CONTEXT
Mediterranean agro-ecosystems are increasingly affected by environmental changes, such as droughts and soil degradation, increasing their vulnerability of agricultural systems to climate change, threatening food security and local livelihoods. In the face of these challenges, agroforestry and mixed farming can be identified as alternative farming practices that help improve resilience by conserving biodiversity and livelihood diversity, reduce the use of non-renewable external inputs and improve ecosystem service provisioning. Despite the benefits of agroforestry and mixed farming systems, the adoption of these practices by farmers is still limited. Given the increasing complexity of agroforestry and mixed-farm agro-ecosystems, innovative management approaches that consider the social and environmental dimensions of agricultural change are needed.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
MA4SURE is working on:
- Identifying synergies between agricultural production units (land and livestock) to improve management, avoid waste and improve water use ultimately offsetting greenhouse gas emissions of agricultural activities and contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
- Assessing the viability and replicability of Mediterranean efficient and resilient agroecosystems by testing local crop/tree combinations to find the selection of species, breeds, and landraces best adapted to Mediterranean site-specific requirements.
- Examining the scenarios leading to sustainable land-use systems capable of supporting crop and woody plant productivity while improving soil quality, agri-food value chains and green infrastructures as ecosystem services provider.
- Understanding the dynamics between actors, institutions, and their territory and the resulting obstacles and opportunities for agricultural innovation in the different regions to promote an inclusive socioeconomic approach to agroforestry/mixed farming systems implementation.
Vision
Based on MA4SURE results and recommendations, the project will guide farmers, institutions and policymakers towards strengthening their capacity to formulate long-term strategies for restoring and improving Mediterranean agroecosystems for an agroecological transition in the Mediterranean under climate change scenarios.
APPROACH AND DESCRIPTION
Considering the complex relationship between society and nature, shaped by the exchange of materials, energy, and information, the MA4SURE takes an integrated and multiscalar socio-ecological approach, combining the socio-metabolic framework with social science and agronomic methods to study the implementation and adoption of agroforestry and mixed farming practices in the Mediterranean.
The MA4SURE project is a collaboration of an interdisciplinary consortium of 7 research centres working together in 4 case studies from 4 Mediterranean countries (Italy, Spain, Egypt, and Tunisia). The international and interdisciplinary character of the research benefits from a broad perspective and expertise, fosters communication between the participating countries and encourages the development of a coherent scientific framework and policy recommendations.
The effective interaction between socio-political, economic, and environmental domains is one of the main strengths of the project. Using a combination of different research tools, including survey-based qualitative approaches and quantitative modelling, the complex and multifunctional nature of Mediterranean agro-ecosystems practicing mixed farming and agroforestry will be elucidated through case studies.
A central component of the project is the presentation of key results to relevant stakeholders and parts of society, promoted via the online learning platform and in-person events.
CONSORTIUM MEMBERS
Joan Marull
Mohamed Yousri Hashem
Donatella Paffetti
Hojka Kraigher
Jaume Gramona
Amr Sabahy
Marco Locatelli
Alia Gana
ASSOCIATED MEMBERS
Shorouk Abouleish
TEAM
Alia Gana
Alice Checcucci
Amr Sabahy
Antonio Pescatore
Cristina Vettori
Dalia Mohamed
Donatella Paffetti
Enric Tello
Hojka Kraigher
Irene Carpentier
Islam Atef Kandeel
Katja Sonnenschein
Lucia Grossi
Luigi Fabbrini
Marco Napoli
Nada Mohamed
Rehab Ibrahim
Roberta Ferrante
Saber Fayez
Soazig Darnay
Stefania Lombardo
Tarik Serrano Tovar
Teresa Martínez Díaz
