CIHEAM Bari promotes Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Region, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Africa. In a problem-solving approach, our actions address specific challenges of the Euro-Mediterranean region, by combining the most advanced scientific and technological knowledge with effective, sustainable, and practical solutions tailored to the target areas, to produce the best impact on the region and local populations.
CIHEAM Bari’s research objectives have been set out and pursued by relying upon the long-standing educational expertise, research skills and cooperation efforts of highly motivated and professional internal and visiting researchers, lecturers, technicians and administrative staff of the Institute and of the institutions and countries involved in the various programmes, projects and networking activities.
Priority Research action areas
Research activities are carried out as part of our Master of Science courses, PhD collaborations, projects, and research networks. Our priority action areas are:
Sustainable use of solar energy in agriculture through capacity development, reliable technologies, and coherent national and regional policies encouraging integrated solutions for water, food, and energy.
Reuse of a range of alternative water resources including saline and reclaimed water, for no harm irrigation management.
Performance-oriented approach to large scale irrigation systems design and analysis.
Development and integration of digital technologies to pilot, accelerate and scale innovative solutions with high potential of impact in the agricultural sector.
Satellite and drone-based remote sensing for smart farming.
Sustainable management of natural resources, i.e., water, land and soil, and biodiversity to provide sustainable impact mitigation measures to drought, erosion and desertification.
Ecosystem-centred approach to manage natural resources in agriculture and mitigate climate change impacts in different agricultural systems.
Life cycle approach for efficient use of conventional and non-conventional resources, for a sustainable food chain management (saline and wastewaters, soil fertility, biomass recycling, composting, pyrolysis/biochar, extraction of biostimulants).
Use of methodologies and technological tools for a more efficient and rational utilization of resources.
Formulation of management plans for wastewater treatment and monitoring of environmental impacts.
Enhancement and safeguard of native genotypes of Mediterranean crops.
Socio-economic and governance aspects as well as human-induced hazards and risks, and their impact on water and food resources availability.
Economic tools and policies for a sustainable water resources management under climate change scenarios.
Economic feasibility assessment and eco-efficiency analysis of investments and innovations in the agricultural and rural sector.
Water-energy-food nexus in the Mediterranean context.
Drivers, challenges, outcomes and shortcomings of water policies and strategies in the Mediterranean countries and participatory approaches in models’ governance of natural resources in the Mediterranean context.
Environmentally sound renewable and sustainable energy systems and production at community level with a view to supporting sustainable use of water resources, food production and ecosystems protection.
Governance and institutional aspects for sustainable development: increasing dialogue and cooperation between decision/policy makers and public/private enterprises in the agri-food sector; improving national regulatory systems.
Preserve the rich biodiversity of the Mediterranean terrestrial and marine flora and fauna, including several endemic species, currently threatened by pollution, over-exploitation of natural resources, soil erosion, intensive farming and also by dietary habits.
Forest-related actions (knowledge exchange, education and training; promotion of non-wood forest-based bioeconomy and ecotourism; forest restoration and sustainable forest management in coherence with the EU 2030 Forest Strategy (EU 2030 NFS).
DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS (MED DIET) AND RESILIENT AGROBIOECOSYSTEMS
Enhancement of typical and traditional agri-food products, through the identification and characterization of quality (geographical indications, organic products, etc.), and the development of innovative food products.
Assessment of the neglected and underutilized crops, in particular discovery or reappraisal of nutritional aspects, and culinary value.
Assessment and improvement of environmental, economic and social sustainability of typical and traditional products.
Improvement of Mediterranean diet sustainability considering environmental, economic, socio-cultural and nutrition/health pillars. o Improvement of the competitiveness and profitability of SMEs that can foster regional rural development, social inclusion and slowdown of migrations.
Assessment and improvement of farm management performance through evaluation of productivity, efficiency and profitability, to identify strengths and weaknesses of business choices, in order to correct and improve them within the specific environmental context. o Analysis of consumers’ behaviour in the international and domestic market.
Rural policies planning (action plan) for organic agriculture in Mediterranean and south-eastern European countries and study of organic territorial initiatives (ecoregions, bio-districts). o Internationalisation and territorial policy planning and marketing strategies for the development of the agrifood sectors; quality management of conventional and organic trade data, consumer and value/supply chain analysis, farming contract, innovation feasibility analysis.
CLIMATE CHANGE, FOOD SECURITY AND PRECISION AGRICULTURE
Reduce climate and demographic pressure on the environment and ecosystems through the efficient use of resources by providing models and adaptable innovative, with special regard to water demand, water distribution, water use efficiency, water saving, sustainable use of non-conventional water resources.
Sustainable management of invasive pests/pathogens and quality including surveillance and control.
Information technologies for geomatics, pest management, soil and water resources management.
Innovative, eco-friendly, and automated technologies and methods for agricultural production, e.g., precision agriculture, irrigation, and post-harvest.
Pest/pathogen identification, characterization, feeding an sexual behavior, epidemiology, and control. o Multiscale and multisectoral approach: data collection processes, methods & tools.
Main technologies applied in different domains of Precision Agriculture.
Measurement & interpretation of environmental data at regional and farm scale.
Spatial and temporal variability associated with all aspects of agricultural production: acquisition and processing of environmental data using several methodologies and technological tools.
Profitability: economic aspects of Precision Agriculture through planning, evaluation, monitoring and development of actions from traditional to evolved farming systems.
Sustainability of Mediterranean food systems including food safety, security and nutrition, energy use, natural resources optimisation.
Impacts of organic agriculture on food security and sustainable livelihoods in urban and rural communities.
Improvement of agricultural production and productivity by promoting low-input agriculture and developing sustainable food systems.
BLUE ECONOMY AND COASTAL AREAS MANAGEMENT
Implementation of a methodology for the socio-economic analysis of coastal communities.
Design and setting up of an integrated development strategy (economic diversification of activities such as fishing, tourism, crafts, culture, nutrition, etc.).
Planning and implementation of specific actions aimed at enhancing fish production (fishing and aquaculture), material assets (including infrastructure) and intangible assets related to fishing.
Development and implementation of participatory models for the management and sustainable use of marine and coastal resources.
Sustainable development of coastal areas through knowledge sharing, dialogue, empowerment, capacity building of coastal communities and stakeholders for re source enhancement.
Focus on coastal or inland zones where local resources such as water, energy or food are under serious threat from environmental and demographic factors. Special attention is given to promoting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture and providing coastal communities with tangible solutions to diversify their income.
YOUTH ENTERPREUNERSHIP AND INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Strengthen the Mediterranean Youth Entrepreneurial and Innovation Ecosystems.
Strengthen the Mediterranean Innovation Partnership (Networking Innovation Support Organizations and other ecosystem players): models, methods and tools towards the enhancement of the local innovation and entrepreneurship support value chains.
Reinforce research centers and universities in setting up Technology Transfer Offices to implement their third mission and facilitate the research-businesses relationship and the creation of start-ups.
Co-Create and implement Innovation Hubs for startups and innovative companies.
Empower younger generation, stimulating and supporting them in launching and innovating companies in the agrifood sector.
Foster youth employment and lifelong learning by providing tangible tools and methods to improve professional skills. Our local actions, that are mainly income-generating activities, enhance vulnerable groups’ participation and gender equality.
Co-design innovative solutions in the agrifood sector (open innovation approach) through a collaborative process among companies and other key stakeholders (i.e., design thinking approach, venture creation).
Living lab approach in agrifood: co-design products and services, in an iterative way, with key stakeholders in a public-private-people partnership (PPP) and in a real-life setting.
Development of rural social innovation in the Mediterranean area. o Urban food policy and rural cohesion for food transition. o Digital for food: cooperation with digital and agrifood companies to support co-design, development, and application of innovative IT solutions.
GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT
Analysis of national gender mainstreaming, gender equality and rural women’s empowerment policies in the EU and developing countries.
Development of sex-disaggregated statistics in agriculture, fisheries, and rural and coastal communities.
Participatory research work on women’s needs and roles in value chain development and in rural and coastal communities.
Investigation of women-led innovation in agriculture and rural development.
Gender in agroecological transitions.
Governance models for resources management and development of rural area, with special attention to vulnerable groups through women empowerment and gender equity.
Empower women to promote economic growth and achieve stability and security.
Integrate gender equality and women’s empowerment into aid for trade investments and economic diplomacy.
Highlight gender equality into research and cooperation projects to drive progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment, including through advocacy. o Enhance women’s voice in decision-making, leadership, and peacebuilding.
Enhance women’s voice in decision-making, leadership, and peacebuilding.
Support civil society organisations to promote equality and increase women’s participation in conflict prevention, peace-building, conflict resolution, and relief and recovery.o Enhance women’s voice in decision-making, leadership, and peacebuilding.
CIHEAM BARI Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari
