Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Long-term Europe-Africa Research and Innovation Partnership for Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture

Titre : CICLICA PRIMA : Smart agriCulture optimization to CLImate Change Adaptation

Pays/Région : Spain ; Egypt ; Algeria

Date : Start date 2022-08-01 // End date 2025-07-31

Identifiant : 495-CICLICA PRIMA
Type de projet : Applied research project

Contexte
The Mediterranean is among the most sensitive areas on the planet and constitutes one of the most exposed to drought risk. Climate change, and the disproportionate exploitation of natural resources, will cause an even more substantial decrease in the availability of water, energy, and food, as well as an imbalance of the ecosystem, thus affecting to a greater extent the resilience of food systems and, therefore in life quality of the population. CICLICA is a Research and Innovation project which is focused on two tracks. First, the combination of advanced water-saving technologies that have already been validated in laboratories to provide a smart system for water management solutions. A second track where the implementation of different biotechnology and agro solution for irrigation/fertigation modelling improve agronomic management and genetic adapting of alternative crops. Increasing crop tolerance to climate change and reducing water resources and high temperatures will present the challenge of the CICLICA project. These objectives will be achieved by mobilising all the actors concerned (decision-makers, farmers, NGOs, technology partners and researchers). They will successfully change agricultural practices towards modernising means of cultivation (humidity sensors), saving water for irrigation and improving soil quality by developing novel eco-friendly superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) and reusing-conventional water resources.

Objectif
The project will focus on developing and investigating integrated on-farm practices to face two types of abiotic stresses, water, and salinity stresses, within applying those practices under two business models of farming systems * the standard farming system, producing traditional Mediterranean crops such as olive, citrus, tomatoes * alternative crops farming systems, include the introduction of new crops to improve the capacity of the farming system to face abiotic stresses

The goal of the project is to promote the farming systems in the Mediterranean region based on agrological principles, to face the growing pressures from natural resources degradation and climate change, through : * introducing integrated on-farm practices aiming to mitigate the impacts of abiotic stresses overcrop health and productivity * boost the sustainable balance between agricultural productivity and ecosystem services, considering the application of low-quality water for irrigation, managing water quantity and quality during irrigation using superabsorbent polymer, cropwater productivity, soil health, and environmental footprint.

Coordinateur : Centro de Edafologia Biologia Applicadadel Segura (CEBAS-CSIC)
Partenaires : Sistema AZUD Djilali Bounaama University of Khemis Miliana Technical University of Munich (TUM) Agricultural Engineering Research Institute (AENRI) Modern Machinery Cadi Ayyad University Akdeniz University

Financement principal : Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) (H2020)
Budget : 1 016 686 EUR

FNSSA project database