EU24057 NATAE North African Transition to AgroEcology (KB-50-006-023)

NATAE will establish six Living Labs (LL) and seven Replication Labs to stimulate locally-led transdisciplinary research that will assess agroecological (AE) approaches, for a diversity of farming systems, to tackle the food system challenges of North Africa and beyond. The LLs will be located in the main agro-ecological zones of North Africa: oasis systems; peri-urban areas; mountains; rain-fed cereal plains; and irrigated valleys. An integrated modelling chain approach combining biophysical and household/regional bio-economic indicators will be used to develop a unique Integrated Assessment of Agricultural Systems to explore the resilience of AE-based farming systems (FS). Participatory approaches will develop, test, and capitalize alternative public policies and foster AE transitions. A group of dissemination activities will further test, advance and communicate a range of existing AE innovations from farm to fork, including innovative farm practices, value-chain innovations, and innovations in food system governance, advancing their respective readiness level. The output from NATAE will not only contribute to the development of AE innovations, more impactful future food system policies and development programs relevant to Dutch stakeholders, but will also be integrated into future curricula at education institutions in North Africa and Europe (such as at WU).