The MERIMIS workshop concluded with a discussion of the action items needed to move the project forward for another year and to be the basis for submitting for future funding. It was the consensus that significant strides had been made in establishing a network of weather stations that can be used to improve water management in Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and Israel in the areas dominated by Arab farmers. There was a significant increase in the research capabilities of the Jordanians as a result of the construction of the weighing lysimeter and additional facilities constructed as part of a joint project with Israeli scientists. The major area that appeared to be lacking was the implementation of out reach to small farmer.
The discussion was based on the results of the project reports from each participating country. The goal was to identify actions that were common to all participants and then identify individual goals by country. The resulting list contains overlap and needs further discussion by each participant group.
Common Goals (these items pertain to all groups)
1. Develop a unified system that contains all climate stations being operated by participants. In the process the equipment needs to be standardized and upgraded as needed.
2. Develop maintenance protocols for system maintenance, train responsible technicians to implement the maintenance.
3. Develop a unified systems operation for data collection and analysis and train appropriate personnel in the operation.
4. There were several alternatives suggested for farmer outreach and education
a. Field days that demonstrated the use of improved irrigation scheduling and irrigation methods
b. Work with progressive farmers to establish research trials on their farmers and use these for field days
c. Work with the concept of a lead farmer (local progressive farmer)
d. Develop alternative methods for distributing Et data and water requirements
i. Newspaper in the weather section
ii. Radio announcement
iii. SMS (continue to develop the methodology)
5. Country coordination – there needs to be an effort to establish coordination between countries to monitor research developments and activities in the extension area
6. Publication – an program needs to be established to provide orderly publication of research results and publicity about the project operation and achievements. This may require additional training and support in preparation of manuscripts for publications.
7. Evaluations
8. Website development – There needs to be a coordinated approach to website development based on the projected outcomes and audience.
a. Provide forecast for Etc, weather related issues, e.g. frost, dew point temperature for IPM data, temperature bases, Growing Degree Days
b. Basis information on crop production, evapotranspiration, irrigation scheduling,
c. Identify audience and needs
d. Identify alert protocol and systems (frost, dew point)
9. Extension development
a. Develop active outreach program to small farmers,
b. Provide training to extension officer’s
c. Develop program materials in multiple languages
d. Farming training to support extension
10. Interdisciplinary teams across countries for problem solving and extension
11. Extend water management research and Etc in response to use of poor water quality.
12. Identify potential international cooperators to support programs
a. USSL, USWCL, Water Management Unit Parlier,
13. Fertigation research
a. Investigate yield response to fertigation
14. Develop training programs for extension engineers, proposal writing,
a. NCARE
Individual Program Goals for each Country
Palestine: 1. Training – develop programs to incorporate student training into project research
2. Capacity building for staff and extension service
3. Purchase new weather station
4. Linkage – develop programs between Universities and Program participants to engage MSc students
5. All climatic stations operational by Oct. 1, 2008
6. Develop outreach program – leaflet covering existing and completed research
7. Develop system maintenance and operation budgets and needs.
8. Coordination between local researchers and other participants
Jordan: 1.Unify stations - incorporate all stations into a single network
2. Complete maintenance schedule and upgrade all stations to a uniform
equipment set
3. Develop extension training programs for farmers
4. Complete outreach – newsletter, fliers, - Dec. 08
5. Use lysimeter to develop crop coefficient for tomato, pepper, onion
6. Develop newsletter on scheduling and projects
7. Develop linkage between university and donors
Israel 1. Research assist station calibration
2. Extension training
a. Small Arab farmers in use of data from network
3. Establish station in south
4. Coordinate farmers
5. Develop method to transfer technology and data
6. Present olive research results
7. Assist in project development
Expectations 1. Publish cucumber results by December 2008
2. Publish almond results
3. Pursue University Linkage
4. Develop P.R. program
5. Prepare Intermediate Report for each County in multiple languages.
