1.2 Coordonnées des personnes-ressources et des institutions impliquées dans l'évaluation et la documentation de la Technologie

Nom du projet qui a facilité la documentation/ l'évaluation de la Technologie (si pertinent)

ICARDA Institutional Knowledge Management Initiative

Nom du ou des institutions qui ont facilité la documentation/ l'évaluation de la Technologie (si pertinent)

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

1.3 Conditions relatives à l'utilisation par WOCAT des données documentées

Le compilateur et la(les) personne(s) ressource(s) acceptent les conditions relatives à l'utilisation par WOCAT des données documentées:

Oui

1.4 Déclaration sur la durabilité de la Technologie décrite

Est-ce que la Technologie décrite ici pose problème par rapport à la dégradation des terres, de telle sorte qu'elle ne peut pas être déclarée comme étant une technologie de gestion durable des terres?

Non

2.1 Courte description de la Technologie

Définition de la Technologie:

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 Description détaillée de la Technologie

Description:

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 Photos de la Technologie

2.4 Vidéos de la Technologie

2.5 Pays/ région/ lieux où la Technologie a été appliquée et qui sont couverts par cette évaluation

2.6 Date de mise en œuvre de la Technologie

Indiquez l'année de mise en œuvre:

2003

2.7 Introduction de la Technologie

Spécifiez comment la Technologie a été introduite: :

• au cours d'expérimentations / de recherches
• par le biais de projets/ d'interventions extérieures

3.1 Principal(aux) objectif(s) de la Technologie

• améliorer la production
• réduire, prévenir, restaurer les terres dégradées
• s'adapter au changement et aux extrêmes climatiques et à leurs impacts
• créer un impact économique positif
• créer un impact social positif

3.2 Type(s) actuel(s) d'utilisation des terres, là où la Technologie est appliquée

Les divers types d'utilisation des terres au sein du même unité de terrain: :

Non

3.3 Est-ce que l’utilisation des terres a changé en raison de la mise en œuvre de la Technologie ?

Est-ce que l’utilisation des terres a changé en raison de la mise en œuvre de la Technologie ?

• Non (Passez à la question 3.4)

3.4 Approvisionnement en eau

Approvisionnement en eau des terres sur lesquelles est appliquée la Technologie:

• pleine irrigation

Commentaires:

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

3.5 Groupe de GDT auquel appartient la Technologie

• amélioration des variétés végétales, des races animales
• gestion de l'irrigation (incl. l'approvisionnement en eau, le drainage)

3.6 Mesures de GDT constituant la Technologie

Commentaires:

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 Principaux types de dégradation des terres traités par la Technologie

Commentaires:

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 Prévention, réduction de la dégradation ou réhabilitation des terres dégradées

Spécifiez l'objectif de la Technologie au regard de la dégradation des terres:

• prévenir la dégradation des terres

4.1 Dessin technique de la Technologie

4.2 Informations générales sur le calcul des intrants et des coûts

Spécifiez la manière dont les coûts et les intrants ont été calculés:

• par superficie de la Technologie

Indiquez la monnaie utilisée pour le calcul des coûts:

• dollars américains

4.3 Activités de mise en place/ d'établissement

	Activité	Calendrier des activités (saisonnier)
1.	Purchase MRB

4.4 Coûts et intrants nécessaires à la mise en place

	Spécifiez les intrants	Unité	Quantité	Coûts par unité	Coût total par intrant	% du coût supporté par les exploitants des terres
Equipements	MRB-Machine	Machine	1,0	6000,0	6000,0	100,0
Coût total de mise en place de la Technologie					6000,0
Coût total de mise en place de la Technologie en dollars américains (USD)					6000,0

Commentaires:

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 Activités d'entretien/ récurrentes

	Activité	Calendrier/ fréquence
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

Commentaires:

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 Coûts et intrants nécessaires aux activités d'entretien/ récurrentes (par an)

	Spécifiez les intrants	Unité	Quantité	Coûts par unité	Coût total par intrant	% du coût supporté par les exploitants des terres
Main d'œuvre	Pesticide and herbicide application	Person-Day	2,0	6,0	12,0	100,0
Main d'œuvre	Field Preparation and Raising Seedbeds	Person-Day	2,0			100,0
Main d'œuvre	Fertilizer Application	Person-Day	1,0	7,0	7,0	100,0
Main d'œuvre	Irrigation Management	Person-Day	5,0	7,0	35,0	100,0
Equipements	Combine (harvesting)	Machine Day	1,0	64,0	64,0	100,0
Equipements	MRB	Machine-Day	1,0	10,0	10,0	100,0
Equipements	Tractor (Raising Seedbed)	Machine-Day	1,0	17,0	17,0	100,0
Equipements	Sprayer	Machine-Day	1,0	20,0	20,0	100,0
Equipements	Plough	Machine-Day	1,0	32,0	32,0	100,0
Equipements	Tractor (Field Preparation)	Machine-Day	1,0	32,0	32,0	100,0
Matériel végétal	High Yield Seeds	Kilogram	45,0	0,6	27,0	100,0
Engrais et biocides	Fertilizer	Kilogram	150,0	0,26	39,0	100,0
Engrais et biocides	Herbicide	Kilogram	1,0	9,5	9,5	100,0
Engrais et biocides	Pesticide	Kilogram	2,0	7,0	14,0	100,0
Matériaux de construction	Water (Irrigation Event)	350m^3	20,0	8,0	160,0	100,0
Autre	Harvesting	Person-Day	5,0	7,0	35,0	100,0
Autre	Maintenance Raised Seedbed	Person-Day	8,0	7,0	56,0	100,0
Coût total d'entretien de la Technologie					569,5
Coût total d'entretien de la Technologie en dollars américains (USD)					569,5

Commentaires:

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

4.7 Facteurs les plus importants affectant les coûts

Décrivez les facteurs les plus importants affectant les coûts :

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 Climat

5.2 Topographie

Indiquez si la Technologie est spécifiquement appliquée dans des:

• situations convexes

5.3 Sols

5.4 Disponibilité et qualité de l'eau

La salinité de l'eau est-elle un problème? :

Oui

La zone est-elle inondée?

Oui

Régularité:

épisodiquement

5.5 Biodiversité

5.6 Caractéristiques des exploitants des terres appliquant la Technologie

5.7 Superficie moyenne des terres utilisées par les exploitants des terres appliquant la Technologie

5.8 Propriété foncière, droits d’utilisation des terres et de l'eau

Propriété foncière:

• individu, avec titre de propriété

Droits d’utilisation des terres:

• individuel

Droits d’utilisation de l’eau:

• individuel

Est-ce que les droits d'utilisation des terres sont fondés sur un système juridique traditionnel?

Oui

Précisez:

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 Accès aux services et aux infrastructures

Commentaires:

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 Impacts sur site que la Technologie a montrés

Impacts socio-économiques

Production

Disponibilité et qualité de l'eau

Revenus et coûts

Impacts socioculturels

Impacts écologiques

Cycle de l'eau/ ruissellement

Sols

Biodiversité: végétale, animale

Réduction des risques de catastrophe et des risques climatiques

6.2 Impacts hors site que la Technologie a montrés

6.3 Exposition et sensibilité de la Technologie aux changements progressifs et aux évènements extrêmes/catastrophes liés au climat (telles que perçues par les exploitants des terres)

Changements climatiques progressifs

Changements climatiques progressifs

	Saison	Augmentation ou diminution	Comment la Technologie fait-elle face à cela?
températures annuelles		augmente	modérément
précipitations annuelles		décroît	bien

Extrêmes climatiques (catastrophes)

Catastrophes hydrologiques

	Comment la Technologie fait-elle face à cela?
inondation générale (rivière)	bien
crue éclair	bien

6.4 Analyse coûts-bénéfices

Quels sont les bénéfices comparativement aux coûts de mise en place (du point de vue des exploitants des terres)?

Quels sont les bénéfices comparativement aux coûts d'entretien récurrents (du point de vue des exploitants des terres)?

Commentaires:

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 Adoption de la Technologie

• > 50%

De tous ceux qui ont adopté la Technologie, combien d'entre eux l'ont fait spontanément, à savoir sans recevoir aucune incitation matérielle, ou aucune rémunération? :

• 91-100%

6.6 Adaptation

La Technologie a-t-elle été récemment modifiée pour s'adapter à l'évolution des conditions?

Oui

autre (précisez):

Local Conditions

Spécifiez l'adaptation de la Technologie (conception, matériaux/ espèces, 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 Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités de la Technologie

Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités du point de vue de l'exploitant des terres
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.

Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé
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 Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques de la Technologie et moyens de les surmonter

Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques du point de vue de l’exploitant des terres	Comment peuvent-ils être surmontés?
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.

Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé	Comment peuvent-ils être surmontés?
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 Méthodes/ sources d'information

7.2 Références des publications disponibles

Titre, auteur, année, 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.

Disponible à partir d'où? Coût?

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/12227

7.3 Liens vers les informations pertinentes en ligne

Titre/ description:

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

Titre/ description:

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:

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/5900

Titre/ description:

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

Titre/ description:

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

Titre/ description:

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

Titre/ description:

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

Titre/ description:

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

Titre/ description:

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

URL:

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/12232