Descripción detallada de la Tecnología

Descripción:

Mechanized Raised Beds (MRB)-technology has been applied by the International Centre of Agriculture Research in Dryland Areas (ICARDA) and national partners in Egypt. Egypt is a water scarce country and 95% of its water comes from beyond its borders. In addition, Egypt is highly dependent on the import of wheat, 50% of the wheat demand is met by import.

In Egypt, water scarcity and mediocre yield are two issues that keep the majority of people working in the agricultural sector in poverty. Water is scarce as the annual precipitation is less than 250mm leading to most farming to be irrigated. The water comes from the Nile river. However, available irrigation water per farmer is rather low due to population growth. Thus, due to clay soil and the use of flood irrigation, water logging and uneven water distribution over the field lead to salinization of the soil, harming the farmer's yields. Furthermore, the latter is caused by the lack of water, insufficient use of fertilizers and the use of relatively low-quality seeds. In particular, fertilizers are expensive leading to an insufficient and poor application of fertilizers.
In effect, the core objective of MRB-technology package is to fit within this context and realize more output with less input, consequently improving involved livelihoods. Indeed, MRB improves farmers' resilience with increased water and nutrient efficiency. The adopters of MRB receive benefits from direct effects such as improvement in their livelihoods, a decreased workload, increased yields and more efficient use of resources (water, fertilizer and seeds).

The first stage research and designing of MRB-technology was done in 2003. Introductions and pilots of the technology were designed together with regular farmers in the Nile Delta-area, from 2010 until 2013. In 2015, MRB-technology was proven beneficial permitting out-scaling. Thanks to the shown potential of MRB-technology and Egypt's reliance on foreign countries for water and wheat, that MRB-technology has become a strong component of Egypt's national wheat campaign. The Egyptian Government aims to cultivate 2 million acres of wheat under MRB-technology, by 2022.

MRB-technology raises the seedbed simultaneously seeding wheat, consequently creating furrows, of which the length depend on the dimensions of the farm- field. The inter- furrow spacing and the width depends on the type of crop planted and on the soil type. The field/terrain may not exceed a slope of 5%. This allows water to infiltrate, reach the end of the furrow and for safe run-off, preventing water-logging. So, to implement MRB-technology, the field might be levelled prior to implementation, but this is often not the case as MRB is designed to local conditions, and most fields already have a slope of less than 5%. The practice of the machine requires a loose soil, so it is required that the field is ploughed prior to seeding, and therefore MRB is not seen as a type of ploughing. If the field preparation is done, a MRB-machine can start seeding and raising the seedbed. Specific characteristics for MRB-technology with respect to conventional seeding, is that seeding and raising seedbeds are done simultaneously. Raising seedbeds mechanically saves 80% of the workload with respect to manually raising seedbeds. The after-harvest practice depends on the farmer preference, as some farmers prefer letting the stubble grazed, while others clear the field. The after-harvest practices are thus independent with respect to MRB.
In addition, to complement the Mechanized Raised Bed, High Quality Seeds are offered. These are beneficial as they yield higher than the regular wheat seeds. Nevertheless, the machine can also be practiced with regular wheat seeds, if the high-quality seeds are found too expensive by the farmer. The High Quality Sees are hybrid, and need to be replaced after three years to ensure high quality.

The technology has significant positive impacts for local farmers as applied water is saved by 25%, water pumping costs decreased by 25%, seed rate reduced by 50%, farming costs decreased by 30%, fertilizer use efficiency increased by 30%, and crop yield increased by 15-30% with respect to conventional farming. On overall, it is estimated that farming under MRB is about 1/3 of the cost with respect to conventional farming. Manually raising seedbeds was considered too expensive due to the required amount of labour. Thus, regular flood irrigation was practiced. Practically, this results in full surface flooding of the field. This has significantly higher evaporation hence increasing salinization, as opposed to furrow irrigation through raised seedbeds. Also, because water is well distributed over the field due to the furrows (reducing water stress and water logging), there is less leaching of the nutrient hence increased nutrient-efficiency. The raised seedbeds allow excess water, in case of a heavy rainfall event or over-irrigating, to safely run-off. These features of better water disposal and reduced evaporation makes MRB-technology well suited with respect to climate change, which leads to more concentrated rainfall events and increased temperature hence increased evaporation. In addition, as MRB prevents e.g. waterlogging it prevents land degradation (e.g. salinization).

Therefore, livelihoods of farmers who have adopted this technology have been greatly improved. Farmers who have adopted MRB, agree that MRB is affordable, easy to apply, improves production and is cost saving. Furthermore, since this technology increases irrigation efficiency , it can mitigate existing upstream-downstream issues in terms of availability, as there is more available irrigation water. Also, as MRB-technology is currently out scaled, it creates employment opportunities since MRB-machines are locally produced from scratch.

2.3 Fotografías de la Tecnología

2.4 Videos de la Tecnología

2.5 País/ región/ lugares donde la Tecnología fue aplicada y que se hallan comprendidos por esta evaluación

2.6 Fecha de la implementación

Indique año de implementación:

2003

2.7 Introducción de la Tecnología

Especifique cómo se introdujo la Tecnología:

• durante experimentos/ investigación
• mediante proyectos/ intervenciones externas

3.1 Propósito(s) principal(es) de la Tecnología MST

• mejorar la producción
• reducir, prevenir, restaurar la degradación del suelo
• adaptarse al cambio climático/ extremos climáticos y sus impactos
• crear impacto económico benéfico
• crear impacto social benéfico

3.2 Tipo(s) actuales de uso de la tierra donde se aplica la Tecnología

Mezcla de tipos de uso de tierras dentro de la misma unidad de tierras: :

No

3.3 ¿Cambió el uso de tierras debido a la implementación de la Tecnología?

¿Cambió el uso de tierras debido a la implementación de la Tecnología?

• No (Continúe con la pregunta 3.4)

3.4 Provisión de agua

Provisión de agua para la tierra donde se aplica la Tecnología:

• totalmente irrigada

Comentarios:

The farms are irrigated from water that comes from the Nile river.

3.5 Grupo MST al que pertenece la Tecnología

• variedades vegetales/ razas animales mejoradas
• Manejo de irrigación: (incl. provisión de agua, invernaderos)

3.6 Medidas MST que componen la Tecnología

Comentarios:

Ploughing is required to allow for raising seedbeds mechanically. Nevertheless, ploughing was also done in conventional farming. As seedbeds are raised whenever wheat is sown, this is recurrent so ploughing is as well.

3.7 Principales tipos de degradación del suelo encarados con la Tecnología

Comentarios:

Due to degradation the biomass production decrease. MRB-technology increase safe water disposal and decreased evaporation. This results in the prevention of water logging and a decrease in the rate of salinization and aridfication.

3.8 Prevención, reducción o restauración de la degradación del suelo

Especifique la meta de la Tecnología con relación a la degradación de la tierra:

• prevenir la degradación del suelo

4.1 Dibujo técnico de la Tecnología

4.2 Información general sobre el cálculo de insumos y costos

Especifique cómo se calcularon los costos e insumos:

• por área de Tecnología

Especifique la moneda usada para calcular costos:

• USD

4.3 Actividades de establecimiento

	Actividad	Momento (estación)
1.	Purchase MRB

4.4 Costos e insumos necesarios para el establecimiento

	Especifique insumo	Unidad	Cantidad	Costos por unidad	Costos totales por insumo	% de los costos cubiertos por los usuarios de las tierras
Equipo	MRB-Machine	Machine	1,0	6000,0	6000,0	100,0
Costos totales para establecer la Tecnología					6000,0
Costos totales para establecer la Tecnología en USD					6000,0

Comentarios:

The total costs per acre are estimated to be 44 USD to 64 USD for solely a MRB-machine, so the costs of the High Yield Seeds are excluded.

The purchase of a MRB-machine is commonly done by a community (such as a village). Therefore the realistic costs per farmer of the machine are rather low, as well as the cost per area. The tractor which is used to pull a MRB-machine is the same as has been used before the adoption of a MRB, so this is not an additional cost
The High Yield Seeds are offered with a MRB-machine, but a MRB-machine is build that it can use other seeds as well.

4.5 Actividades de establecimiento/ recurrentes

	Actividad	Momento/ frequencia
1.	Ploughing	Prior to seeding
2.	Levelling (if needed)	Prior to seeding
3.	Seeding/Raising seedbeds (i.e. use of MRB)	November
4.	Irrigation Event (300-400m3)	Once in every 25-30 days
5.	Fertilizer Application	Establishment Stage (November)
6.	Fertilizer Application	Flowering Stage (March-May)
7.	Fertilizer Application	Grain Filling Stage (June-July)
8.	Harvesting	April
9.	Purchase new High Yield Seeds	Once in the 3 years

Comentarios:

MRB-machines are produced by local manufactures. This means that repairs could be done relatively cheap and on time.
The cleaning of the furrows can be done by the farmers self. Therefore, it is not a significant cost.

4.6 Costos e insumos necesarios para actividades de mantenimiento/ recurrentes (por año)

	Especifique insumo	Unidad	Cantidad	Costos por unidad	Costos totales por insumo	% de los costos cubiertos por los usuarios de las tierras
Mano de obra	Pesticide and herbicide application	Person-Day	2,0	6,0	12,0	100,0
Mano de obra	Field Preparation and Raising Seedbeds	Person-Day	2,0			100,0
Mano de obra	Fertilizer Application	Person-Day	1,0	7,0	7,0	100,0
Mano de obra	Irrigation Management	Person-Day	5,0	7,0	35,0	100,0
Equipo	Combine (harvesting)	Machine Day	1,0	64,0	64,0	100,0
Equipo	MRB	Machine-Day	1,0	10,0	10,0	100,0
Equipo	Tractor (Raising Seedbed)	Machine-Day	1,0	17,0	17,0	100,0
Equipo	Sprayer	Machine-Day	1,0	20,0	20,0	100,0
Equipo	Plough	Machine-Day	1,0	32,0	32,0	100,0
Equipo	Tractor (Field Preparation)	Machine-Day	1,0	32,0	32,0	100,0
Material para plantas	High Yield Seeds	Kilogram	45,0	0,6	27,0	100,0
Fertilizantes y biocidas	Fertilizer	Kilogram	150,0	0,26	39,0	100,0
Fertilizantes y biocidas	Herbicide	Kilogram	1,0	9,5	9,5	100,0
Fertilizantes y biocidas	Pesticide	Kilogram	2,0	7,0	14,0	100,0
Material de construcción	Water (Irrigation Event)	350m^3	20,0	8,0	160,0	100,0
Otros	Harvesting	Person-Day	5,0	7,0	35,0	100,0
Otros	Maintenance Raised Seedbed	Person-Day	8,0	7,0	56,0	100,0
Indique los costos totales para mantenecer la Tecnología					569,5
Costos totales para mantener la Tecnología en USD					569,5

Comentarios:

The pumping cost is 25% less with respect to the conventional flood irrigation.

4.7 Factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

Describa los factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

The most impacting cost factor is the purchase of a MRB-machine. Whereas, the High Yield Seeds are also significant, but the increased yield justifies this. In addition, farmers could also choose to use different seeds. Additionally, the High Yield Seeds are hybrid and can be reproduced for three years on the farm.

5.1 Clima

5.2 Topografía

Indique si la Tecnología se aplica específicamente en:

• situaciones convexas

5.3 Suelos

5.4 Disponibilidad y calidad de agua

¿La salinidad del agua es un problema?

Sí

¿Se está llevando a cabo la inundación del área? :

Sí

Frecuencia:

frecuentemente

5.5 Biodiversidad

5.6 Las características de los usuarios de la tierra que aplican la Tecnología

5.7 Área promedio de la tierra usada por usuarios de tierra que aplican la Tecnología

5.8 Tenencia de tierra, uso de tierra y derechos de uso de agua

Tenencia de tierra:

• individual, con título

Derechos de uso de tierra:

• individual

Derechos de uso de agua:

• individual

¿Los derechos del uso de la tierra se basan en un sistema legal tradicional?

Sí

Especifique:

Land use right are formed by Islamic influences as well as colonial influences. The are different status such as private ownership and open acces.

5.9 Acceso a servicios e infraestructura

Comentarios:

In the Nile Delta, the MRB-technology is used on very large area with many different farmers, therefore it is hard to generalize the aspects of the Health and Education since these are highly related to the income of a farm.

6.1 Impactos in situ demostrados por la Tecnología

Impactos socioeconómicos

Producción

Disponibilidad y calidad de agua

Ingreso y costos

Impactos socioculturales

Impactos ecológicos

Ciclo de agua/ escurrimiento de sedimento

Suelo

Biodiversidad: vegetación, animales

Reducción de riesgos de desastres y riesgos climáticos

6.2 Impactos fuera del sitio demostrados por la Tecnología

6.3 Exposición y sensibilidad de la Tecnología al cambio climático gradual y a extremos relacionados al clima/ desastres (desde la percepción de los usuarios de tierras)

Cambio climático gradual

Cambio climático gradual

	Estación	Incremento o reducción	¿Cómo es que la tecnología soporta esto?
temperatura anual		incrementó	moderadamente
lluvia anual		disminuyó	bien

Extremos (desastres) relacionados al clima

Desastres hidrológicos

	¿Cómo es que la tecnología soporta esto?
inundación general (río)	bien
inundación repentina	bien

6.4 Análisis costo-beneficio

¿Cómo se comparan los beneficios con los costos de establecimiento (desde la perspectiva de los usuarios de tierra)?

¿Cómo se comparan los beneficios con los costos de mantenimiento/ recurrentes (desde la perspectiva de los usuarios de tierra)?

Comentarios:

In the short-term investments are weighing relatively more than in the long term with respect to the benefits. However, on the overall, the MRB-technology offers more efficient use of resources, coming down to achieving more output with less input. Thus, highly improving the involved livelihoods.

In the long term the benefits are less positive with respect to maintenance. This is due to the aging of machinery. MRB-machines are estimated to have a life span of 12 years.

6.5 Adopción de la Tecnología

• > 50%

De todos quienes adoptaron la Tecnología, ¿cuántos lo hicieron espontáneamente, por ej. sin recibir nada de incentivos/ materiales:

• 91-100%

6.6 Adaptación

¿La tecnología fue modificada recientemente para adaptarse a las condiciones cambiantes?

Sí

otros (especifique):

Local Conditions

Especifique la adaptación de la Tecnología (diseño, material/ especies, etc.):

These adaptations are initiated because of the successes of the MRB, so currently MRB-technology is modified to be used with other crops (e.g. Faba Bean), other soil textures and for rain-fed areas.

6.7 Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades de la Tecnología

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del usuario de la tierra
MRB significantly contributes to the prosperity of the farmers who have adopted this technology. For farmers, the major advantage of MRB (High Quality Seeds plus the raised seedbeds) is the increased yield.
The adoption of the technology leads eventually to less leaching hence higher fertilizer efficiency. This is also highly valued by the farmers as this translates into less expenses. This advantage of the MRB combined to the increased yield, results in the realization of more income with less expenses, and thus a higher net income.
In Egypt climate change is visibly present and water does not seem to be abundant anymore, the farmers do have increasingly attention for the value of water. MRB increases the irrigation efficiency, therefore this is also observed as a great advantage of MRB.

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave
The increased yield is of great advantage not only for the improved situation of the involved livelihood, but also on national level. Namely, because more yield means less import of food from other countries. This makes Egypt more self-sufficient, and less dependent on other countries. This is particularly relevant with respect to the significant population growth of Egypt.
The increased water availability, because of higher irrigation efficiency is important on a national level. This is certainly important, with respect to trend of increasing the power generation by water (hydraulic power plants), in upstream areas of Egypt.
MRB-technology has led to a local industry. This industry is the manufacturing of MRB-machines. This is on broader level beneficial, because it creates local employment, efficient supply chain, easy and fast access to technical knowledge and gives Egypt an independent position.
MRB improves soil health because salinization is reduced as water is less evaporated and logged.

6.8 Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos de la Tecnología y formas de sobreponerse a ellos

Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos desde la perspectiva del usuario de la tierra	¿Cómo sobreponerse a ellas?
A current risk of MRB is that many farmers are convinced of the beneficial application of the MRB, which means that there is higher demand. Therefore, there is currently not a sufficient number of MRB-machines. In practice this means that some farmers are not able to use MRB-machine during the essential seeding period. This is possibly followed by tensions between users since the technology is often purchased as communities. Land users found this a weakness of the technology.	This is to overcome if public and private sectors invest in the manufacturing of MRB. This would lead to an increased supply of machine, thus eliminating the deficit of machines.
The cost of the High Yield Seeds is a weakness of MRB-technology. This is because the costs of the seeds are quite high and they contribute significantly to the increased yields. So without the seeds, MRB-technology does not reach its full potential. Farmers dislike the costs of these seeds and the yearly purchasing.	There are investments needed and plans to improve the production of these seeds. The increased supply would lead to reduced costs.

Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave	¿Cómo sobreponerse a ellas?
The risk of tensions that are a consequence of the limited availability of the MRB's.	This could be overcome by increasing the production. However, better social cooperation could reduce the tensions between and within communities as well.
The costs of the High Yield Seeds. This is a weakness, because MRB-technology is significantly improved by these seeds, realizing its full potential.	There are investments needed and plans to improve the production of these seeds. This would lead to reduced costs. However, alternatively, other seeds can be used.

7.1 Métodos/ fuentes de información

7.2 Vínculos a las publicaciones disponibles

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Atef Swelam and Y. Atta, (2012) Improve Water Saving and Water Productivity by New Approach of Farm Management under Surface Irrigation. Mi. J. Ag. Eng., 29 (2):745-762.

7.3 Vínculos a la información relevante disponible en línea

Título/ descripción:

Jeffrey Alwang, Samy Sabry, Kamel Shideed, Atef Swelam and Habib Halila (2017) Economic and food security benefits associated with raised-bed wheat production in Egypt, Journal of Food Security, FOSE-D-17-00372)

URL:

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/8228

Título/ descripción:

Atef Swelam (2016) Science Impact: Raised-bed planting in Egypt: an affordable technology to rationalize water use and enhance water productivity, Issue: 6-FEB 2016, ICARDA.

URL:

http://www.icarda.org/sites/default/files/u158/Science Impact Raised-Bed_final.pdf

Título/ descripción:

National Wheat Campaign Report (2020), Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Cairo, Egypt

URL:

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/8228

Título/ descripción:

Karrou, M., T. Oweis, B. Benli and A. Swelam (2012). Improving Water and Land Productivities in Irrigated Systems, ICARDA, ISBN:92-9127-259-0.

URL:

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/8825

Título/ descripción:

Atef Swelam. (16/11/2016). Egypt farmers save water with new irrigation method. New York, United States: The Associated Press (Executive Producer)

URL:

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/5757

Título/ descripción:

Atef Swelam. (31/7/2020). On-farm irigation improvement Infographic Map. Beirut, Lebanon: International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).

URL:

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/11823

Título/ descripción:

Secretariat FAO. (1/4/2018). Mechanized raised-bed irrigation: Production package. Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

URL:

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/11114

Título/ descripción:

Swelam, A. ICARDA. (2019, 1 juli). Improve on Farm Irrigation [Presentation]. Slideshare.

URL:

https://www.slideshare.net/ICARDA/improve-onfarm-irrigation-management