Focus on Jordan field trials for testing and defining LIVINGAGRO innovations in the framework of the project's Living Laboratory 1 (olive multifunctional systems)

Work in progress at the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC) concerning the fields trials to experiment innovations for Mediterranean agroforestry to be defined as one of the main project achievements.

In the framework of the project's establishing Living Laboratory 1 on olive multifunctional systems, since December 2020 LIVINGAGRO partner 2 is implementing a field demonstration for a multifunctional olive system at a private farm in the Jerash area, in northern Jordan. The experimentation activity relies on a study concerning the effect of planting cover crops in olive orchards in order to understand how this practice can influence soil fertility, sustainability of production, olive yield and quality.

Technical pills

The olive grove was divided into four plots. Legume cover crops (broad beans, peas and chickpeas) were planted in three plots, while the fourth plot was left without cover crops for comparison purposes. The cover crops were planted in December 2020 and the first results of the trial can already be observed and measured. After the seeds are harvested, the remainder of the cover crops will be incorporated into the soil to improve its fertility to permit the involved team to evaluate soil fertility, olive yield and oil quality at the end of the season (most likely November 2021).

The "scene" to the final beneficiaries

The experimentation activity is taking place thanks to the important collaboration of the olive grove owner, Mr. Moukhles Salah, who is one of many final beneficairies benefitting from the results and further developments which will arise from this pilot activity and from project outputs in general. Moukhles is extremly happy and motivated of having been involved in such a challenging project and expects from this experimentation to observe results in terms of an income increase given by the cover crops. Additionally, he is confident about using a part of the cover crops yield to feed the livestock raised on his farm.

Watch the video on the Jordan demonstration activity including an interview with the olive groves owner Moukhles Salah HERE