CIHEAM Montpellier, one of the four CIHEAM institutes, has always led research, development and educational initiatives to promote agroecological-based adaptation strategies to achieve a more resilient and sustainable agriculture in Mediterranean rural areas, especially facing water scarcity. Two main principles have always guided its interventions: The first is consistently considering climate change, socio-economic risks and food security as main challenges for the design and implementation of agro-ecological based adaptation strategies; and the second is ensuring the early engagement of local actors and civil society and maintaining their interest at the heart of the decision-making process. The main objective of the side event is to share the experience of the SupMed project (Collective and contextualized strategies to promote resilient and sustainable agricultural production in rural Mediterranean area) in that regards. SupMed (2021-2025) aims at proposing and testing innovations based-agro-ecological practices to face the challenges of climate change and water scarcity, to improve the incomes and food consumption of farming households and to reduce the environmental impacts of agricultural activities in the regions of Luxor (Egypt) and Bekaa (Lebanon). SupMedis conjointly supported by the CIHEAM Montpellier and The FFEM (The French Facility for Global Environment) along with various public and private partners in Egypt and Lebanon. The ensuring of food security, creation of job opportunities for youth and women and preservation of natural resources under climate and market uncertainties were the main key questions that this project experience attempted to answer. The main output of this event will be a list of recommendations drawn collectively by the different Mediterranean local actors and stakeholders.
