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IMPACTS OF CROP IMPROVEMENT RESEARCH ON FARMERS' LIVELIHOODS: THE CASE OF WINTER-SOWN CHICKPEA IN SYRIA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 February 2013

AHMED MAZID ,
KAMIL SHIDEED ,
MOHAMED EL-ABDULLAH ,
GHASSAN ZYADEH  and
JUMA'A MOUSTAFA
AHMED MAZID*
Affiliation:
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo, Syria
KAMIL SHIDEED
Affiliation:
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo, Syria
MOHAMED EL-ABDULLAH
Affiliation:
Damascus University, Faculty of Agriculture, Syria
GHASSAN ZYADEH
Affiliation:
Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Extension Directorate, Syria
JUMA'A MOUSTAFA
Affiliation:
Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Extension Directorate, Syria
*
‡Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Summary

This study presents farmers’ evaluations of the performance of winter-sown chickpea technology developed by ICARDA relative to traditional spring planting, and assesses impacts of this technology on farmers’ livelihoods in Syria. Ascochyta blight, insects and weeds were the most important factors affecting productivity of winter-sown chickpea, according to 480 farmers. Among package components, crop varieties were widely adopted and most farmers adopted other components. The winter-sown chickpea area is expanding, particularly in drier regions that do not traditionally grow chickpea. Adoption was higher for better-off farmers – poorer farmers generally prefer to see positive effects first. Adoption over time is accelerating, with obvious benefits: yields have increased by 18% in drier areas and 32% elsewhere in Syria. Winter-sown chickpea technology increased incomes for all adopting households with greatest impact among poorer farmers. All gains are important because chickpea contributes 22% of total household income and should increase with further increases in package adoption.

Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Agriculture , Volume 49 , Issue 3 , July 2013 , pp. 336 - 351
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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