Home

Technical Summary
What the project is about

Relevance
Ecological Agriculture in the Middle East

Cooperation
Working together in a troubled region

Sustainability
Water-saving crops of the future

Technical Objectives
See the plants

Evaluation
How the plants are doing

Project Map
See the sites

Format
Where and how

Current Status
Project timeline

Buy Dr. Elaine Solowey's latest book


"Small Steps Towards Abundance: Crops for a More Sustainable Agriculture" on Amazon.com, or from the publisher.
 Germplasm - The 10 Species

Argania spinosa, (the argania tree) is native Morrocan botanical treasure from the Atlas and anti-Atlas mountains which adapts well to sandy, saline and marginal areas. It can be propagated easily by seed and produces nuts, animal food, hardwood poles and timber.

Argania Argania

A very fine edible oil is produced from the nuts with valuable nutritional, medicinal and cosmetic properties. There is a large collection of argania genotypes attached to ENAM which will facilitate the search for productive and hardy types. There is also a 1,000 tree test orchard at the AIES in Israel where appropriate techniques for propagation, irrigation, harvesting and oil extraction have been developed. These two elements, already in place will allow for a swift two-way transfer of information, germplasm and technology.

Argania

Argania



Key references: 1. "The Argan Tree: Source of Edible Oil", Morton and Voss, Economic Botany 41(2) 1987. 2. "Growth and oil production of argan in the Negev desert of Israel", Nerd, Eteshola, Borowy and Mizrachi; Industrial Crops and Products, an International Journal, March 1993. 3."Les problemes Actuels De L'Arganeraie Marocaine", Y Monnier Revue Forestiare Francaises May 1992.



Azdirachta indica, (the neem tree) is the only tree on the germplasm list of project M20-018 that cannot be used as food. But this large, shaggy barked, quick-growing tropical trees has multiple uses and could be very valuable to communities in hot bleak areas.

Neem Tree

The lush foliage provides shade for other crops and human habitations. The hardy neem can also be planted as a wind break ( In India, the neem's native range one in every five houses has a neem tree planted near the door.) Neems are salt tolerant and drought tolerant though temperatures near zero C can kill young trees. Neem has well known insecticidal properties and the leaves and seeds can be made into disinfectants and biologically acceptable anti pest- preparations. The leaves, seeds, bark and twigs of the plant also have medicinal properties and can be used in the preparation of soap, shampoo, toothpaste, ointments and herbal medicines.

Neem Tree

Key references:1. Neem: A Tree for solving global problems, National Academy Press, Washington D.C, 1992 2. Neem: A User's manual, K. Vijaylakshmi, KS Radha, V Shiva, Center for Indian Knowledge Systems, Madras, India 1995. 3. Utilization of Neem and its By-products, C.M. Ketkar, KVIC, Bombay India, 1976


Back to chart




Home | Technical Summary | Relevance | Cooperation | Sustainability
Technical Objectives | Evaluation | Quarantine | Format | Current Status


Contents ® 2000-2005 USAID/MERC except where noted. All rights reserved.
No part of the contents herein may be used or reproduced in any manner without written
permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
For more information on this project, contact Dr. Solowey elaine@desertagriculture.org