Field Labs

Living Labs

An agro-ecological Living Lab (LL) is a place of structured exchanges on the AE transition where co-construction of knowledge occurs due to the dialogue organised between key stakeholders, including farmers, industries, governments, NGOs, consumer organisations, research institutions and local advisory services. NATAE will organise 6 Living Lab (LL) in a set of areas representative of North Africa farming systems and agro-ecological zones diversity in Algeria, Egypt, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia : oasis and peri-oasis systems, cereals plains, irrigated valley and plains, mountains, peri-urban. Each living lab is led by a NATAE partner.

Laghouat Living Lab

Area	Leader	Farming system
South of the wilaya of Laghouat, Algeria	CARI	Oasis and peri-oasis

Main productions and value chains

Integrated multi-layer agriculture, including palm trees, fruit trees, vegetable crops, cereals and livestock

Main issues

Groundwater resources overexploitation, abandonment of agricultural activities by young men,women employment, knowledge transfer

Riyadh, PK 17 Living Lab

Area	Leader	Farming system
South of Nouakchott, Mauritania	GRDR	Peri-urban

Main productions and value chains

Vegetables and small livestock production for urban market

Main issues

Access to water and land property, youth employment, food sovereignty

Siliana Living Lab

Area	Leader	Farming system
ElKrib, Siliana governorate, Tunisia	INAT	Cereal plains

Main productions and value chains

Cereals, legumes, olives and small livestock

Main issues

Food security, land conservation

Boulmane Living Lab

Area	Leader	Farming system
Boulmane, Middle Atlas, Morroco	ENAM	Mountains

Main productions and value chains

Olives, legumes, aromatic and medicinal plants for self-consumption, urban markets and export

Main issues

Women employment and cooperative empowerment through agroforestry

Meknès Living Lab

Area	Leader	Farming system
Area of Meknes, Morocco	ENAM	Peri-urban

Main productions and value chains

Legumes, small livestock production

Main issues

Use of chemical inputs, reduce or substitute intensive agricultural practices, participatory guarantee systems

Luxor Living Lab

Area	Leader	Farming system
Luxor area, Upper Egypt	CIHEAM IAMM	Irrigated valley

Main productions and value chains

Sugarcane, winter wheat, corn grain and forage, alfalfa, bersim and tomato

Main issues

Overexploitation of water, chemical inputs, climate change

Replication Labs

Replication Labs (RL) have been selected in areas where the methodologies and findings of Living Lab will be tested for replicability with limited data and human resources, in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and in a semi-desert South African region where agro-climatic conditions are close to the Mediterranean. Each replication lab is led by a NATAE partner.

Yakouren (Tizi-Ouzou) Replication Lab

Area	Leader	Farming system
East of the wilaya of Tizi Ouzou, Algeria	CREAD	Mountains

Main productions and value chains

Small family farming with a diversification of crops (market gardening, arboriculture, olive trees, prickly pears) and livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, poultry and beekeeping)

Main issues

Women empowerment and leadership in diversified agroforestry systems and innovative value chains

Kebili Replication Lab

Area	Leader	Farming system
Kebili governorate, Tunisia	INAT	Oasis and peri-oasis

Main productions and value chains

Palm dates

Main issues

Sustainable agroforestry in a context of water shortages and soil degradation

Atar Replication Lab

Area	Leader	Farming system
Wilaya of Adrar, Mauritania	Tenmiya	Oasis and peri-oasis

Pretoria Replication lab

Area	Leader	Farming system
Pretoria area, South Africa	University of Pretoria	Peri-urban

Setif Replication Lab

Area	Leader	Farming system
Setif plain, Algeria	ENSA	Cereal plains

Saïss Replication Lab

Area	Leader	Farming system
Saïss plain, Morocco	ENAM and IAV	Cereal plains

Kafr El Sheikh Replication Lab

Area	Leader	Farming system
Kafr El Sheikh area, Lower Egypt	CIHEAM IAMM	Irrigated plain

Main productions and value chains

Rice through water saving in rice-based farming, integrated mixed farming incl. recycling farm residues

Main issues

Food security, adaptation to climate change, sustainable water management, youth and women employment, capacity building (skilled and unskilled workforce)