Adoption of palm tree cultivation techniques by farmers in Anbar Province: Iraq

This study aimed to identify the level of adoption of modern agricultural techniques in palm tree cultivation by farmers in Anbar Province. The study sample consisted of 345 farmers who were randomly selected from different areas of the province. The results showed that the majority of farmers belong to the middle age group and have a good level of education, but most of their orchards are small in size. There was also an acceptable level of awareness of commercial and local varieties, but adherence to some basic practices such as timely pollination and grafting remained limited, along with continued reliance on traditional irrigation at a high rate despite a gradual shift towards drip irrigation. On the other hand, farmers showed good adherence to irrigation during critical periods and after harvest, as well as high adherence to recommended cultivation methods. The results also showed a marked improvement in the use of organic fertilizers, and the study recommended the need to intensify practical extension programs to address weaknesses and support farmers with modern irrigation techniques and mechanical harvesting tools.