In progress
4 ans (2022 – 2026)
Agroecology
Biodiversity
Climate resilience
Food security
7M €
Direct beneficiaries include smallholder farmers, rural communities, and actors within agroecological value chains. Indirectly, consumers, academic institutions, and policymakers in the region will also benefit from the promotion of sustainable diets, improved food system governance, and greater resilience to climate change.
NATAE: Fostering Agroecological Transition in North Africa through Multi-actor, Evaluation, and Networking
North Africa is facing increasing pressures linked to land degradation, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, and the impacts of climate change. These challenges directly threaten the sustainability of agricultural systems, food security, and the livelihoods of rural communities.
In this context, agroecology emerges as a strategic and sustainable alternative. By combining productivity, resilience, and the preservation of natural resources, it promotes farming practices adapted to local specificities and environmental constraints.
The NATAE project aims to support this agroecological transition in North Africa by engaging a wide range of stakeholders—farmers, researchers, NGOs, policymakers, and consumers—around concrete and innovative approaches.
Its main objectives are to:
- Assess and demonstrate the multidimensional benefits of agroecological practices in different contexts (mountains, oases, cereal plains, irrigated valleys).
- Experiment and co-develop solutions through Living Labs that foster collective innovation and ownership by local stakeholders.
- Strengthen agroecological value chains by stimulating demand for sustainable local products and improving market access.
- Create a Mediterranean multi-actor network (MEDAE) to facilitate knowledge-sharing, capitalization of good practices, and regional networking.
- Integrate agroecology into education, training, and public policies, thereby influencing curricula, governance measures, and regulatory frameworks.
By contributing to land and biodiversity preservation, improving the sustainability of agricultural systems, and enhancing climate resilience, NATAE is fully aligned with OSS priorities under the Land & Biodiversity axis.
- Union Européenne - UE
- CIHEAM-IAMM, CIHEAM-Chania, INAT (Tunisia), IAV Hassan II (Morocco), ZALF (Germany), Wageningen University (Netherlands), NGOs (CARI, etc.).
- Identification and testing of optimal combinations of agroecological practices adapted to diverse North African contexts.
- Development and validation of a multidimensional evaluation framework covering environmental, economic, social, nutritional, and governance aspects.
- Measurable improvement in the sustainability of agricultural systems through better management of soils, water, and biodiversity.
- Establishment of more inclusive markets for agroecological products, supported by certification and traceability mechanisms.
- Progressive integration of agroecology into public policies, academic curricula, and agricultural vocational training.
- Strengthening of the MEDAE regional network to foster cooperation, knowledge sharing, and the scaling-up of successful initiatives.
- Enhanced resilience of agricultural territories to climate hazards (droughts, floods, temperature variability).
- Contribution to the restoration of degraded lands and the conservation of vulnerable agro-ecosystems, such as oases and specific terroirs.