RESEARCH PROJECTS
Institutional and technical arrangements for the equitable use of irrigation water through farmers’ water user associations (FWUA) in Lebanon In the absence of institutional co-ordination among water beneficiaries, it is hypothesized that there will be unequal and inefficient distribution of water, as long as farmers get their irrigation water from a common pool. For this reason, institutional and technical arrangements in the form of FWUA are envisaged to solve such irrigation water problems. Thus, the study is designed to determine the conditions and mechanisms to establish FWUAs to improve the efficiency and equity in the distribution of irrigation water in Lebanon. T. Betru. (Supported by URB.) Rate of adoption of improved farm practices in the Bekaa Valley of rural Lebanon A field survey based on random sampling of farmers was conducted to determine the rate of adoption of selected improved farm practices in the Bekaa region of Lebanon. It was found that fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides were widely adopted by the farmers. In this regard, it was recommended that future research needs to focus on the sustainability and consequences of the uses of these farm inputs. With regard to the adoption of irrigation technologies, two scenarios were presented. First, when the rate of adoption of improved irrigation practices was considered with time as a core issue, the significant variables were adoption decision index (time factor), total cultivated area, and farmers’ level of education (R2 = 0.7386, p<0.01). Secondly, when the adoption decision index was removed from the prediction model, the significant variables were total cultivated land and number of irrigation pumps owned by farmers (R2 = 0.1598, p<0.01). T. Betru. (Supported by URB.) Optimal harvesting and delivery schedule of sugar beet in Lebanon: an economic assessment Sugar beet is considered one of the sound alternative crops that can replace illicit crops in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. One of the major concerns associated with this product is the problem of crowding and long waiting time for beet growers during the delivery process of the product to the sugar beet factory. The long waiting time causes problems such as reduction in weight, quality and sweetness content. By establishing a harvesting and delivery schedule among the growers in Bekaa, these problems can be mitigated, if not eliminated. Determining the optimal time of harvesting and delivery is the main objective of this research. The outcome of such a schedule will result in saving the farmers’ money and time and ensuring a more efficient delivery operation for the sugar beet factory. M. R. Darwish. (Supported by URB.) Determining the knowledge base of farmers and assessing the profitability of selected sustainable agricultural practices in Lebanon A
field survey (via questionnaire) to determine the knowledge base and profitability
of selected sustainable agricultural practices in Lebanon was completed
and analyzed. The result revealed that agricultural sustainable practices
were inherent in most farming practices of the sampled farms. Information
on profitability and the final project outcome will be ready soon. B.
Hamdar and T. Betru. (Supported by URB.)
Betru, T., and Long, J.*, Agricultural extension as a development strategy for war-torn countries: the case of Lebanon. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education, 3 (2), 15-22, 1996. Darwish, M., Hamadeh, S., Sarhal, J.* and Hayek, A.*, Economic assessment of biodiversity in Lebanon. UNDP, Project GF/6105-92-72, Publication #8, 2-33, Beirut, Lebanon, 1996. Hamdar, B., An economic efficiency approach to modelling marginal agricultural land conservation. Journal of American Society of Farm Management and Rural Appraisal, 1, 89-92, 1996. Segarra,
E.*, Darwish, M. and Ethridge, D.*, Returns to municipalities from integrating
crop production with wastewater disposal. Journal of Resources, Conservation
and Recycling, 17, 97-107, 1996.
ABSTRACTS, CONFERENCES AND PROCEEDINGS Betru, T., Research and extension linkage strategies in the agricultural higher education institutions in the developing countries. Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education, Arlington, Virginia, USA, 1996. ———, The role of communication variables in the adoption of irrigation technology. Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual Confrence of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education, Arlington, Virginia, USA, 1997. Darwish, M., Hamadeh, S., Sharara, M. and Baalbaki, A.*, Economic assessment of land use shifts in dry land: The case study of Aarsal. Lebanon Dry Land Management Project Workshop, ICARDA, Cairo, Egypt, 1997. Darwish,
M.R., El-Awar, F., Sharara, M. and Hamdar, B., Optimal use of wastewater
in crop production in Lebanon: An environmental-economic approach. Proceedings
of the Regional Seminar on the Use of
Decision Support Systems in Water Resources
Management, organized by the Centre for Environment and Development
for the Arab Region and Europe, Damascus, Syria, 1996.
Sharara, M., Economic feasibility of municipal wastewater reuse in Lebanon (1996). Advisor: M.R. Darwish.
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