“Ecology, Cultivation and Uses of the Prickly Pear”

Increased resilience to drought, increasing temperatures and soil impoverishment, this is what the cultivation of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) offers in a global context impacted by climate change. Aware of the enormous potential of this under-utilized crop, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is working to build and consolidate knowledge around this plant, nicknamed "miracle", in collaboration with the International Center for Agricultural Research in Arid Zones (ICARDA).

In order to boost the dissemination of this knowledge and know-how in Arabic-speaking countries, the FAO Sub-Regional Office for North Africa (FAOSNE) ensured the finalization and official launch in Arabic of the reference document, “Ecology, Cultivation and Uses of the Prickly Pear” in Arabic, through a webinar organized on September 7, 2021. Already available in Spanish, French and English, this seventeen-chapter book covers much historical and scientific information on eco-energy, culture and the uses of the prickly pear, its genetic resources, physiological traits, agro-ecological importance and even its nutritional and medicinal properties. 

The launch, organized as part of the informative webinar series offered by the FAO-ICARDA International Cactus Technical Cooperation Network “CactusNet”, included an official opening by the FAO official in charge of Plant Production and Protection. Two of ICARDA's technical experts, who are members of the coordination team, offered detailed presentations on the production context of the book, its methodology and an overview of its different chapters.  

"With the participation of more than thirty researchers and the contribution of more than twenty universities, institutions and national and international research centers, this edition targets a very wide audience ranging from the community of scientists interested in the cactus to small producers in the four corners of the world”, explained Mounir Louhaichi, head of the research team on the ecology of pastures and fodder at ICARADA and deputy coordinator of the Cactusnet network.

"All this knowledge accumulated around the cactus will help to inform both political decision-makers in their strategic choices but also to guide small, large and medium-sized producers towards an alternative culture capable of guaranteeing food security at the global level in arid and semi-arid areas,” he added. 

In addition to its strong resilience to extreme climatic conditions, the cactus is a multipurpose plant: as fodder for livestock, its fruits and young cladodes are also excellent for human consumption. The cactus may also have applications in industry and medicine.

The development of the productivity of the prickly pear tree is therefore essential as an incomparable alternative because the latter has proved to be capable of restoring degraded soils and constitutes in many countries, such as Ethiopia, the only crop on which we can count when all others are doomed.

"In view of the accentuation in recent years of drought and desertification, especially for the countries of the MENA region which are already suffering from water scarcity, the promotion of cactus cultivation makes perfect sense to generate income for small farmers and fight against the rural exodus”, specifies Mohamed Elhady Sidatt, FAO technical officer in charge of plant production and protection at the SNE office in his opening remarks. 

Furthering the FAO-ICARDA collaboration around this plant and the strengthening the technical capacity of producers, CactusNet will participate in the organization of the tenth International Congress on Cactus and Cochineal, which will be held from March 28 to 31, 2022 in João Pessoa, Paraíba Brazil: a new meeting to boost the cultivation of this miracle plant!

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“Ecology, Cultivation and Uses of the Prickly Pear”