site, where the work is led by ICARDA and coordinated by Dr Osman. The difference between the improved land and that left to nature was quite evident to the participants. A detailed review of crop rotation trials was made for them by ICARDA's Faik Bahhady, focusing on the effect of the forage legumes (especially vetch) on grain and straw production of the cereal as well as on the soil. A visit to one of the wheat fields was made where participants saw a very good wheat crop following vetch. "Crop rotation using vetch has become a regular practice for us due to its benefits," confirmed one of the farmers.
        At Tel Tahin, participants also listened to farmers' experiences with vetch cultivation and the positive results they obtained. Farmers there also stressed the importance of land preparation, and confirmed the real benefit obtained from the technology.  "ICARDA used to persuade us to follow this and other practices, providing all the necessary equipment. At first we were not convinced, but later as we made gains we started chasing ICARDA seeking its help," remarked Abou Hassan to the participants.
        The next day of the tour was devoted to visiting the steppe, where ICARDA is leading a very important project on intercropping shrubs with barley for grazing. The first stop was at Korbatia, where Dr Osman demonstrated to the participants how shrubs (Atriplex spp.) are intercropped with the barley crop to be grazed by the sheep later with the stubble. In the steppe, where the annual precipitation does not exceed 150 mm and soil may be affected by salinity, shrubs can provide a very good source of feed for the sheep (see Shrubs could help save the steppe in Caravan No. 3).

o one on earth can persuade farmers of the benefits of the new technology better than other farmers. So the methodology being used at Yakhour (see The Good Earth) is not confined to that project. Recently, a similar activity was organized by the ICARDA Pasture, Forage and Rangeland Program as an input into the Mersa Matrouh Project in Egypt.  This project is an Egyptian initiative to raise agricultural production sustainably in the coastal strip between the Mediterranean and the hot, arid lands to the south. ICARDA is assisting the project through technical back-up in collaboration with the Egyptian national program. As part of it, it was decided to invite a group of farmers from Mersa Matrouh to Syria to show them the work being done jointly by the Center's scientists and local farmers on cereal/legume rotations and on rangeland rehabilitation with shrubs.
        Between 4 and 6 March 1997, at El Bab (60 km northeast of Aleppo) and Maragha (120 km northwest of Aleppo) research sites, five farmers and six technicians from Egypt had a chance to exchange views with their Syrian counterparts.

        The tour started at Bershaya site in El-Bab, where scientists and local farmers briefed the Egyptian farmers about the history of the crop-rotation experiments which have been running since 1986/87 and the benefits obtained by farmers in that village. This technology has been designed to combat falling cereal yields and, at the same time, provide an alternative feed source for small ruminants (see Feed for the future in Caravan No. 1). Commenting on this, Mr Abou Hassan, the first farmer in the village with whom ICARDA started working, said that back then farmers were not convinced of the benefits of the rotation trials: "In 1986/87, only two hectares were planted to vetch, with all the seed and fertilizer provided by ICARDA. Now more than 170 ha are planted to the same crop with the seed and fertilizer being provided by the farmers themselves,"  said Abou Hassan. "The number of farmers associated with ICARDA has jumped from three in 1990/91 to about 40 in 1996/97."
        The next stop was at Batajek, where ICARDA is leading a land rehabilitation project. The local farmers demonstrated to the participants how land which was totally degraded due to overgrazing has now improved considerably after phosphate fertilization and sowing with native pasture legumes, protecting it during critical times of the year, but still having it open for grazing most of  the time.
        "We have benefitted a lot from introducing forage legumes to our degraded land. Our sheep gained a lot of weight and started mating," said Abou Ziad, one of ICARDA's cooperating farmers there. According to ICARDA pasture ecologist Dr Ahmed Osman, productivity has increased 6-10 times that of the neighboring land.
        The tour continued to several other sites. At one, farmers were shown another Marginal Land Rehabilitation

        A visit was also made to Abeesan Protected Land, which belongs to the Ministry of Agriculture. This project was established in 1995 with an area of 7000 ha. It includes all kinds of shrubs and aims at improving the rangeland and the plant cover. One-year-old plants were sown there. Dr Osman commented that this was a very good step taken by the government, because this land was communal land and was overgrazed. Protecting it is a very important social component not only for improving the land, but also for confining its grazing to the neighboring farmers and sheep owners, compensating them for what they had lost earlier from communal grazing.
        Several questions were asked  by Egyptian farmers on the practices used in planting, in an attempt to benefit from the experience of the local workers. The government plans to use about 50,000 ha in fodder-shrub planting. So far, 25,000 ha in Aleppo Province have been used in this way. The average annual rainfall at Abeesan is 150-180 mm.
        Will the Mersah Matrouh farmers adopt the technology they saw on this trip? Only if it suits their plans. But they are certainly more likely to adopt after discussing it with other farmers who have already done so. Nobody wants to make a leap in the dark. So farmer-to-farmer consultation, sponsored by ICARDA, looks certain to continue.