Increasing the Productivity of Cereal-based Systems to Enhance Food Security in Iran

In East Azerbaijan, Kermanshah, Kurdistan and Lorestan provinces, cereals (wheat, barley) and grain legumes (chickpea) are major crops grown by farmers. These provinces have different climatic zones with variable rainfalls and temperatures: cold, medium and warm areas. Cold, drought, mono-cropping and access to quality seed are the major production constraints for all the three crops in addition to major biotic stresses, such as rusts for wheat, Ascochyta blight and weeds for chickpea. Also, farm sizes are typically small (average about 5 ha) and crop management practices are not well advanced. Increasing the availability and use of quality seeds of well adapted crop varieties that are preferred by farmers and consumers is vital for increasing crop yields, improving food and nutritional security, and creating better livelihoods for rural populations. Both the private and public sectors have a role to play in developing the seed sector in Iran. The government policy explictly allows both public and private sectors to deliver seeds.

The activities of the project are related to three main components/outcomes: 1) Dissemination and adoption of readily available tested and proven improved technologies using effective extension methodologies; 2) Adaptive research under farmers’ conditions and at large scale of the new technologies developed on research stations; 3) Capacity development, infrastructure reinforcement and results dissemination.

The activities of the project are related to three main components/outcomes: 1) Dissemination and adoption of readily available tested and proven improved technologies using effective extension methodologies; 2) Adaptive research under farmers’ conditions and at large scale of the new technologies developed on research stations; 3) Capacity development, infrastructure reinforcement and results dissemination. Components 1) and 2) will contribute to the following IDO: "Increased livelihood opportunities" and "More productive and equitable management of natural resources". All the three components (with a prevalence of the number 3)) will contribute to the IDO "Increased capacity for innovation in partner development organizations and in poor and vulnerable communities".