Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area

23-24 April 2017. Cairo, Egypt. 1st PRIMA Stakeholders’ Forum. The 4PRIMA Project, an EU funded Project (grant agreement 724060) together with the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research engaged Stakeholders to open channels of information exchange on scientific, economic and geo-political level that would create a level of transparency and trust allowing a long-term partnership through the joint scientific approach (as per the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda – SRIA) to jointly encounter societal challenges.

Extract of the programme:

Food Africa : the 3rd International Trade Exhibition for Food and Beverage (including the booths of the 4PRIMA and CAAST NET+ projects at the Food Africa exhibition area)

Food Africa is one of the continent’s largest International Trade Exhibition specialized in the Food and Agriculture industries. The exhibition, combining an innovative format of showcasing, networking, and matchmaking, is a unique platform to access the Egyptian mega-market, and Africa’s booming agriculture industry.

Session II: Sustainable farming systems under Mediterranean environmental constraints: 

• Research challenges and priorities to be addressed 
• Developing sustainable and productive agro – ecosystems 
• Economic Growth potential through Research and Innovation

Session III: Mediterranean food value chain for regional and local development:

• Interlinks in the Food Value Chain between sustainability of quality, increase of quantity, nutrition and health 
• Mediterranean Diets, eating habits and determinants of chronic diseases 
• Economic Growth potential through R&I

Food Security Communication and Knowledge Management Workshop
CAAST-Net Plus organised a consultation workshop on the Knowledge Management and Communication System (KMCS) Initiative for the Europe-Africa research and innovation partnership on food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture (FNSSA). 

Background:

The PRIMA Initiative is a new programming dimension for the Mediterranean Region. 

• Bringing together several EU and Mediterranean Partner Countries, it encourges joint research and innovation actions to promote the sustainable use of food productions and water provision, aiming at supporting an inclusive well-being and socio-economic development in the Mediterranean Area. 
• To find the right dynamics of the operational needs of PRIMA, wit depends on the effective involvement and interaction of a number of Stakeholders including (but not limited to) Universities, Research Centres, Private Sector, Government and Public Sector, NGOs and Civil Society allowing the creation of an enabling environment to develop innovative solutions for pressing issues to avoid Research and Innovation fragmentation and to consider environmental, technical and socio-economic aspects. 
• The PRIMA Initiative will support research and innovation projects of major social impact, economic affordability and technology transfer. Thus, promoting economic growth and employability that are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. The concept of incorporating all these aspects into a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda – SRIA will develop a more efficient approach to common problems that will guarantee the involvement of Member States and third countries on equal footing.

Upcoming meetings:

• 01/06/2017. Malta. Technical conference with stakeholders
• 01/09/2017. Montpellier, France. Meeting for the dissemination of the SRIA (Strategic Innovation and Research Agenda)
• 02/10/2017. Cyprus. Final Conference and Final project meeting