Prof. Dr.M.S.A.Safwat, Chairman of MAPN (Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Network), AARINENA,

1. Improving Rural Livelihood Through Linking Small-Holder Farmers to New Growth Markets in the WANA Region Prof. Dr.M.S.A.Safwat, Chairman of MAPN (Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Network), AARINENA, e-mail: focalpoint_mhpaarinena@yahoo.com

2. The WANA programs aim to improve the livelihood of small and medium-scale farmers through: Privatization Farming fragmentation Free markets Trade liberalization Technology transfer Education and information

3. Organic food production is a growing business with good long-term prospects but still it only accounts for a small proportion of agricultural areas in the WANA region countries. There are no clearly defined figures about the size and total area of production. Organic agriculture is a top priority, especially regarding food safety and income-generation for small and medium-scale farmers. It can play a role in achieving the broad objectives of WANA's four networks (Date Palm, Cotton, Olives and Medicinal Plants ) : Poverty reduction, food security and sustainable development.

4. The project: "Improving Rural Livelihood Through Linking Small-Holder Farmers to New Growth Markets in the WANA Region“ has the aim to incorporate successful agricultural practices in certain sub-sections : Dates, olives, cotton & medicinal plants through establishing pilot and localized projects for effective extensions, technology transfer systems and mechanisms. Once implemented, this project will have a positive impact on the approach of farmers, growers' associations and communities to both, market and supply chains, and it will equip them with appropriate decisions on products and markets. Moreover, the project will also yield a higher competitiveness and strengthen the role of sub- sectors through improved productivity and quality. Cultural concepts and attitudes toward extension workers will improve ,too.

5. Another aim of the project is to activate the role of AARINENA networks in disseminating information. • The present proposal aims at bringing together key stakeholders in the development of profitable, equitable and operational market and supply chains which will fulfill consumers' demands for fairly traded commodities and create economic opportunities for low-income rural producers.

6. Olive Network Tunisia Medicinal & Aromatic Plants Network (MAPN) Jordan Date Palm Global Network (DPGN)) UAE Inter Regional Cotton Network (INCANA) Iran Network of AARINENA & Commodity System

7. Development goal • The development goal of the project is to contribute to improving the livelihood of the rural population. The project also aims at establishing a comprehensive data collection, analysis and reporting systems for all stakeholders of the targeted commodities (dates, olives, cotton and medicinal plants), with an objective of building national capacity in the field of market, extension and organic farming orientations. • A better preparation and an action mode for all stakeholders in the market and supply chains of the four sub-sectors is another important goal of the project. This will consequently enhance the livelihood options for small- scale farmers. The development goals are summarized here below :

8. Integration of development efforts among stakeholders of sub-sector commodities • Capacity building of human resources (extensions and farmers) • Better utilization and management of natural resources • Better understanding of market needs • Enhancing competitiveness capability through quality improvement • Involving farmers in decision- making on extension and development • Introduction, intensification and optimization of organic production, environmental protection and the promotion and supporting of the access of the Networks country members' organic products to local, regional and international markets.

9. The present project is built around the following three main components: Market orientation for the networks of the project Utilization and enhancement of organic agriculture in the AARINENA region Pilot innovation extension and technology transfer

10. Dates Olives Cotton Medicinal plants Expected outputs: Database and knowledge about market A management plan ofmarket chains A methodology of mapping and characterizing of market Solution of major constraints The profitability and competitiveness of selected market chains Sets of lessons learned, good practice and regulatory recommendations

11. c. Utilization and enhancement of organic agriculture in the AARINENA region: • Output 1: Information about the current situation in the concerned countries regarding market and organic production of olives, dates, cotton and medicinal plants is collected and analyzed. • Output 2: Organic agriculture in selected sub-sectors (olives, date palm, cotton and medicinal plants) in the targeted countries is strengthened. • Output 3: Participation and capacity of the structures and membership of AARINENA networks is improved. • Output 4:The potential of organic agriculture regarding social, environmental, and economic benefits is recognized. • Output 5: Organic marketing is improved at all levels in AARINENA countries (local, regional and export marketing). • Output 6: An advisory strategy, including consultancies and development agencies, for AARINENA countries with an emerging sub-sector (olive, date palm, cotton and medicinal plants) of organic products is developed and implemented.

12. Target beneficiaries: • The present project will be of benefit to all stakeholders involved in the production, processing and marketing levels, namely small and medium – scale farmers, extension specialists, processors, traders, packers, food production chains, manufacturers and also indirectly to consumers. • Higher incomes will be ensured to small-scale farmers who are usually cheated of their effort / real value of their products. Furthermore, there are presently too many traders and only the appropriate ones will remain but with a better off situation. The project will aim at more constant and sustainable supply of merchandise with an improved quality which will consequently affect positively the processors, packers and manufacturers. Affordable prices and greater availability of products will directly benefit the consumers.

13. Project partners (collaborating institutions): • Depending on which network will be selected first for the implementation of the present project, it is only then that collaborating institutions (per country from and outside the region) will be identified. However, the liberty was taken to adapt this part to the four sub-sectors.

14. Ministries of Agriculture and specialized organic institutions in the AARINENA member countries; • National Agricultural Research Centers (NARCS and GFAR); • Farmers' Organizations; • Private sector / factories and associations in AARINENA region; • Consumer organizations in WANA region; • National and regional institutions; • Local community organizations, associations, producers’ organizations and enterprises and their support institutions (public sector and NGOs).

15. Institutions that might participate in the extension field could be: • Current extension agencies and specialists: human resources, previous experiences, field contacts. • Farmers’ organizations, farmers' unions, NGO's: needs, model systems. • Ministries of agriculture (MOAs) and NARs: resources, experiences, infrastructure. • Information technology agencies: tools, techniques, mechanisms, programs. • AARINENA as a regional organization: exchange of knowledge and experiences.

16. Concerning AARINENA Networks (olive, date palm, cotton and medicinal plants ) member countries: Within each country the following institutions will participate: • Government institutions (GO): Harmonized rules and food control measures. • Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Training,information dissemination and sustainable agriculture development. • Farmers' Organizations (FOs): Training, information dissemination and sustainable agriculture development. • Research centers / National Agriculture Research Centers (NARs): Research and training. • Associations and rural communities (CSOs): Sustainable agriculture development and information dissemination. • Organic Agriculture movements and projects: Training and capacity building. • Existing certified bodies or organizations (CB): Certification, communications and exchange of experiences.

17. Institutions from outside the region that could participate: • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); • International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) • Arab Organization for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID) • Successful extension agencies such as USDA. • International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements – IFOAM. • German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ): Division 45-Rural Development. • World Health Organization (WHO). • The International Trade Center UNCTAD/WTO (ITC). • The Technical Center for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA). • The World Conservation Union (IUCN)-WESCANA Regional Office / Amman – Jordan.

18. Project Team & Convener: • Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid (Team Leader) : General Coordinator of the DPGN; Director of the Date Palm Research and Development Program ; Chief Technical Advisor / UNDP ; P.O.Box. 81908, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. Tel: +971 3 7832334, Mobile: +971 50 6633598, Fax: +971 3 7832472; • E-mail: zaid@uaeu.ac.ae • Mr. Mohamed El Kholy (Farmer, Olive NW Focal Point for Egypt and Chairman of the coordinating board for 2005) elkholy49@yahoo.com • Mr. Nabeel Abu-Shriha : Agronomist, FAO – GFAR / AARINENA NGOs Focal point . abushriha@mail.com / n_abushriha@hotmail.com (Head, Agricultural and Environmental Projects Unit) Amman, Jordan.

19. Desired outcome: Case study : EgyptCommodity : Medicinal plants Skills and capacity enhanced, and attitudes and behavior changed of the following actors: Smallholder farmers with increased ability to meet the demands of the market, through application of good agricultural practices, organic methods and/or other practices required by purchasers, beneficiary farmers, participating farmers’ groups: Governorates : Fayoum, Beni Suef, Minia, New Valley, North Sinai, Matruh and other areas. Participants: Small farmers, NGOs, institutions with good agricultural practices and organic farming.

20. Desired outcome: Skills and capacity enhanced, and attitudes and behavior changed of the following actors: Extensions, and other small enterprise service providers, ability to supply demand oriented, cost effective and sustainable services to smallholder farmers.Potential participating service providers: Current status Ministry of Agriculture Agricultural Research Center, Desert Research Center. Foreign projects, international organizations, such as AERI, FAO, CARE, ICARDA , GTZ, etc. Services provided by private sector and NGO’s such as ESHEDA,ESMAP and others.. Interest in providing in/out services through contracts with farmers before plantation according to the needs of foreign markets

21. Desired outcome: Skills and capacity enhanced, and attitudes and behavior changed of the following actors: Researchers‘ ability to generate information, knowledge, tools and technologies that respond to the expressed needs and demands of smallholder farmers and their service provider. Potential participating research institutions: -         Higher studies (Masters and Ph.D.s)-         Applied researches to help farmers-         Research Projects-         Research Centers-         Universities and institutes -         Private sectors -         Study of problems facing agriculture and deliberation of aromatic and medicinal plants, determination of priorities, and preparations of research projects aiming at solving these problems-         Adding new kinds and technologies in order to improve productivity, provide opportunities for work, and therefore, raising the standard of living and the national economy.

22. Product/commodity is important for the livelihood/welfare of a significant number of smallholder farmers. Table 2.Matrix to help select countries for initial focus of a global partnership programme on ‘linking smallholder farmers to markets’ Commodity Criteria -         Enhancing women’s efficiency through training, providing job opportunities and raising the standard of living. -         Suggesting projects for minor industries such as drying, sieving, drafting and filtration.

23. There exists – or there is potentially – a growing and well defined domestic or export market for the product. Table 2.Matrix to help select countries for initial focus of a global partnership programme on ‘linking smallholder farmers to markets’ Commodity Criteria Current status of local market, exporting Egyptian products whether these products are fresh, dried or manufactured. - Study of obstacles and problems, deciding points of power and weakness, suggesting solutions and recommending further improvements.

24. There are on- going R&D and other investments on which to build, filling gaps, learning and sharing experiences – within and beyond the WANA region Table 2.Matrix to help select countries for initial focus of a global partnership programme on ‘linking smallholder farmers to markets’ Commodity Criteria - Researches, Developments, and Progressive Projects: the aim of this is to tighten the economical gap through education and exchange of experiences on the provincial level.

25. The actors in the supply chain (farmers, traders, wholesalers, retailers etc) and service providers (public and private R&D institutions or enterprises) are willing to participate. Table 2.Matrix to help select countries for initial focus of a global partnership programme on ‘linking smallholder farmers to markets’ Commodity Criteria - A system is suggested to link all the interested trends such as farmers, merchants, producers, and exporters with research areas such as medicinal plant societies, and research areas belonging to the government or the private sector.

27. Thyme

28. Spearmint

29. Lemongrass

30. Matrix to help select countries for initial focus of a global partnership programme on ‘linking farmers to markets’

31. Jordan Syria Libya Turkey Palestine Yemen Cyprus S. Arabia Algeria Egypt Iran Tunisia Morocco Lebanon 2 = 3 = 1 = High Medium Low Product/commodity of Olive oil is important for the livelihood/welfare of a significant number of smallholder farmers.

32. Jordan Syria Libya Turkey Palestine Yemen Cyprus S. Arabia Algeria Egypt Iran Tunisia Morocco Lebanon 2 = 3 = 1 = High Medium Low Product/commodity of Table Olives is important for the livelihood/welfare of a significant number of smallholder farmers.

33. Jordan Syria Libya Turkey Palestine Yemen Cyprus S. Arabia Algeria Egypt Iran Tunisia Morocco Lebanon 2 = 3 = 1 = High Medium Low There exists a growing and well defined domestic market demand for Olive oil

34. Jordan Syria Libya Turkey Palestine Yemen Cyprus S. Arabia Algeria Egypt Iran Tunisia Morocco Lebanon 3 = 1 = 2 = Low High Medium There exists a growing and well defined domestic market demand for theTable Olives

35. Jordan Syria Libya Turkey Palestine Yemen Cyprus S. Arabia Algeria Egypt Iran Tunisia Morocco Lebanon 2 = 3 = 1 = High Medium Low There exists a growing and well defined export market demand for Olive oil

36. Jordan Syria Libya Turkey Palestine Yemen Cyprus S. Arabia Algeria Egypt Iran Tunisia Morocco Lebanon 2 = 3 = 1 = High Medium Low There exists a growing and well defined export market demand for Table Olives

37. Jordan Syria Libya Turkey Palestine Yemen Cyprus S. Arabia Algeria Egypt Iran Tunisia Morocco Lebanon Comment ofOil & Table Olives Self sufficient Not Self sufficient

38. 1 = 3 = 2 = Medium High Low Commodity: Medicinal and aromatic plantsCriteriaimportant for the livelihood/welfare of a significant number of smallholder farmers: Syria Morocco Iran Oman Sudan Egypt Yemen Kuwait Jordan Malta

39. 1 = 3 = 2 = Medium High Low Commodity: Medicinal and aromatic plantsCriteriaexists a growing and well defined domestic market demand for the product Syria Morocco Iran Oman Sudan Egypt Yemen Kuwait Jordan Malta

40. 1 = 3 = 2 = Medium High Low Commodity: Medicinal and aromatic plantsCriteriaexists a growing and well defined export market demand for the product Syria Morocco Iran Oman Sudan Egypt Yemen Kuwait Jordan Malta

41. Conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants in arid and semi-arid ecosystems: • Environment Facility (GEF) at 4, 617080 million dollars for a period of five years until 2007 • The objective of the project is to conserve globally significant medicinal plant species and associated habitats in St .Katherine’s Protectorate as follows: • 1) foreclose the use of critically endangered medicinal plant species in hotspots; • 2) introduce small-scale community-based cultivation, processing and medicinal plant marketing to relieve pressure from wild sources in orchards and gardens; • 3) introduce best practices for wild medicinal plant collection and sustainable collection levels throughout the protectorate; • 4) promote alternative energy sources in demonstration areas; • 5) disperse grazing pressure throughout the Protectorate; • 6) protect community intellectual property rights in Egypt; • 7) replicate project successes in Egypt.

43. THANK YOU