Prima strategic Research and Innovation Agenda Version February 22, 2017 Foreword

Expected Outputs

Adaptation to Climate Change:

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  Understanding how plants and animals, together with their microbial companions (plant-soil associated beneficial microbiomes), adapt to environmental constraints and the genetic, physiological, and ecological bases of adaptation/resilience of selected Mediterranean crop germplasm and animal breeds to abiotic and biotic single or multiple stresses (e.g. aridity, high evaporative demand, and multiple summer stresses, warm winters, salinity, and the combination thereof). Focus will be on genetic characterization, post-translational genomics, microbiome analysis, high-throughput phenotyping and timely assessment of impacts and responses of genotype x environment x management interactions on the main traits of plant and animal growth, primary productivity, secondary metabolites, and quality and quantity of end products (food and non-food) as well as other soil ecosystem services such C-sequestration and minimizing N-leaching;
  
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  Development of new varieties, crops and breed species suited to and productive in Mediterranean climate conditions (aridity, warm winters, uneven rainfalls, and salinity). Emphasis should be put on species that maintain stable productions and are resilient to stresses;
  
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  Exploitation of neglected spontaneous and domesticated biodiversity in Mediterranean agricultural, agro-forestry and animal husbandry systems, stalking genes and traits that may help producing organisms adapted to the environment;
  
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  Design of sustainable farming systems matching the traditional agro-techniques and the insights from advanced technologies developed for the agricultural sector in different regions of the area.
  
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  Development of molecular tools for selective breeding programs.
  

Sustainable productive eco-systems:

In agriculture:

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  Reduction and optimization of the use of resources that are scarce (water, energy, fertilizers) or potentially noxious (e.g. chemicals pesticides and fertilizers, antibiotics) in agriculture;
  
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  Enhancement of the use of by products, integrated in a circular economy (e.g. agrarian by-products in animal feeding, manures in fertilization);
  
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  Development of innovative cropping/livestock systems and aquaculture allowing sustainable use of resources while optimizing productions;
  
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  Improvement of understanding of the nexus plant-soil-water, in particular control of soil erosion and improvement of soil fertility, organic matter content, soil microbiology, and mineral nutrient cycles in agricultural soils;
  
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  Integration of the livestock in this soil system though the development of new techniques for manure and pasture management;
  
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  Development of the integration between crop and livestock inside farming systems;
  
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  Improvement of recycling of water and biomasses through on-farm reclamation treatments;
  
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  Provision of knowledge and management recommendations for soil conservation (organic matter, biogeochemical cycles, erosion and salinization, plant cover, compost and livestock management), cropping and livestock systems;
  
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  Valorisation of pastoralism and agro-forestry services;
  
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  Promotion and development of a sustainable use of underexploited and new species, breeds or varieties of interest;
  
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  Reduction of greenhouse gases emissions, through a better understanding of plant capacity to recapture greenhouse gases and animal enteric fermentation;
  
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  Improvement of the efficient use of resources through precision technologies.
  

In aquaculture and fisheries:

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  Improvement of knowledge of farmed organisms (e.g. genetic architecture of traits of interest, physiology of sexual development, interactions between nutrition and genome, microbiome, epigenome and physiome and biological bases of domestication);
  
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  Increasing of the sustainability of their production systems (integration in the environment, design of mixed-farming/IMTA systems embracing crops, livestock and aquaculture, to minimise environmental impacts or even improve their ecological footprint);
  
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  Development of technical innovation in the fishing gear/vessels;
  
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  Development of data sharing on fisheries, functional habitats, population status, water quality.
  

Preventing animal and plant diseases outbreaks:

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  Improvement of understanding of diseases/infestations invasions and outbreaks. This includes combined and interactive assessment of genetic/physiology/ecology of crops and animals, their enemies (pests or pathogens) and friends (microbial biocontrol agents, carnivorous predators or parasitoids) in their multitrophic interactions. Epidemiological and immunological studies should be implemented;
  
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  Provision of integrated pest and diseases management solutions, for plants and animal systems;
  
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  Surveying of plant and animal diseases, preventing their impacts on food safety and/or human health;
  
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  Improvement of understanding and control of the effects of climate change and the associated risks for plant and animal health (including existing and emerging diseases, and adaptation of livestock systems);
  
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  Creation of novel control tools against disease and infestation (remote and non-invasive monitoring of the health and growth performance of plants and animals, including new diagnostic tools for early and non-invasive detection of plant and animal diseases, biocontrol agents, vaccines, and innovative therapeutics), novel decision support systems, innovative and complete databases and gene banks (especially about pathogens and pests);
  
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  Selection of varieties/breeds resistant or resilient to pathogens;
  
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  Inclusion of welfare in the development of new housing /rearing systems to promote healthy and respectful production systems.
  

Developing Farming Systems able to produce employment and to contribute to a balanced territorial development:

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  Understanding of the technical, spatial and organizational dynamics of Mediterranean production systems;
  
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  Understanding of the determinants for adoption of innovations by farmers;
  
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  Implementation of tools (best practices, decision support system, models, discussion and co-development platforms etc.) that can assist farmers to improve their day-to-day or year-to-year decision-making management in a risky and uncertain environment;
  
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  Design of public policies aimed at enhancing adoption of innovation suited to improve farmers’ livelihoods;
  
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  Delivery of participatory approaches for integrating farmers’ knowledge in the innovation process;
  
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  Development of training course for the use of new technologies.
  

Main Actions
This part will be described more in details in the PRIMA Implementation Plan Document. Here are first ideas as discussed during the elaboration of the SRIA:

Topic	Main actions
Adaptation of agriculture to climate change	Research and innovation actions Training and mobility actions
Some specific examples or recommendations
Transdisciplinary research projects for a better understanding of the genetic/genomic/physiological and ecological adaptation of plants, soil microbes and animals under biotic or abiotic stresses Network of infrastructures/Specialized platforms (5-6 for the Region) with outstanding equipment covering several high-level technologies (genotyping, phenotyping, bioinformatics, data mining, etc.) to carry out any possible joint activities (i.e. collaborative projects, host colleagues, organize courses, training for zootechnicians or breeders)
Some specific examples or recommendations
Sustainable productive ecosystems	Research and innovation actions Training and mobility actions Demonstration projects
Transdisciplinary research projects for the development of new production systems with an integration in the environment, design of mixed-farming systems embracing crops, livestock and aquaculture, to minimize environmental impacts or even improve their ecological footprint Network of greenhouses sharing compared trials as well as shared experiments on several in safe conditions Network of long-term agronomic trials for low-input cropping system Shared observatories and studies sites for erosion, salinisation (watershed level) Research projects addressed to a better use of agricultural and livestock by products Innovation and demonstration projects including technologies for improved livestock production, and precision or personalized agriculture
Some specific examples or recommendations
Integrated animal and plant pest and disease management	Research and innovation actions Training and mobility actions
Transdisciplinary research projects for a better understanding of the ecology of diseases and pests outbreaks, host pathogen interactions in order to provide new solutions for a better Integrated Pest Management and for innovative control of pest outbreak and consequences Implementation of disease plans including the development of biocontrol agents, vaccines, diagnosis tools, innovative therapeutics for plant and animal protection Research and disease surveillance networks in tight link with existing official networks such as the Euro-Mediterranean network for animal health (REMESA)
Some specific examples or recommendations
Farming Systems able to create employment and territorial development	Research and innovation actions Training and mobility actions Innovation actions
Research on the spatial organization of the production systems and the commercial trades Actions to bring together innovation actors: farmers, advisers, researchers, businesses, NGOs within rural development programs