Farmer-to-farmer exchange visits in the El Kef-Siliana transect: An effective way to connect and expand innovative practices

Authors:

• Udo Rudiger, Agricultural Innovation Specialist, ICARDA
• Aymen Frija, Agricultural Economist, ICARDA
• Véronique Alary, Agricultural Economist, Country lead for the Initiative on Agroecology, ICARDA
• Zied Idoudi, Research Associate – Economics and Participatory Methods, ICARDA

Innovative technologies developments set the stage for the exchange visit

Since its inception in 2022, the Agroecology initiative has been collaborating with six Farmer Organizations (FO), which serve as the foundational elements of the Tunisian ALL located along the El Kef-Siliana transect, to co-develop evidence-based agroecological technologies that meet local needs and align with their shared vision and interest.

Innovative technologies have been developed, tested and presented in partnership with national research institutes, including the “Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique de Tunisie (INRAT)”, the “Institut National de Recherche du Génie Rural, Eaux et Forêts (INRGREF)” and the “Institut de l’Olivier (IO). In addition, public development institutions such as the “Office de l’Elevage et des Pâturages (OEP)” and the “Agence de la vulgarization et de la formation agricoles (AVFA), as well as NGOs such as the “Association Tunisienne d’Agriculture Environmentale (ATAE”) and “Association des Amis de CAPTE (LACT)”, have been actively contributing and leading the ALL’s progress and the co-creation process. Read more about our work in Tunisia.

Previous ICARDA-led projects in Tunisia, including the GIZ-funded “Mind the Gap” and the SWC@Scale/ProSol projects, as well as the IFAD-funded CLCA project, have demonstrated that farmer-to-farmer exchange visits are highly effective for technology transfer and scaling up agricultural practices and technologies.  In this spirit, a three-day exchange visit was organized from 21 to 23 May 2024 for 24 farmers from the six FOs involved in the ALL. Each FO selected four representatives to participate, accompanied by five representatives from partners organizations (INRAT, IO, OEP and LACT).

At every stop, farmers found inspiration and made connections that sparked new ideas

During the visit, participants engaged with five of the six FOs, discussing the co-developed technologies, identifying challenges and exploring opportunities for collaboration. Evenings were spent at a local training center run by AVFA in the transect where informal discussions took place around local foods from the ALL.

FO Sers:  Groupement Féminin de Développement Agricole Sers, El Kef Region

The women’s FO Sers showcased their successful introduction of forage mixtures such as Vetch – Oat – Triticale (V-O-T) intercropped between their olive trees, as well as small scale mechanization such as a mower to reduce labor and save time. Among the observed benefits of the introduced forages, and compared to traditional feeding on concentrates and straw, milk production has increased by 2 l/day/cow, on average. The health of their dairy cows has improved and less antibiotics are needed. Artificial insemination is more successful than before (fertilization after first shot). Read more 

FO Ettaouen: Société Mutuelle de Services Agricole “Ettaouen”, Chouarnia/Siliana Region

The Ettaouen farmer group also introduced innovative forage mixtures (V-O-T) and, like the FO Sers, members have seen a positive impact. The growth rate of their sheep animals has increased up to 240 g / day. They have also introduced a new variety of vetch called Narbonne, which is very high in protein (30%) and can substitute expensive imported soybeans. They now use it to produce feed pellets with the provided feed pelleting machine. Read more

Another successful technology is compost made from Aleppo pines, which is produced by a local start-up company. In addition to increasing soil nutrients, it helps to improve the soil’s water-holding capacity and acts as a natural herbicide.

FO Hamem Biadha: Groupement de Développement Agricole Hamem Biadha Sud, Siliana

The initiative’s partner, the “Olive Institute (IO)”, has introduced the combined compost and biochar technology to the farmer group of Hamem Biadha in addition to the V-O-T forage mixture between olive trees which were brought in by the Agroecology Initiative in their community. The IO also used Initiative investments to train farmers on better ways to prune olive branches and take care of young olive trees. The farmers observed already an improvement in olive production and olive oil quality.  The combined biochar / compost technology and the application of olive vegetation water improved the water holding capacity and pest resistance of the olive trees.

FO Ankoud El Khair: Société Mutuelle de Services Agricole “Ankoud El Khair”, El Rhahla/Siliana

The FO “Ankoud El Khair” has also received support from the Initaitive and previous projects such as the GIZ-funded SWC@Scale/ProSol project and is now considered as a knowledge hub for soil conservation and agroecology. A variety of technologies have been co-developed by the initiative with the farmers’ group. Technologies such as conservation agriculture, sulla (A Sustainable Legume Specie Used for Forage in the ALL of Tunisia) and mixed forage production, seed multiplication and small-scale machinery have been presented and discussed by farmers. The cooperative now disposes well-equipped facilities with educational material to scale innovations within their community and beyond.

FO Chusira: Société Mutuelle de Services Agricoles Chusira, Kesra/Siliana Region

The FO “Chusira” is very engaged in the production of figs and honey. A major constraint in honey production is the lack of melliferous plants to provide sufficient quality feed for bees. The Initiative introduced Sulla, a leguminous forage crop that is also a melliferous plant and suitable to cultivate between lines of olives and other fruit trees. To further boost the production of Sulla, the national research institute INRAT co-designed experiments with the FO members to test context -specific Rhizobial inoculation as biofertilizer for nitrogen fixation and healthy soil. Carob nurseries have also been established by the NGO LACT, facilitating the implementation of plantations in both private and communal lands to boost ecosystem services. In addition, ATAE has developed with Chusira FO a context-specific melliferous calendar adapted to the crop year, based on the inventory carried out within the Agroecology Initiative in this mountainous agroforestry-based farming system.

United by the belief in a better future through new adapted technologies

Farmers agreed on the value of these exchanges, which provided first-hand exposure to technologies in different communities. For example, the Vetch-Oat-Triticale (V-O-T) forage mix was a common technology widely discussed by the farmers.

Several areas for collaboration among the six FOs emerged. Mr. Abdelsalam Zgaya, the coordinator of the FO “Chusira” expressed his admiration for the V-O-T experience and his desire to acquire V-O-T seeds from FO “Ankoud El Khair” for testing alongside their Sulla experiments. He was also inspired by the Biochar technology in Hamem Biadha and has asked the olive institute to set up trials in Kesra, given the similarities in conditions and challenges.

Mrs. Noura Gatri, president of the women’s FO in Sers, saids: “We are convinced by the forage mixture trials, but our FO lacks V-O-T seed mixtures. We have just seen that the nearby Ettaouen FO disposes a mobile seed cleaning unit, suitable for cleaning forage seeds; so, we have negotiated access to the cleaning unit after harvesting our crops to preserve seeds for the upcoming season. We are also interested in the new type of compost and have made contacts to purchase and test the biofertilizer.” This highlights the complementarity between the FOs of the ALL and the proactive approach of the farmers in seeking solutions and knowledge to improve their farming practices.

Mr. Mouldi Jawadi, member of the FO in Hamem Biadha expressed his intention to produce his own compost and biochar, witnessing the positive impact of the technology. He notes, “I was impressed by the combined grinder and chopper at the FO and knowledge hub of Rhahla, which is suitable for chopping olive residues and producing compost”. His admiration for the organizational level and skills of the women’s group in Sers has inspired him to discuss the establishment of a women’s farmers’ group in his community.

Mr. Rzig Rahali the president of the FO “Ankoud El Khair” and active member of its knowledge hub states: “The FO “Chusira is very advanced in their honey production. We are interested in the types of beehives they use, and they provided us with contacts for suppliers. We also learned about the wax recycling technology from them and would like to test it.”

The FO “Ettaouen” is interested in the nurseries established by the initiatives’ partner, the NGO LACT in El Rhahla and Kesra communities, which produce carob trees for sustainable agroforestry production systems, indicating potential for new income-generating activities.

The visit demonstrated once again the effectiveness of direct farmer-to-farmer exchange as a means of networking and scaling up innovations. Farmers communicate science-based evidence in relatable terms which facilitates mutual understanding and trust.

From a social perspective, the visit was equally successful. The 62-year-old Mrs. Arem Ncib, from the FO Sers smiles: “It has been a long time since I had the opportunity to leave our community to talk and interact with other people in different areas of our country. I made new friends and realized that others are struggling as much as we are. But what unites us all is the belief in a better future through new adapted technologies.”