Middle East Regional Agricultural Programme
Denmark · Egypt · Israel · Jordan · Palestinian Authority
Programme Phase I
1999 - 2005
Originally, the Regional Agricultural Programme was designed for a 3-year period, i.e. from
1999 - 2002.The Programme was several time extended and will expire by June,2005. Thereafter, a Phase II of the Programme will be implemented covering a phase of 5 years until 2010.
This programme document was drafted as an inception report.
Its activities are in this web-site version are only briefly mentioned.
1. Introduction
The region has since 1994 been involved in a trilateral training co-operation comprising Denmark, Egypt and Israel. This co-operation evolved to a regional co-operation comprising also Jordan and the Palestinian Authority evidenced by a government agreement entered into by all the co-operating parties in February 1999 and finally ratified in May 1999 from which date the 3-year co-operation agreement finally entered into force. This allows the implementation of the programme to be initiated, subject to the preparation of an inception report that describes the programmes for the various selected components and provides thus the framework within which project activities have to be proposed, agreed and implemented.
The preparation of the Regional Agricultural Programme focusing on the effective interrelationship and linkage between applied research, extension and training has been preceded by a planning phase involving all parties and which resulted in a ‘Project Document’ forming an integral part of the Government Agreement. The increased regional co-operation and improving the productivity of the resource base within the agricultural sector have been determined as the main development objectives. The main programme components identified being of common interest across the participating countries have been agreed to cover
1) production of low cost fodder,
2) productivity of small ruminants,
3) saline water for irrigation,
4) dryland agriculture,
5) post harvest technology and marketing.
This inception report specifies planned programme objectives for the various programme components, outputs, inputs and costs, as well as their timing facilitating the transfer of external and internal funds to the programme. In order to arrive at a regionally agreed programme the organisation structure and regional task forces for the above subject matter components were reconfirmed allowing the communication and planning across countries to occur and the preparation of programme and activity proposals. For all of the above components regional workshops were held with the participation of extension staff and experts from all countries confirming activities that have been agreed earlier or also revising outlined programmes as it was felt necessary.
Arid and semi-arid land constitutes the major part of cultivated land in the Middle East countries Egypt, Israel, Jordan and the Palestine Authority. Contrary to Egypt where almost all cultivated land is irrigated (98%), Jordan and the Palestine Authority have to rely on rain fed agriculture (90%), while the share of rain fed and irrigated agriculture in Israel is approximately 60% and 40% respectively. Water is the principal limitation for agricultural production, which is responsible for 75%-90% of total water consumption in the region. Egypt is dependant on the Nile as the main source of water supply and disposes thus of a separate water system. However, the basic problems are identical with the other countries, while on the other hand the country experiences also land as a limiting factor and has launched a major land reclamation programme in the New Lands turning desert land into cultivated production areas.
All countries in the region had a centrally planned, subsidised and protected agricultural sector resulting among others in the underdevelopment of the private sector and distortions of resource allocations. Sustainability without subsidies, private sector development and the exploitation of comparative advantages are recent key issues in the agendas of national agricultural policies.
Key Economic Data of the Region (1998):
Egypt Israel Jordan P.A.
Population (in 000) 66.026 6.001 4.681 2.897
GDP/Capita (US$) 1.183 16.669 1.499 1.550* *=estimate
Agriculture/share of GDP 17% 2% 3% 6%
The scarce water resources, increasingly reduced availability of land in a global environment of progressive trade liberalisation and competitive export markets, determine the needs for substantial productivity gains, the achievement of stable quality levels of marketed produce and the adoption of technologies that meet the requirements of consumer markets and preserve available national resources and the environment. Free market flows would almost automatically enhance the application of appropriate technologies and export orientation, while any market imperfection perceived by farmers will tend to enhance a least-effort approach. The facilitative role of the public sector and ability of the private sector, i.e. the farmers’ ability for self-organisation to find solutions to the problems they are facing are important prerequisites for the narrowing of gaps in applied technologies and marketing practices.
Available technologies are assumed to be able to double productivity of rainfed agriculture. Alternative saline water resources, available in abundance, can productively be used for agricultural production. The potential for productivity gains in the production of small ruminants is substantial and could much better meet local demands by improved genetic materials, improved management practices, feeding with low cost fodder formulas and applied rigorous disease control measures. The relaxed free flow of produce within the region and to markets outside the region requires improved and regionally better co-ordinated and integrated marketing practices, implying mutually agreed policies, access to market information and common quality control and assurance systems. The Regional Agricultural Programme addresses these issues, providing the necessary impetus for enhanced regional co-operation. Regional co-operation , although almost an objective in itself, has become an indispensable prerequisite for economic development, for enhancing the competitiveness of the region and thus contribute to a peaceful co-existence.
This inception report documents the agreed outline of programme components. Only those project activities have been included that will start immediately upon agreement of the programme activities by the Steering Committee, while other activities will evolve according to the time schedules agreed.
This report with all its many activities to be implemented results from many interactions between all the members of the Regional Task Forces during the past months of May – August, 1999.
Mission Report (Spanish Foreign Ministry):Study of Agricultural Development in the Middle East for the Multilateral Working Group for Economic Development. |