Tunis, le 22 novembre 2024.Le séminaire de clôture du projet «Actions préliminaires pour la constitution de bioterritoires tunisiens » s’est tenu à Tunis auprès de l’Hotel Mechtel. Le projet – financé par la Coopération italienne à hauteur de 1 million d’euros pour une durée de 24 mois – a atteint environ un millier de personnes parmi les entrepreneurs de la filière biologique, les fonctionnaires des institutions publiques compétentes, les acteurs des filières complémentaires et les organisations de la société civile.
Le projet «Actions préliminaires pour la constitution de bioterritoires tunisiens», débuté en Novembre 2022, a eu pour objectif général de promouvoir le développement local afin de supporter les activités productives, les services, l’emploi, l’entreprenariat, la créativité et l’innovation, en encourageant la formalisation et le développement de micro, petites et moyennes entreprises à travers la valorisation des ressources génétiques et naturelles et du savoir-faire local.
Ce projet vise la mise en place de cinq zones pilotes spécialisées dans la production et les services en accord avec les principes de l’agriculture biologique, grâce à une analyse de préfaisabilité et à la définition des mécanismes nécessaires à leur activation. Le cinq bioterritoires pilotes ont été établis dans les sites suivants : Haouaria, dans le Gouvernorat de Nabeul, Sejnane, dans le Gouvernorat de Bizerte, Kesra, dans le Gouvernorat de Siliana, Majel Bel Abbes, dans le Gouvernorat de Kasserine et Hazoua, dans le Gouvernorat de Tozeur.
L’initiative, financée par la Coopération Italienne, a été réalisée par le Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes de Bari – CIHEAM Bari, en partenariat avec la Direction Générale de l’Agriculture Biologique – DGAB, du Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Ressources Hydrauliques et de la Pêche Maritime – MARHPM.
Le séminaire de clôture du projet s’est tenu à la présence du Secrétaire d’Etat auprès du Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Ressources Hydrauliques et de la Pêche, M. Hamadi Habaieb, SE L’Ambassadeur d’Italie, M. Alessandro Prunas, le Directeur du CIHEAM Bari, M. Maurizio Raeli, le Directeur adjoint du CIHEAM Bari, M. Biagio Di Terlizzi, la Directrice par intérim du Bureau Régional de l’AICS en Tunisie, Mme Annamaria Meligrana, le Directeur General de International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements – IFOAM Europe, M. Eduardo Cuoco, et le Directeur Général de la DGAB du MARHPM, M. Khaled Sassi.
Parmi les participants on note également la présence de la représentante du Ministère de l’Economie et de la Planification, Mme Emna Araar, de la chargée de la présidence de l’IRESA , Professeure Zohra Lili Chabaane, des Commissaires au Développement Agricole des 5 sites pilotes ciblés par le projet, ainsi que les représentants des biodistretti italiens du Cilento, de la Via Amerina e delle Forre, des Lame et de la Val di Vara.
Lors de son discours d’ouverture, Secrétaire d’Etat auprès du Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Ressources Hydrauliques et de la Pêche, M. Hamadi Habaieb a souligné l’importance de l’agriculture biologique en tant que système agricole durable et compétitif, capable d’élever la position de la Tunisie sur la scène mondiale dans la production biologique et d’accroître les exportations de produits bio tunisiens de haute qualité. Il a également affirmé que le développement des bioterritoires tunisiens peut stimuler la croissance sociale et économique locale, protéger l’environnement, préserver la biodiversité et renforcer l’économie locale, régionale et nationale, tout en améliorant les conditions de vie des communautés, en fournissant aux jeunes des intéressantes opportunités de travail.
S.E. L’Ambassadeur d’Italie, M. Alessandro Prunas, a souligné l’importance du soutien à la création des bioterritoires tunisiens, qui s’inscrit dans une démarche visant à promouvoir un modèle de développement rural intégré et équitable. Cette initiative favorise la collaboration entre les producteurs, les institutions et les communautés locales, dans le but d’améliorer la qualité des produits et leur compétitivité sur les marchés locaux et internationaux.
Le Directeur du CIHEAM Bari, M. Maurizio Raeli a souligné comment en s’appuyant sur une approche holistique, cette initiative a permis d’élaborer des lignes directrices pour la création de nouveaux bioterritoires en Tunisie, premier pays du continent africain à adopter cette démarche innovante, déjà testée avec succès en Italie.
De son côté, la Directrice par interim de l’AICS Tunis, Mme Annamaria Meligrana, a rappelé que ce projet est emblématique pour plusieurs raisons, en particulier en ce qui concerne le soutien et la promotion d’un entrepreneuriat durable et créatif. La Coopération Italienne reste engagée dans le soutien aux opérateurs des bioterritorires et prévoit de mettre en place un système d’accompagnement technique et financier qui permettra aux zones pilotes de se développer davantage sur le modèle de l’expérience des biodistretti italiens.
Le Directeur General de l’IFOAM Europe, M. Eduardo Cuoco a souligné l’énorme potentiel des bioterritoires pour le développement rural durable, en rapprochant les producteurs biologiques avec leurs communautés, la population locale et la société civile.
Le Directeur Général de la DGAB, M. Khaled Sassi a indiqué que les bioterritoires encouragent des formes innovantes de durabilité des ressources locales à travers la participation de tous les secteurs impliqués. Ce projet a aussi permis de développer les 5 zones pilotes, identifiées depuis 2014 grâce à une étude préliminaire financée par le budget du Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Ressources Hydrauliques et de la Pêche. De plus, des facteurs clés ont été identifiés pour le développement du tissu rural et la création d’opportunités d’emploi pour les jeunes et les femmes du milieu rural, notamment au sein des structures professionnelles telles que les entreprises coopératives ou les SMSA et GDA.
Le projet «Actions préliminaires pour la constitution de bioterritoires tunisiens» a permis d’identifier un système de gouvernance pour les cinq zones pilotes ainsi que de promouvoir et définir les instruments pour supporter les acteurs des filières identifiées. Cette initiative souhaite devenir un exemple concret pour la constitution d’autres bioterritoires.
14 Paesi del Mediterraneo e dell’Africa rappresentati da 34 organizzazioni di supporto alle imprese tra incubatori, acceleratori e business cluster, 21 start up, 30 imprese italiane, 14 organizzazioni internazionali, sono i numeri della IV edizione della Mediterranean Innovation Agrifood Week che prenderà il via il prossimo 26 novembre, alle ore 18.30, al Kursaal Santalucia di Bari, per poi proseguire fino al 29 nel Campus Cosimo Lacirignola del CIHEAM Bari.
Organizzata dal CIHEAM Bari con il supporto del MIP - Partenariato Mediterraneo per l'Innovazione, con la media partnership di RAI e La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno, la MIA Week rappresenta un'occasione di confronto e condivisione di idee tra i Paesi del Mediterraneo sul rafforzamento delle organizzazioni di supporto a imprese e start up, ai processi di innovazione e creazione d'impresa per finalizzare partenariati duraturi con i Paesi africani, con particolare attenzione ai temi di resilienza dei giovani, cooperazione con le imprese italiane e “Sistema Paese”.
Il tema di quest’anno è: The Future is Young: open collaboration for innovative visions. L’obiettivo è rafforzare e ampliare le sinergie tra istituzioni, organizzazioni, incubatori e imprese, sostenendo così l'evoluzione degli ecosistemi dell’innovazione nel Mediterraneo e, sulla spinta del Piano Mattei, in Africa per costruire un futuro di opportunità per i giovani.
Nell'edizione 2024, il palco del Kursaal Santalucia ospiterà Eugenio Bennato in concerto, preceduto da una discussione sui temi Mediterraneo, Giovani e Innovazione tra Michele Emiliano, presidente della Regione Puglia, Vito Leccese, sindaco di Bari, Maurizio Raeli, direttore del CIHEAM Bari e Damiano Petruzzella, ideatore dell’iniziativa e responsabile del settore innovazione del CIHEAM Bari. L'incontro sarà moderato da Marisa Ingrosso, giornalista de La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno.
La tre giorni prevede un programma ricchissimo tra panel, workshop, keynote, laboratori di co-design, master class, incontri tra imprese, showcase di start up e networking focalizzati su temi cruciali, tra cui il ruolo degli incubatori d’impresa nello sviluppo degli ecosistemi in Africa e nel Mediterraneo, la potenzialità di partnership pubblico-privato nella transizione dei sistemi alimentari sostenibili, il valore dell’innovazione nei processi di cambiamento delle imprese, la valorizzazione dei talenti in Africa e nel Mediterraneo.
On 8 November, the certificate award ceremony of the second edition of the ‘Advanced Specialised Course: Precision Agriculture for the Mediterranean Region,’ organised by CIHEAM Bari, took place in Bologna, hosted by EIMA, the leading international exhibition for the agricultural mechanisation industry.
The event marked a significant milestone for the 13 participants coming from Mediterranean, African, and Balkan countries, as they had the opportunity to interact with the experts from the companies involved in the course. They were able to explore technological innovations showcased by other companies, particularly within the EIMA Digital Area, further expanding the knowledge already acquired throughout the programme.
The ceremony was opened by Mariateresa Maschio, President of FederUnacoma, and Biagio Di Terlizzi, Deputy Director of CIHEAM Bari, who emphasised the valuable collaboration between the two organisations, which was crucial to the success of the course.
Anna Maria D'Onghia, joined by tutors Stefania Gualano and Paolo Fiume, outlined the course objectives and programme. She introduced the three working groups from the second edition, who provided an overview of the concept notes they developed during the course. These notes reflected the knowledge they had gained by exploring cutting-edge "AgriDigital" solutions designed to optimise agricultural management and enhance production efficiency.
Smart crop mapping for precise agricultural data by the working group “Balkans” (Bosnia, Kosovo, North Macedonia)
Use of precision agriculture in crop systems for sustainable intensification, enhancing water use and soil fertility, in the MENA region by the “MENA” working group (Algeria Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Tunisia)
Adoption of integrated weather stations and Decision Support Systems (DSS) to enhance agricultural productivity in East Africa by the working group “East Africa” (Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda).
The presentation of the concept notes was the highlight of the ceremony, allowing participants to share their vision for advancing Precision Agriculture in their respective countries. Their approaches emphasised not only technological innovation but also the sustainability of these technologies within their local contexts, the importance of conducting research prior to up-scale, and the creative need to tailor existing technologies to better address specific local requirements.
The event wrapped up with the students receiving their certificate and a family photo taken with the experts attending the fair, whose significant support contributed greatly to the success of the course.
A sincere thank you goes to everyone who helped make the course a remarkable achievement. In particular, we extend our deepest gratitude to Fabio Ricci and Alessio Bolognesi of FederUnacoma for their invaluable contributions—not only to the programme, but, above all, to the organisation of the certificate award ceremony in Bologna, in the internationally renowned setting of EIMA.
The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29), taking place from 11 to 22 November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan, brings together world leaders, stakeholders and climate experts to address the most pressing climate issues. The COP29 agenda focuses on strengthening commitments to limit global warming to 1.5°C, increasing climate finance and promoting adaptation and resilience measures.
On October 7, in the framework OrganicTargets4EU (OT4EU) project, the Italian National Workshops on the Organic Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) and on a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for organics were held at CIHEAM Bari campus.
The event gathered twelve participants, representatives from AIAB Friuli V. Giulia, Coldiretti Bio, CREA PB, FederBIO servizi, Fileni BIO, FIRAB, ISMEA, Polytechnic University of Marche, and others.
The twelve participants discussed the current advisory system for the organic sector in Italy, what the future advisory system should look like, and how to get there. They also exchanged on organic research needs and priorities.
The results of these fruitful discussions were a list of priority actions for increasing the availability and capacity of the Italian organic advisory services and a list of research & innovation thematic priorities to enrich TP Organics SRIA research areas.
The following day, the group took part also to the Italian national backcasting workshop in which using the ‘backcasting’ methodology, attendees reflected on a national Italian scenario already pre-defined by experts that reaches the F2F target for organic farming (25% of agricultural land under organic farming) by 2040 and the different milestones and actions needed to reach it. They used the results of this discussion to create a detailed, multi-faceted hypothetical transition pathway to 2040, which was the main outcome of the workshop.
The OrganicTargets4EU project is funded by the Horizon Europe program and lasts for three years, until February 2026.
The delegation visiting our Institute included:
H.E. Shukralla Begard Dlshad – Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources
Alobaidi Abdulkareem Sulaiman – Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources
Ismail Halkawt and Abdalrahman – Directors General of Horticulture, Forestry, and Pastures
Ghafour Talan Zrar – Director of Legal Affairs
The visit aimed to strengthen the AICS-funded KORES project, focused on enhancing both the quantity and quality of olive oil production in Kurdistan, while also exploring further opportunities for collaboration and training.
Tripoli hosted CIHEAM Bari at the Libyan-Italian Business Forum and the Fisheries and Agriculture Exhibition, organised by the Italian-Libyan Chambers of Commerce upon the initiative of Prime Ministers Meloni and Dbeibah. The event saw the active participation of the Italian Embassy in Libya and ICE (Italian Trade Agency), and was attended by more than 100 representatives of Italian companies.
Experts Gian Pietro Testolin and Orazio Albano presented CIHEAM Bari's initiatives in the fisheries and agriculture sectors, reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to strengthening fishing and aquaculture capacities in Libya.
The event provided a platform for numerous Libyan and Italian officials, along with the industry's leading companies, to exchange ideas and outline pathways for sustainable development. The participation of Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah underscored the institutional support and the significance of Libyan-Italian cooperation in promoting the country's economic growth.
Rabat hosts the 12th Meeting of Ministers from Member States of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM)
The Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests of the Kingdom of Morocco, Mr. Ahmed EL Bouari, alongside Ms. Frida KRIFCA, President of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), chaired the 12th CIHEAM Ministerial Meeting on Friday, October 25, 2024, in Rabat. The meeting brought together Ministers of Agriculture, including Mr. Luis PLANAS PUCHADES (Spain), Mr. Francesco LOLLOBRIGIDA (Italy), Mr. Anton REFALO (Malta), and heads of delegations from the 13 CIHEAM member countries, as well as representatives of intergovernmental and international organizations. Recorded messages were also shared by Ms. Anila DENAJ, Minister of Albania, and Mr. Abbas AL HAJJ HASSAN, Minister of Lebanon.
This high-level meeting continues the political dialogues initiated by CIHEAM since its establishment, placing sustainable agriculture and food at the heart of Mediterranean cooperation. Amidst a region-wide poly-crisis, these strategic sectors for food security are seen as vital levers for promoting inclusive development and shared prosperity across the Mediterranean region.
The central theme of this edition, “A Mediterranean Approach to Food Sovereignty: Concerns and Impacts on Sustainable Agri-Food Systems,” emphasizes ways to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable and resilient agricultural and food systems, including the “blue transformation,” in response to challenges such as climate change and water scarcity. Special focus is given to the inclusion of rural communities, particularly youth and women, across agri-food value chains.
CIHEAM: A Key Player in Mediterranean Dialogue and Cooperation
Since 1962, CIHEAM has been committed to agricultural and rural development in the Mediterranean through training, research, policy dialogue, and international cooperation. The 12th Ministerial Meeting follows in the tradition of CIHEAM’s landmark gatherings, aiming to ensure a Mediterranean dialogue space on strategic and emerging issues and to develop joint solutions to address challenges, drawing particularly on CIHEAM’s expertise in the region.
Notably, the Istanbul Ministerial Meeting (2010) addressed the impacts of climate change on food security; the Valletta Ministerial Meeting (2012) advocated for the development of an agricultural market information system for Mediterranean countries, linked to the AMIS system, to better manage agricultural price volatility; the Algiers Ministerial Meeting (2014) emphasized measures to combat food insecurity, focusing on family farming and human development; and the Tirana Ministerial Meeting (2016) addressed the dynamics of mobility and migration in rural and agricultural areas.
A Lasting Commitment of Morocco with CIHEAM
The Kingdom of Morocco is hosting the CIHEAM Ministerial Meeting for the second time. In 2000, Rabat welcomed Ministers from CIHEAM member countries, where they discussed consolidating a common Euro-Mediterranean approach to agricultural trade and the vital role of agricultural product exports for the development of Southern Mediterranean countries.
Twenty-four years later, Morocco once again hosts the CIHEAM Ministerial Meeting at the invitation of Prof. Mohammed Sadiki, the current Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, who chaired the CIHEAM Governing Board from 2019 to 2023. His continued commitment to CIHEAM as Morocco’s delegate on the Board since 2009, then as Vice-President and President, has contributed to strengthening ties between Morocco and this organization. This fruitful cooperation continues today, reflecting a shared desire to strengthen Mediterranean relations and build a sustainable future for the region.
Adoption of the Final Declaration of the 12th CIHEAM Ministerial Meeting
After discussions on national policies and coordinated regional actions to address common challenges and promote food security across the Mediterranean region, the participants adopted by consensus the final declaration of the 12th CIHEAM Ministerial Meeting.
Through this declaration, Ministers and Heads of Delegation expressed their support for CIHEAM’s initiatives in sustainable food systems, encouraged youth and women to invest in sustainable agriculture and fisheries, and acknowledged the relevance of CIHEAM’s work.
