Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program
MERC Project Success Stories
MERC projects have produced significant results with development impact across a wide variety of fields, in particular:
Water, Health, Agriculture and Environment.
WATER
Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli scientists developed a wastewater treatment process which cost effectively produces water for unrestricted use, including irrigation of crops. They have received a second grant to scale up the process from research to village scale production in order to provide water to local farmers and develop a detailed price estimate for the water on a larger scale. The new project is co-funded by USAID and regional donors.
Two MERC-funded joint Israeli-Jordanian-Palestinian studies on water quality along the Jordan River completely changed the understanding of the source of salts in the river. The results showed that the river is impacted both by saline groundwater and swage effluents. These studies concluded that properly treated wastewater could have a positive impact on the health of the river.
After an artificial-wetland wastewater treatment technology developed by a Palestinian-Israeli-Egyptian MERC partnership was successfully demonstrated in a West Bank village, the Palestinian partners on the project reported that neighboring communities are adopting the technology and constructing similar treatment facilities using local resources and funds from other donors. In addition, a resource center was constructed in the West Bank with laboratories for graduate research and for training technicians to monitor treatment plant operations. When fully operation it is also expected to include facilities for educational tours and school workshops, similar to the activities taking place at the project’s original pilot site at an Arab town in north Israel.
The culmination of a joint Jordanian-Palestinian-Israeli feasibility study on the proposed canal between the Red and Dead Seas produced recommendations that were incorporated by the World Bank’s Terms-of-Reference, which will guide future decisions on the project. In addition, government officials, researchers and a media group gathered to hear the research findings and discuss the ramifications of the proposed canal linkage. to top
HEALTH
A joint team of 28 Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian researchers have developed a new physical therapy regimen to strengthen and integrate children afflicted with cerebral palsy (CP) into their respective societies. Through their research they have also established centers that attract new patients as well as neighborhood children to their educational programs. Ultimately, the project led to a better acceptance of children with disabilities by their local communities.
Palestinian and Israeli physicians are currently conducting a study to correlate acute myocardial infarction with established and novel risk factors in Arabs and Israelis. During patient screening, the physicians discovered many undiagnosed or misdiagnosed diseases, most often diabetes, and initiated treatment regimens for study participants.
A Palestinian-Israeli project on the debilitating skin disorder Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) found the disease to have a different genetic signature than originally assumed; impacting the prognosis of those affected. This project with additional outside funding also established EB referral centers in Bethlehem and Haifa where people diagnosed with EB go for early intervention, treatment and help to improve their quality of life.
A recently initiated joint project between scientists from Israel and the Gaza Strip aims to measure the extent of lead poisoning in children. In initial studies, they found that about 30% of blood samples in Gaza contained high lead levels. Children whose lead levels exceed acceptable values are referred for treatment. Israelis and Palestinians work together to transfer testing kits and medication across the Gaza Strip border.
As a result of two MERC projects evaluating substance abuse in Gaza, Israel and Egypt, the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) developed by the Israeli scientist has been translated into Arabic and English and is now becoming an established tool in the participating countries. In addition, other countries such as Morocco are starting to use it as well. to top
AGRICULTURE
Scientists from Israel and Morocco identified and tested salt and drought tolerant cultivars of argania nut and marula fruit. Local farmers have been planting the varieties to produce food and utilize arid, saline soils in both countries.
Researchers funded by MERC held their initial molecular biology training session with American, Israeli and Egyptian scientists for agricultural disease detection. The meeting trained 30 Egyptian scientists to detect and identify viruses and fungi infecting strawberry crops. As a result, the project has now determined two major viral and one prominent fungal threat to the Egyptian crops.
Research completed by Israeli and Jordanian scientists developed into a joint program by the two governments aimed at controlling the Mediterranean fruit fly. Using techniques developed through the research project, the scientists release sterile flies on both sides of the border in a coordinated operation to curb crop damage. The two governments also created a public outreach campaign through a website, CD distribution and appearances on Jordanian television.
Jordanian and Israeli beekeepers developed a research program assessing pollen used by bees, treating bee diseases and monitoring honey quality. These activities assist farmers in selecting flowers to cultivate bees, keeping them healthy and producing honey for sale. Through workshops and outreach they have expanded beekeeping and honey production as an income generating activity to nearly a thousand Jordanian farmers.
An Egyptian-Israeli MERC project identified a primary route through which mango malformation disease, which can devastate fruit yields, is spread to new seedlings. The scientists developed cost-effective methods to reduce disease transmission. They also produced and distributed 5,000 pamphlets in Arabic to Egyptian farmers with simple guidelines to significantly reduce the spread of infection.
A joint Egyptian-Israeli MERC project successfully induced spawning of grey mullet in captivity, a major technical accomplishment which would ultimately lead to the elimination of the current practice of capturing the larval-stage fish in the wild.
A MERC project involving Israel and six Arab countries has developed tomato lines and hybrids resistant to tomato yellow leaf curl virus, one of the most costly horticulture diseases throughout the world. The MERC scientists have successfully tested their resistant germplasm against the strains of the virus found in each of the seven Middle East countries. The project also used conventional and marker-assisted breeding of resistant tomatoes with local tomato lines to yield local consumer-preferred characteristics in size, taste and shape, which vary widely among the countries in the region. Furthermore, the scientists have shared their resistant material with colleagues in Central America and Western and Southern Africa where this type of virus has also been identified as a major agricultural problem. to top
ENVIRONMENT
Israeli and Jordanian scientists are working together to accurately map the fault lines in the land and marine regions of the Gulf of Aqaba. This area is developing rapidly, especially on the Jordanian side. The researchers are compiling data to assist the Jordanian government and developers avoid earthquake hazards by creating appropriate building codes.
In response to coral reef damage in the Gulf of Aqaba, Israeli and Jordanian researchers developed and installed an artificial coral reef in the Red Sea. After a few weeks, marine life began to colonize the structure and the artificial reef also drew divers away from more sensitive marine areas. A second reef installation is planned in Jordanian waters near the Saudi Arabian border.
A joint project between Jordan and Israel studied the effects of land development on biodiversity. In the process, they trained several Jordanian Master’s degree students and discovered many new insect species and at least five new spider species. to top
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