ABOUT US

The aim of this project is to conserve pollinator diversity to enhance climate change resilience in an economically self-sustaining way (without rewards for farmers and sponsored events). For this purpose, it introduces the Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP) approach in seven countries with Morocco as the benchmark country. FAP includes a cross-sector policy mix and the project contributes to six Sustainable Development Goals (1, 2, 3, 12, 13 and 15).

Period of Implementation

Jun 1, 2017 - Nov 30, 2023
Total Budget

USD 7,824,348.00

OUR IMPACT

Goals

The project contributes especially to the Aichi-targets 1, 3 and 7 by combating decline of pollinator diversity. FAP is based on TEEB and identifies the economic value of habitat enhancement in fields and orchards and uses the additional net incomes as incentives for farmers and policymakers to mainstream pollinator protection across sectors. The project develops the first pollinator inventory for North Africa and West Asia, thereby allowing national monitoring.

Objectives

The objectives of the project are as follows: develop self-sustaining incentives for mainstream pollinator protection; build capacity for pollinator protection and sustainable use of biodiversity on different levels; identify pollinator species and their habitat requirements in North Africa and countries bordering the Mediterranean in the east; share knowledge with other countries, international institutions and organizations; and develop of an international stewardship for pollinator-protecting agriculture.

UPDATES

In 2020, the International Climate Initiative (IKI)-FAP project was established to increase yields by attracting a higher diversity and abundance of pollinators and natural enemies using strips of marketable flowering plants, like spices, oilseeds and vegetables. The same year, the project presented results from Morocco and fine-tuned projects in the five participating countries. National Agricultural Research System partners from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and Turkey learned the FAP approach in an intensive one-week training in Rabat before launching their own projects. The IKI project was also presented at the World Biodiversity Forum in Davos 2020.

In 2021, the project worked to enhance agricultural land using marketable habitat enhancement plants (MHEP), more nesting availability, and water support. MHEP prolong flowering times and attract a higher diversity and abundance of pollinators (enhancing productivity of many crops) and natural enemies (reducing pest abundance in the main crop and the need for chemicals). Both effects significantly increase the net income gain to farmers.

In October 2022, ICARDA trained 24 trainees in Egypt on the FAP approach. They are expected to train a further 720 Egyptian farmers. Also in 2022, 36 FAP demonstrations were implemented at farmers’ fields in Palestine to collect and identify pollinators and increase crop productivity.

Problems and Needs Analysis

Regarding climatic change, the major problems the selected countries are facing are many. Among them there is the decline in pollinators number and diversity. The spread of pesticides from the neighborhood fields could damage the agricultural crops. This problem is also enhanced by the political instability (or the lack of support from the government) in many Mediterranean countries. Key risks are not only related to the fact that farmers could be considered not reliable (or students not attending training) but also to the fact that farmers have a limited capacity to market their higher production. Large producers are not interested to join this project. However, to join other initiatives that are developing the same program of protection of the biodiversity in arable land could be a key issue as well.

Intervention Strategy(ies)

The project is very well organized and takes into account every detail. The duration of the project allows a repetition of trials so the outcome in general will be less affected by errors. Morocco will be the leader country and its stability is certain. There is a selection of farmers. There are information concerning neighbor farms. Assessment of potential income gain will be carried out first for small holders. Morocco is well experienced in exporting high quality. Concerning students there is an ongoing supervision and training. Regarding other organization, everything is checked in advance (currently there are not initiatives at this level, if a team would appear, it may join this program later).

Impact Pathway

In 2020, the International Climate Initiative (IKI)-FAP project was established to increase yields by attracting a higher diversity and abundance of pollinators and natural enemies using strips of marketable flowering plants, like spices, oilseeds and vegetables. The same year, the project presented results from Morocco and fine-tuned projects in the five participating countries. National Agricultural Research System partners from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and Turkey learned the FAP approach in an intensive one-week training in Rabat before launching their own projects. The IKI project was also presented at the World Biodiversity Forum in Davos 2020. In 2021, the project worked to enhance agricultural land using marketable habitat enhancement plants (MHEP), more nesting availability, and water support. MHEP prolong flowering times and attract a higher diversity and abundance of pollinators (enhancing productivity of many crops) and natural enemies (reducing pest abundance in the main crop and the need for chemicals). Both effects significantly increase the net income gain to farmers. In October 2022, ICARDA trained 24 trainees in Egypt on the FAP approach. They are expected to train a further 720 Egyptian farmers. Also in 2022, 36 FAP demonstrations were implemented at farmers’ fields in Palestine to collect and identify pollinators and increase crop productivity.

الزراعة بالملقحات البرية (فاب) في الحقول الكبيرة

Author(s): Youssef Bencharki | Pierre Rasmont | Oumayma Ihsane | Moulay Chrif Smaili | Axel Ssymank | Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2023-11-28 | Type: Brochure

Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP) in large scale fields

Author(s): Youssef Bencharki | Pierre Rasmont | Oumayma Ihsane | Moulay Chrif Smaili | Axel Ssymank | Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2023-11-14 | Type: Brochure

الزراعة بالمقحات البرية (فاب) في المناطق شبه الجافة

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann | Pierre Rasmont | Youssef Bencharki | Moulay Chrif Smaili

Date: 2022-11-30 | Type: Brochure

Farming with alternative pollinators’ approach supports diverse and abundant pollinator community in melon fields in a semi-arid landscape

Author(s): Youssef Bencharki | Youssef Bencharki | Stefanie Christmann | Patrick Lhomme | Patrick Lhomme | Oumayma Ihsane | Oumayma Ihsane | Ahlam Sentil | Ahlam Sentil | Insafe El Abdouni | Insafe El Abdouni | Laila Hamroud | Laila Hamroud | Pierre Rasmont | Denis Michez

Date: 2022-11-05 | Type: Journal Article

Wild vegetation and ‘farming with alternative pollinators’ approach support pollinator diversity in farmland

Author(s): Ahlam Sentil | Ahlam Sentil | Sara Reverté | Patrick Lhomme | Patrick Lhomme | Youssef Bencharki | Youssef Bencharki | Pierre Rasmont | Stefanie Christmann | Denis Michez

Date: 2022-08-06 | Type: Journal Article

Diversity and Relative Abundance of Insect Pollinators in Moroccan Agroecosystems

Author(s): Insafe El Abdouni | Insafe El Abdouni | Patrick Lhomme | Stefanie Christmann | Achik Dorchin | Ahlam Sentil | Ahlam Sentil | Alain Pauly | Laila Hamroud | Laila Hamroud | Oumayma Ihsane | Oumayma Ihsane | Sara Reverté | Sebastien Patiny | Thomas J. Wood | Youssef Bencharki | Youssef Bencharki | Pierre Rasmont | Denis Michez

Date: 2022-07-11 | Type: Journal Article

دليل الزراعة بالملقحات البرية

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2022-05-16 | Type: Brochure

Conserving wild bees for crop pollination: efficiency of bee hotels in Moroccan cherry orchards (Prunus avium)

Author(s): Laila Hamroud | Laila Hamroud | Patrick Lhomme | Stefanie Christmann | Ahlam Sentil | Denis Michez | Pierre Rasmont

Date: 2022-03-30 | Type: Journal Article

Impact of the “Farming With Alternative Pollinators” Approach on Crop Pollinator Pollen Diet

Author(s): Ahlam Sentil | Ahlam Sentil | Thomas J. Wood | Patrick Lhomme | Patrick Lhomme | Laila Hamroud | Laila Hamroud | Insafe El Abdouni | Insafe El Abdouni | Oumayma Ihsane | Oumayma Ihsane | Youssef Bencharki | Youssef Bencharki | Pierre Rasmont | Stefanie Christmann | Denis Michez

Date: 2022-03-24 | Type: Journal Article

Encourage Wild Bees

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2022-03-23 | Type: Video

Regard and protect ground-nesting pollinators as part of soil biodiversity

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2022-02-09 | Type: Journal Article

Çiftçi Rehberi : Alternatif Tozlaştırıcılar ile Tarım (ATT)

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2021-11-04 | Type: Brochure

“Farming with Alternative Pollinators” approach increases pollinator abundance and diversity in faba bean fields

Author(s): Ahlam Sentil | Ahlam Sentil | Patrick Lhomme | Patrick Lhomme | Denis Michez | Sara Reverté | Pierre Rasmont | Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2021-10-31 | Type: Journal Article

Farming with Alternative Pollinators benefits pollinators, natural enemies, and yields, and offers transformative change to agriculture

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann | Youssef Bencharki | Soukaina Anougmar | Soukaina Anougmar | Pierre Rasmont | Moulay Chrif Smaili | Athanasios Tsivelikas | Aden A. Aw-Hassan

Date: 2021-09-14 | Type: Journal Article

Video: Pollinator-Loss Syndrome

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2021-05-20 | Type: Video

New ISI publication on enabling factors for farmer-driven pollinator protection

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2021-04-29 | Type: Blog

Two enabling factors for farmer-driven pollinator protection in low- and middle-income countries

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann | Aden A. Aw-Hassan | Yasemin Güler | Hasan Cumhur Sarisu | Marc Bernard | Moulay Chrif Smaili | Athanasios Tsivelikas

Date: 2021-04-28 | Type: Journal Article

Video: Shift focus to farmers' knowledge on pollinators

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2021-04-14 | Type: Video

الزراعة بالملقحات البرية (فاب) في المناطق شبه الجافة

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann | Pierre Rasmont | Youssef Bencharki | Moulay Chrif Smaili

Date: 2021-04-08 | Type: Brochure

الزراعة بالملقحات البرية (فاب) في المناطق ذات تساقطات ملائمة

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann | Pierre Rasmont | Pierre Rasmont | Youssef Bencharki | Moulay Chrif Smaili

Date: 2021-04-08 | Type: Brochure

الزراعة بالملقحات البرية (فاب) في المناطق الجبلية

Author(s): Youssef Bencharki | Stefanie Christmann | Pierre Rasmont | Pierre Rasmont | Moulay Chrif Smaili

Date: 2021-04-08 | Type: Brochure

الزراعة بالملقحات البرية (فاب) في الواحات

Author(s): Oumayma Ihsane | Oumayma Ihsane | Oumayma Ihsane | Stefanie Christmann | Pierre Rasmont | Pierre Rasmont | Youssef Bencharki | Moulay Chrif Smaili

Date: 2021-04-08 | Type: Brochure

Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP) in semi-arid regions

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann | Pierre Rasmont | Youssef Bencharki | Moulay Chrif Smaili

Date: 2021-03-23 | Type: Brochure

Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP) in oasis

Author(s): Oumayma Ihsane | Oumayma Ihsane | Stefanie Christmann | Pierre Rasmont | Youssef Bencharki | Moulay Chrif Smaili

Date: 2021-03-23 | Type: Brochure

Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP) in mountainous regions

Author(s): Youssef Bencharki | Stefanie Christmann | Pierre Rasmont | Moulay Chrif Smaili

Date: 2021-03-23 | Type: Brochure

Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP) in regions with adequate rainfall

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann | Pierre Rasmont | Youssef Bencharki | Moulay Chrif Smaili

Date: 2021-03-23 | Type: Brochure

Gain Better Yields by Protecting Pollinators - Tajik

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2021-03-18 | Type: Video

Gain Better Yields by Protecting Pollinators - Russian

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2021-03-18 | Type: Video

Brochure for agricultural advisors

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2021-03-12 | Type: Blog

Comparative ecology of two specialist bees: Dasypoda visnaga Rossi, 1790 and Dasypoda maura Pérez, 1895 (Hymenoptera, Melittidae)

Author(s): Insafe El Abdouni | Insafe El Abdouni | Patrick Lhomme | Laila Hamroud | Laila Hamroud | Thomas J. Wood | Stefanie Christmann | Pierre Rasmont | Denis Michez

Date: 2021-02-25 | Type: Journal Article

Updated checklist of wild bee species of Morocco

Author(s): Patrick Lhomme

Date: 2021-01-13 | Type: Blog

(دليل الفلاحين: الزراعة بالملحقات البرية (فاب

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2020-12-23 | Type: Brochure

The wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Morocco

Author(s): Patrick Lhomme | Patrick Lhomme | Denis Michez | Stefanie Christmann | Erwin Scheuchl | Erwin Scheuchl | Insafe El Abdouni | Insafe El Abdouni | Laila Hamroud | Laila Hamroud | Oumayma Ihsane | Oumayma Ihsane | Ahlam Sentil | Ahlam Sentil | Moulay Chrif Smaili | Maximilian Schwarz | Holger H. Dathe | Jakub Straka | Alain Pauly | Christian Schmid-Egger | Sebastien Patiny | Michael Terzo | Andreas Müller | Christophe Praz | Stephan Risch | Max Kasparek | Michael Kuhlmann | Thomas J. Wood | Petr Bogusch | John S. Ascher | Pierre Rasmont

Date: 2020-12-07 | Type: Journal Article

Guide for agricultural advisors: Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP)

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2020-10-02 | Type: Brochure

Pollinator protection strategies must be feasible for all nations

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2020-05-11 | Type: Journal Article

Gain Better Yields by Protecting Pollinators - English version

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2020-04-06 | Type: Video

Gain Better Yields by Protecting Pollinators - Arabic version

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2020-04-06 | Type: Video

Climate change enforces to look beyond the plant – the example of pollinators

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2019-12-09 | Type: Journal Article

Guide for farmers Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP)

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann | Patrick Lhomme

Date: 2019-08-28 | Type: Brochure

اعتماد المحاصيل الرئيسية في المغرب على الملقحات

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2019-04-05 | Type: Poster

Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP) Main Pollinators of Eggplant

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2019-04-05 | Type: Poster

Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP) Main pollinators of zucchini

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2019-04-05 | Type: Poster

Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP) Main pollinators of faba bean

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2019-04-04 | Type: Poster

Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP) Main pollinators of apple

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2019-04-03 | Type: Poster

Dependency of main crops in Morocco on pollinators

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2019-04-01 | Type: Poster

Video on Farming with Alternative Pollinators (Arabic Version)

Author(s): Stefanie Christmann

Date: 2019-03-27 | Type: Video

NEWS & EVENTS

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