Newsletter 2

In this newsletter, at the start of 2024, we take a look back at the achievements of NATAE’s first year, and at the projects to come.

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A LOOK BACK ON 2023

The first year of the NATAE project laid the foundations in the various methodologies to be applied during the project such as those of the territorial diagnosis, scientific approaches, surveys, and others. The past year was also used to launch six living labs in five countries in North Africa including Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Mauritania, and that helped draw a better picture of the different issues faced and AgroEcological Practices (AEPs) applied at the the living labs level. During 2024, this work will continue and deepen to produce the first quantitative and qualitative outputs of the seven scientific Work Packages under the project.

An Overview of the progress made by each Work Package leader :

WP leader : CIHEAM IAMB

At the end of June 2023 a first version of the multidimensional, multiscale evaluation framework of AEP strategies in North Africa was achieved (D1.1). The whole Consortium was involved in a co-creation process for its development (task 1.1 and 1.2). It is a living document to be updated and amended all through the NATAE project and the final result will contribute to the construction of the NATAE design identity.

The methodological framework includes an indicator set aiming to identify the contribution of the AEPs to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to One Health Approach and to Ecosystem Service conceptual framework.

The evaluation framework (D1.1) covers the sustainability dimensions in the NATAE’s five main domains of environment and climate change, health and nutrition, society and culture, economy and governance; it aims to evaluate the performance of AEPs in relation to both a physical scale of intervention (plot level, farm level, landscape level) and an economic/social scale, considering value chain level and food system level.

WP leader : CIHEAM IAMM

On T2.1 (Characterization of household farms structure), multi-stakeholder workshops, bringing together local experts and farmers, were organized in the living labs to create a typology of representative farms. An initial series of surveys was carried out among the most representative farms to characterize the current level of PAE adoption and the socio-economic and environmental performance of each type, and to validate the farm typology.

On T2.2 (Scenario design and indicator definition) a first list of indicators that are directly expressed in the model were created, but further work on that list is required so that it will be finilized.

On T2.3 (Conceptualisation and development of integrated modelling chain), in collaboration with the ZALF team, it was decided to introduce new dimensions into the model (DHABSIM) to better describe the farming systems in the living lab. In addition, the structure of the model has been linearized. By the end of March, the first model run will be carried out (without the livestock module) in order to calibrate the model.

On T2.4 (Achieve scalability), with the collaboration of the WP4 team, the first scenarios will be decided and then tested in through workshops in LL with the help of the LL leaders.

WP leader : UTH

Under Task T3.1 (Consumer demand assessment and strenghtening), a literature review of the main methodological approaches for assessing consumer behaviour has been conducted and the main elements have been selected so as to create the survey. Following this, Theory of Planned Behaviour and Responsible Environmental Behaviour have been chosen as the most suitable methods for creating a questionnaire. This questionnaire was then developed using LimeSurvey for online surveys. Additionally, a 2-days training session have been organized to instruct interviewers on their roles for conducting the surveys effectively.

Under Task T3.2 (Evaluating and strengthening the integration of agroecological value chains), two value chains per Living Lab were identified with the support of each Living Lab Leader and with the participation of Replication Labs. The retained value chains were validated with the representative boards of the Living Labs upon their formation. So far, the identified value chains include dates and olive oil for the Laghouat Living Lab in Algeria, aromatic plants and olive oil for the Boulemane Living Lab in Morocco, market gardening (vegetables production) for the Meknes Living Lab in Morocco, and bulb onions and turnips in the PK-17 Living lab in Mauritania. Additionally, a group of questionnaires were produced to be filled with different key players from the value chains in each country. The first of these questionnaires was developed for producers and was tested in the Living labs of Morocco and Mauritania. The task team maintains close contact with the Living lab Leaders for feedback from the field and on the adaptability of the questionnaires to the local contexts. Accordingly, the upcoming steps will be to launch the questionnaires and collect Living Labs reports to determine the current status of the value chains, the main dynamics at play, key influential players, and their agroecological potential for the future.

WP leader : WUR

The year 2023 allowed the NATAE team to establish the methodological approach for setting up, managing and monitoring participatory research in the six Living Labs of the project. We have set up the governance of the living labs (selection of representative board members) and launched the Living Lab process with several meetings of the representative boards and numerous multi-stakeholder workshops. Main activities implemented so far are territorial diagnoses and launch events for the living labs. These activities provided a first step towards a commonly shared understanding of the socio-economic, natural and agricultural contexts of the living labs. Such a commonly shared understanding is key for identifying and implementing agroecological practices by and for Living Lab actors.

WP leader : CARI

Several tools and media have been developed to communicate about the NATAE project and disseminate its results to a wider public: website, social networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube) as well as flyers, brochures and roll-ups in English, French and Arabic. Publications on the website and social networks are fairly well followed, revealing the broad interest about NATAE project and agroecological transition in North Africa. This first year also allowed the development of the MEDAE network, a multi-actor network on agroecology in the Mediterranean. Five webinars were organized to exchange on agroecological transition in five representative agroecosystems in North Africa.

WP leader : ZALF

As part of T6.1 (Inter-sectoral policy review), the task leader (CIHEAM-IAMM) has produced a grid of analysis and an interview guide to help steer the analysis of public policy in North Africa. Accordingly, five country representatives, one per country, were nominated by the local project partners to lead this task at the national level in Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Mauritania. Three workshops were conducted during this time to discuss findings with each country representative and to convey recommendations on the way forward for the production of the report. The work continues for public policy at the international level with discussions to be launched soon between the CIHEAM-IAMM with the related partners taking part in the analysis, specifically the IUCN and the OSS. It is expected that a minimum of 25 sectoral policies will be analysed under this task.

T6.2, T6.3 and T6.4 are at the beginning stage but the tremendous work was done already. In terms of T6.2 (Co-design of relevant policy options with project partners and living lab actors) ZALF has identified some internal and external factors from the literature for use in the SWOT framework and we will verify them in an online meeting with the stakeholders. The analysis of compliance of the project indicators with the EU Green Deal, Paris Agreement, and SDG framework was conducted. Later the analysis will be discussed with experts and stakeholders to give a weight and be able to assess the designed policies.

The baseline for T6.3 (Evaluation of policy options by experts from the living labs) has started building. The policy simulation will be done using the DAHBSIM model in GAMS. The linearization and correction of the model were prepared in collaboration with the IAMM team. Further, the team is planning to develop specific modules to simulate policies from previous tasks. Additionally, the surveys for farm and value chain actors were prepared to be sure to have all the necessary data.

WP leader : INAT

Several meetings were conducted during 2023 to develop the methodology and how to collect the existing higher education programs dealing with agroecology as well as professional trainings in partners countries.

A first field school was organized at Ifrane, Morocco (November 27th to December 7th) and enabled students’ capacity building on territorial diagnosis approaches. This field school capitalized on the NATAE-developed methodological guide for territorial diagnosis and AE practices identification.

WP leader : CIHEAM IAMM

Meet the project coordinator scientific and management team

The various NATAE project activities are supported by the CIHEAM-IAMM coordination and management team.

We have the pleasure to introduce the coordination team:

Mélanie Requier, Scientific Coordinator
Rita Jalkh, Project Manager and Post-doctoral researcher (T6.1; T3.2)
Elen Lemaître-Curri, Coordination support for ethics, administrative and scientific activities
Kitty Papadopoulou, Financial Manager
Anne Cobacho, Coordination support to education and training (WP7)
Virginie Avignon, Administrative support

Some members of the CIHEAM-IAMM are supporting WP3 and WP7. We are pleased to introduce them:

Fatima El Hadad-Gauthier, Responsible for task T3.2 (Value chain analysis)
Anne Cobacho, Education and Training Coordination Support (WP7)
Tristan Berchoux, Scientific support for project activities

A project that meets the highest ethical standards

In order to comply fully with the ethical requirements of the Horizon Europe programme and to ensure that national and European best practice is respected, particularly with regard to the collection of personal data, the transfer of such data between partner countries and the sharing of benefits, an ethics advisor has been recruited to the NATAE project.

Over the last few months, the advisor and the project coordination team have been working hard to develop, test and disseminate appropriate tools on ethics and personal data management. The developed tools include an Ethics Guidelines, consent forms for data collection and use of audio-visual content, register of data treatment, and others. Webinars were also made available online for the consortium and data collectors which consist of training content adapted following the responsibility of people involved, such as survey design, data collection, processing, and storage. An Ethics Point of Contact was also nominated for every partner institution to monitor the application of these tools.

Welcome to new members

We have the pleasure to welcome the following NATAE members that have joined the project starting June 2023.

First, we thank Faten Khamassi who has joined our Advisory Board.

Welcome to Moise Luemba from GRDR and Dario Pollicino for IUCN who hopped onto the NATAE train last summer.

More our more recent members, we are proud to welcome:

Zoubir Chattou from ENAM, the new manager of the Meknes Living Lab
Mohamed Nawar, Salwa Ismail, and Yasmeen Hussein from the University of Cairo as the new team responsible for Task T3.3 (Assessing social acceptability of AEP combinations by products and producer networks).

We are also happy to have with us Mouhcine Salihy from RIAM, Alessia Perrino from CIHEAM-IAMB, Maria Silva and Brimoresa Dhoro from SPI, Simon Julien from IUCN, and Diana Marais and Damien Jourdain from the University of Pretoria on board the project.

Finally, a big welcome to the new post-doctorate researchers and doctorate candidates joining. We wish them all a fruitful scientific journey with NATAE:

Aidana Ermatova and Luise Maria Meißner with ZALF
Safa Aatig with ENAM
Christos Galanis with CIHEAM-IAMM
Sevde Cagiran with CIHEAM-IAMM
Lilia Benzerara with CREAD
Salma Jallouli with INAT

A closer look to MEDAE : MEDiterranean multiactor network on AgroEcology

MEDAE is a MEDiterranean multiactor network on AgroEcology set up in response to the NATAE partners’ desire to create a permanent community of exchange and collaboration on agroecology in the Mediterranean.

The MEDAE network, that will continue after the NATAE project, brings together organisations with different statuses (research institutes, technical institutes, universities, NGOs and development players, producer organisations, consumer associations, private sectors, etc.) and operating at different levels (local, national, regional, international) and horizons.

It follows 2 main objectives:

To stimulate collaboration, projects and exchanges of information, knowledge, solutions and experience between the various stakeholders working to develop agroecology in the Mediterranean.
To represent agroecology stakeholders in the Mediterranean at national and international level and to develop political and scientific advocacy.

** Still under development, the MEDAE network will be operational and open for registration in the coming months. But it already has a number of achievements to its credit! **

To kick-start the exchange dynamic, a series of 5 webinars was held between October and December 2023 to discuss the issues, challenges and stakes of the agroecological transition in North Africa. Five webinars, each focusing on an agrosystem representative of the region and a specific issue, with plenty of scope for discussion.

How to enhance the role of women in mountain agroforestry systems in North Africa?
How can we promote the development and marketing of agro-ecological products in peri-urban areas?
Between traditional and scientific knowledge, how can we improve the resilience of peri-oasis systems?
Climate change: a catalyst for the agro-ecological transition of cereal crops in North Africa?
The agro-ecological transition as seen by stakeholders in the field: between challenges and achievements. The case of the irrigated valley of Luxor, Egypt.

If you were unable to attend the webinars, or would like to listen to them again, you can find the programmes and recordings of all the webinars here.

MAIN ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR EARLY 2024

Meeting in Tunisia in April-May 2024 : training activities and consortium meeting

After one year, NATAE is entering a deeper phase for adaptation and implementation of the field methodologies that have been designed in the different WPs : for NATAE is relying on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary co-learning between the consortium partners and the stakeholders, there is need for field sites leaders to exchange on the necessary participatory methodologies in order to :

Assess main agroecological practices and combination through scenario co-construction and modelling (living labs and replication labs) under WUR (WP4) and CIHEAM-IAMM (WP2) guidance
Co design memorandum of cooperation and participative guarantee systems relying on the RIAM coordination and transfer of knowledge and tools (WP7.3) towards field partners (living labs)

These two co-learning sessions will be organised in Tunis, 28 April-3 May 2024.

They give the project an unique opportunity to organise a consortium meeting based on fields representation and opened to every partner (hybrid meeting) ; a field visit will also be organised in the Siliana Tunisian LL by INAT.

T4.4. Choosing scenarios, prioritizing indicators and co- designing AEP combinations

Leader : WUR

Task 4.4. is at the heart of WP4, building on a territorial diagnosis and the development of a farm typology. It lays the foundations for the evaluation of agroecological practices (AEPs) through experimentation and scenario-based modeling. In this task, stakeholders are invited in a series of participatory activities to 1) envision the desirable objectives of an agroecological transition in their Living Lab, 2) identify appropriate AEPs at farm and Living Lab (LL) level, and 3) assess their perceived performance using locally meaningful performance indicators. The approach envisaged moves progressively, in three workshops, from the consideration of farmers’ viewpoints to more systemic perspectives involving the diversity of stakeholders within the representative board of the Living Lab.

T6.2 Co-design and evaluation of relevant policy options with living lab actors and experts

Leader : ZALF

This task aims to co-develop, evaluate and identify optimal policy options in North Africa, in alignment with EU’s strategy to promote the development and adoption of locally-optimal combinations of agroecology practices for agroecological transition in the region. This task is greatly fed through the result of Inter-sectoral policy review (T6.1), contribution from Living Labs stakeholders, experts and other project partners. To achieve these objectives the teams are working collaboratively. During the course of this task, EU Green Deal, Paris Agreement, and SDGs framework, and specifically the environmental, social, and economic aspects of these goals were explored, and extracted, so that novel policy options

Partners

Funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement no. 101084647. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. For the associated partner in the NATAE project, this work has received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). Associated partner in NATAE project is supported by financial contribution of the Government of Switzerland.