The project aims to conduct a pilot study to assess the tolerance of Aloe Vera towards prevailing salinity conditions in the Jordan Valley, inorder to examine the viability of Aloe Vera as an economic environmental sustainability solution for small-scale farmers through cultivating 3500 Alo Vera seedlings, managing the demo and monitor the growth and survival rates of the plants, facilitating the market linkages between the beneficiaries and private sector for mature Alovera sale, selecting two women cooperative, conducting training for women farmers on cultivation, how to care for plants and harvesting, etc.
Despite the proven economic importance of Alo vera, studies of saline stress and its effects on the biochemistry and mineral content in tissues of this plant are scares. The objective of this study was to grow Aloe vera under different conditions of saline water and shading.
The project piloted the tolerance of Alo Vera plant to prevailing salinity conditions as a mean to climate change adaptation/mitigation in the area. This pilot is aligned with the Palestinian Government national strategies and Environmental Quality Authority (EQA)?s strategy and its priority NDC partnership Climate Action related to water, agriculture and gender. According to EQA signed UN framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and our AloVera project fall easily under this framework.
The project outputs and results fitted very well under the priority areas of GEF/SGP . It supported the farmers? adaptation to climate change impacts in the Jordan Vally. It introduced a new high value crop to combat the water and soil salinity and combated desertification and land degradation and would lead to sustainable land use in the area.
The project also falls under the SDG 2 (zero Huner), SDG12 (Responsible Consumption and production), SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG17 (partnership for Goals) Which all appears in the following results:
The project aimed to conduct a pilot study to assess the tolerance of Alo Vera towards prevailing salinity condition in the Jordan Valley of the West Bank, inorder to examine the viability of Aloe Vera as an economic-environmental sustainability solution for small-scale farmers. Alo Vera cultivation and processing model was successful in other countries as a mean to improve small-scale farmers? adaptability to climate change impacts, improve their income, livelihood and resilience conditions.
The pilot opened an opportunity window for women farmers, in order to improve their resilience and adaptation to climate change that is of a form of saline irrigation water adaptation in agriculture. This project has facilitated a private sector represented by Al-Hithnawi company and public partnership represented by women cooperatives along the value-chain as an important driver for sustainability.
The project piloted the cultivation of Alo-vera at the Arab development Society ADS under high salinity environment 1600-3600 ppm where Aloe vera tolerance towards existing salinity conditions was assessed and the results appears as following
Long term environmental and socio-economic benefits that were achieved by the project
If the production of aloe vera gel is proven to be feasible and economically viable farmers and women will be encouraged through a follow up phase to grow this plant on unused land helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and as a means of combating desertification. This project will help local entrepreneurs especially woman?s cooperatives active in the region to scale up their activities and strengthen local economics, tackle poverty and improve livelihoods, while promoting the sustainable use of resources and ecosystems. The grantee would utilize this pilot as a demonstration farm to show case to interested farmers and would also document and disseminate the lessons learned through procures as well.
The project has a positive impact on the environment Alo vera cultivation easily integrated in the natural ecosystem It promotes eco sustainable productive techniques for the efficient utilization of natural resources to combat salinity and improve the cultivation in arid and semiarid soils to fight the growing desertification to create an organic mass for retention of water and humidity to improve the efficiency of water utilization and of the irrigation systems The yield of Aloe Vera gel under saline water 1600-3600 and shading 40% and 80% proved to be feasible the farmers would be encouraged to cultivate this plant in unproductive lands helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and as a mean to combat desertification This project helped local entrepreneurs especially women cooperatives who are active in the region to scale up their activities to boost local economics tackle poverty and improve livelihoods while promoting the sustainable use of resources and ecosystems
In general this pilot will have appositive impact on the environment as well as on the socio-economic status of farmers aloVera cultivation would easily integrate in the natural ecosystem It would promote eco sustainable productive techniques for the efficient utilization of natural resources to combat salinity and improve the cultivation in arid and semiarid soils to fight the growing desertification to create and organic mass for retention of water and humidity to improve the efficiency of water utilization and of the irrigation systems.
It also opened new supplement income generating opportunities for small scale farmers especially women to reduce their vulnerability and strengthen the resilience of agriculture productions in the area.
The grantee facilitated the marketing linkages between women farmers and a processing plant during the project lifetime and private sector will continue beyond the projects end.