ICARDA date palm sustainability deal targets climate-resilient oases

Monday 1st December 2025

by inAfrika Newsroom

ICARDA date palm sustainability work is set to expand after a new memorandum of understanding with the International Date Palm Council. The ICARDA-led deal, announced on 30 November, focuses on boosting yields, pest resistance and water efficiency in date-growing regions across North Africa and the Middle East.

Date palm already counts as a strategic crop for food security and rural incomes in many dryland countries. It offers fruit, fibre and biomass and can tolerate high heat where other trees fail. However, growers face rising threats from climate change and invasive pests such as the red palm weevil.

The ICARDA date palm sustainability partnership will support joint research, breeding of improved varieties and better irrigation practices. It will also invest in digital tools that help farmers monitor soil moisture and pest risks.

Next steps for ICARDA date palm sustainability

In the next phase, ICARDA and its partners will select pilot oases in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Gulf states for field trials under the ICARDA date palm sustainability programme. These sites will test new irrigation regimes, climate-resilient lines and integrated pest management packages.

Researchers will share data with national extension services so that lessons can move quickly to smallholders. Meanwhile, the consortium plans to engage value-chain actors, including processors and exporters, to reduce post-harvest losses.

Donors are also watching the project as a model for other perennial crops in dry areas, from olives to figs.

Why it matters for ICARDA date palm sustainability

Sustainability efforts link science to livelihoods in some of Africa’s most fragile landscapes. Date oases support food, jobs and microclimates that protect nearby farms. Yet water stress and pest outbreaks can wipe out trees that took decades to mature.

If the new research and partnerships succeed, farmers could secure higher yields with less water and fewer chemical inputs. That would strengthen local economies and reduce pressure for migration. For policymakers, the initiative shows how targeted R&D can anchor climate resilience around crops that communities already trust.