Farming Systems

Sustainable farming systems under Mediterranean environmental constraints

Unsustainable agricultural and livestock practices have significantly reduced biodiversity in the region, where small and medium producers are the most affected by climate change.

Considering the context of climate change, the scarcity of resources, demographic growth, contamination, desertification, degradation of arable lands and loss of biodiversity, there is an urgent need to invest in improving the productivity, efficiency and sustainability of agricultural farming systems.

Mediterranean agriculture is expected to provide products with high added value (economically, nutritionally) and increased product shelf-life in order to cope with progressively more pressing societal needs and environmental constraints, to protect natural resources, and to adapt to climate change.

The present thematic area will focus on 4 priorities:

Adaptation of agriculture to climate change

Developing sustainable and productive agro-ecosystems

Preventing emergence of animal and plant diseases

Developing farming systems able to generate income, to create employment and to contribute to a balanced territorial development