By NNN-Bernama,
Melbourne : Farmers in northern Iraq are benefiting from agricultural projects undertaken by the University of Adelaide in South Australia.
Agronomy Chair Professor David Coventry is leading the university’s participation in an Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) project to revolutionize traditional cropping methods in Iraq.
In the first project of its type in Iraq, researchers from three Australian organizations are helping Iraqi farmers to reduce their costs and substantially increase crop yields by eradicating cultivation and introducing zero tillage in its place, the university’s magazine “Adelaidean” reports.
The University of Adelaide, the University of Western Australia and the Western Australian Department of Agriculture are collaborating on the project with the Ministry of Agriculture in Iraq and the International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dryland Areas (ICARDA), based in neighbouring Syria.
“This has been a success story from day one,” Professor Coventry is quoted by “Adelaidean”’ as saying. “We have helped introduce new varieties of wheat, barley and pulses into Iraq as well as persuaded them to stop cultivating their fields and instead switch to zero tillage.”
Zero tillage is a method of sowing the crop now used by most Australian dryland farmers and is designed to protect the top soil that is at risk of erosion when land is extensively cultivated.
“This method uses far less fuel and with more effective water use and improved soil quality and farmers achieve better productivity and higher profits,” Professor Coventry said.
Iraqi farmers have been crippled with a 10-fold increase in fuel and a 500 per cent increase in fertilizer prices in recent years. Those who have been involved in the demonstration sites have wholeheartedly embraced the new methods.
In the past decade, poor farming practices, lack of quality seed and periodic droughts in Iraq have led to soil degradation and nutrient depletion, with cereal production dropping sharply and farmers struggling to make ends meet.
The first stage of the collaborative project, which began in 2004, involved Iraqi farmers in demonstration trials, facilitated by Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture.
The Australian researchers wanted to supervise on-the-spot field visits in Iraq but with security an ongoing issue, the decision was taken to deliver the project “remotely”, involving liaising with ICARDA in Syria.
Stage two involves an extension of the zero tillage trials and the genetic improvement of existing seeds, with much wider participation of farmers at every level.
Several Iraqi project leaders have spent time in South Australia learning about Australian cropping practices.
“It is very important to use Australia’s experience in cropping techniques because our climates are so similar,” one of the Iraqi project leaders said. “By involving the Iraqi farmers in actual demonstration trials, we have been able to iron out any deficiencies with machinery and refine the practices to suit our agricultural industry.”
Up to six Iraqi students at Masters and PhD level are expected to travel to Adelaide and Perth this year to take part in studies associated with the ACIAR project.
The university is also expected to enrol up to 25 agricultural students from Iraq in a separate AusAID-funded scholarship programme, announced recently by the Australian government.