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 : Biodiversify : Boost ecosystem services through highly Biodiversity-based Mediterranean farming systems

Pays/Région : Algeria ; France ; Greece ; Italy ; Morocco ; Spain ; Tunisia

Date : Start date 2020-01-01 // End date 2023-01-01

Identifiant : 285-BIODIVERSIFY
Type de projet : Applied research project

Context
The Mediterranean basin is characterised by a high dependence on agricultural imports, especially for cereals and legumes. This dependence is likely to grow in the foreseeable future, as a result of global changes. The economic pressure, however, encouraged specialisation, resulting partially in monocultures. This lead to environmental degradations, that threaten the provision of ecosystem services (ES), but the efficiency of inputs and labour remained highly variable. To address the challenges of production in the Mediterranean area, Biodiversify project goes beyond the proof of concept of agroecology proving more resilience for agroecosystems, based on species diversity over time (in rotation and during fallow periods) and space (intercropping and agroforestry). This will enhance resource use efficiency (especially water and nutrients), increase resilience to abiotic stresses such as drought, and control of weeds, pests and diseases without the systematic use of pesticides. Biodiversify will evaluate the effectiveness of high species and cultivars/landraces diversification (HSD) to improve production of grains for human consumption) and forage, both for on-farm self-consumption and market use.

Objectif
Biodiversify will implement a co-design approach, incorporating local experts and scientific knowledge, organised in 8 regional case studies that represent a wide range of systems and pedo-climatic conditions of the Mediterranean basin, such as :
* Algeria : Diversified arable rotation and intercropping in the Setif Plain.
* France : 1) Agroecological vineyard with multiservice cover crops in the Languedoc area ; 2) Agroforestry systems in the Occitanie region.
* Greece : 1) Agroecological vineyard with multiservice cover crop in the Central Macedonia region ; 2) Intercropping of cereal and legumes in the Thessaloniki region.
* Italy : Olive groves with multiservice cover crops and grazed crops in the Umbria region.
* Spain : Biodiversified arable rotations in the Ebro valley region.
* Tunisia : Agroforestry of olive groves with cover crops or grazed crops in the Sfax region.

Coordinateur : Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD)
Partenaires : French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE) Caussade Semences Group École Nationale Supérieure Agronomique (ENSA) Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA) University of Lleida Olive Institute

Financement principal : Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) (H2020)
Budget : 1 273 600 EUR

FNSSA project database