Intercropping between date palms in oases

NATAE Practice abstract n. 5: Synergies. Working Package 7. A NATAE practice abstract is a summary that describes an agroecological practice that can be used as a valuable resource by farmers, researchers, policy makers, and other stakeholders interested in adopting or promoting agricultural practices that contribute to sustainability, productivity, and competitiveness in the agricultural sector. The document describes intercropping between date palms in North African oases as an agroforestry strategy that uses wide tree spacing to introduce diverse crops. Multi‑storey systems with fruit trees, legumes, cereals and fodder species create a humid microclimate, reduce wind and water erosion, suppress weeds, and enhance soil organic matter and nitrogen. Intercropping supports pest regulation, enables livestock integration through fodder, and diversifies farmers’ income and diet. The text stresses choosing drought‑adapted species, careful spacing, irrigation, fertilisation and rotations, while managing competition for resources and shared pests such as the date moth.