Azzam Saleh Ayasa
| Organization | FAO |
|---|---|
| Organization type | International Organization |
| Organization role |
Head of Programme
|
| Country | azzam |
| Area of Expertise |
High value crops value chain development
|
Fifteen years technical and managerial experience in identifying, formulating, managing and monitoring large and medium scale agricultural and food security programmes and projects, with particular focus on agricultural value chain development (size of currently managed portfolio in the WBGS: around USD 40 Million).
Twelve years of experience leading capacity development programmes for produces, cooperatives and groups along the value chain aiming at more profitable and sustainable agricultural production systems and more efficient access to local and international markets.
Ten years of technical leadership for the development and implementation of inclusive, gender sensitive and market oriented programmes and projects aiming at strengthening the livelihood resilience and improving food security of vulnerable small scale female and male farmers, livestock holders and fishers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Twelve years of experience in institutional capacity building of governmental technical services at the strategic and field level (including: marketing, extension, veterinary, plant health, policy and planning, quality standards and certification...etc.) as well capacities of nongovernmental and private sector partners.
Ten years of leading roles in sector wide strategic, operational and technical coordination mechanisms, including the guiding the leadership of the Food Security Sector coordination (Agriculture, Food assistance and Cash assistance) and leading FAO role as the Technical Advisor of the Agriculture Sector Working Group (consisting of donors, government, NGOs and Private Sector engaged in agricultural development in the West Bank and Gaza Strip).
Eight years of leadership roles in policy and strategy support to the government and other actors, including the formulation, roll out and review of the last two National Agriculture Sector Strategies (2011-2013 and 2014-2016), as well as several sub-sectoral strategies and policy papers.
More than 20 research publications in peered scientific journals in the field of plant protection and agricultural development.
Taught a total of 19 academic courses (undergraduate and postgraduate).
EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND
July 2010 - Present
Post title: Head of Programme, FAO WBGS
January 2007 – May 2010
Post title: Senior Agriculture Advisor, FAO WBGS
July 2003 – November 2006
Post title: Capacity Building Coordinator (Food Security and Agriculture), FAO WBGS
July 2003 – June 2009
Post title: Associate Professor and Chair
Dept. of Life Science, Al Quds University, Jerusalem
EDUCATION
Ph.D.- Agricultural Sciences (Excellent), University of Bonn, Germany (1997-2002)
M.Sc.- Agricultural Sciences (Excellent), University of Jordan, Jordan (1994-1996)
B.Sc.- Agricultural Sciences (Excellent), University of Jordan, Jordan (1988-1992)
PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT
Membership in around 20 professional and scientific committees, boards, forums and teams related to agricultural development at global, regional and country level (e.g. Palestinian Export Council, Palestinian Agricultural Disaster Risk Reduction and Insurance Fund, World Bank Expert Team on Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology).
This member participated in the following Forums
Forum The Role of ICTs in Sustainable Crop Production Intensification (SCPI) of horticulture crop based system (mainly fruits, vegetables, roots and tubers)
Do you have any concrete examples of successful use of ICTs in sustainable intensification of horticulture crop based systems
Greetings from Jerusalem and many thanks for keeping us in the loop. It is definitely a great opportunity to participate in the e-Agriculture platform on this important topic.
A short answer to question No 2, comments are welcome:
Sustainable intensification of strawberry production in the West Bank and Gaza Strip using computerized control system (WBGS)
In the WBGS, farmers are achieving a threefold increase in yields with only 70 percent of the water use compared to traditional greenhouse production by growing hanging strawberries. The strawberries are grown in soil-less media using a computerized system controlling the quantity and frequency of irrigation and application of fertilizers.
FAO has facilitated knowledge transfer between farmers in the West Bank already applying this technique, and Gazan farmers. As a result, small-scale farmers in the Gaza Strip have now established 10 dunums of hanging strawberry production. A comparison of production data for strawberries grown in open fields, traditional greenhouses and hanging:
Strawberry Production Open Field Traditional Greenhouse Hanging Strawberries #seedlings/dunum 8,000 8,000 18,000 Production (tons/dunum) 3 4 12 Water use (m3/dunum) 900 1,000 700 Season Mid-Sept-Mid April (yield after 60 days) 1 Sep -1May (yield after 65 days) Mid-Sep -1 June (yield after 50 days)Below is a picture of the Strawberry Production
Dr. Azzama Saleh │ Head of Programme
Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) │ West Bank and Gaza Strip
Mount of Olives St. 26, Sheikh Jarrah │ P.O. Box 22246, Jerusalem 91513
Mobile: +972 (0)54 802 6712 │ Tel: +972 (0)2 5339 402│ Fax: +972 (0)2 540 0027
Email: [email protected] │ Skype: azzam271 │ Website : www.fao.org