The ARIMNet 2Project (Agricultural Research In the Mediterranean Network) ERA NET (FP7), aims at coordinating National Agricultural Research Programmes to strengthen the capacities of its members to address in a coordinated way the major challenges that the Mediterranean agriculture is facing.

While agriculture in the countries around the Mediterranean is facing common issues and challenges, Agricultural Research in the Mediterranean is scattered and requires a coordination effort to step up the cooperation and coordination of research activities carried out at national level by joining forces to promote innovative research and cooperation. It is the purpose and the ambition of the members of the ARIMNet 2 Project.

ARIMNet 2 is launching a Joint transnational call for research projects proposals based on funds from participating countries. It will enable collaborative interdisciplinary projects based on complementarities between scientists, disciplines and countries, and sharing of knowledge in a broad scope of research topics. It aims to promote international collaboration to create research consortia in order to respond appropriately to the global stakes and challenges Mediterranean Agriculture is facing. The call is fitted for large projects involving several partners from different countries*. Based on a common virtual pot of around 7 million Euros, we expect to finance from 8 to 13 projects.

* PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES: PORTUGAL, SPAIN, FRANCE, ITALY, MALTA, SLOVENIA, CROATIA, GREECE, CYPRUS, TURKEY, ISRAEL, EGYPT, TUNISIA, ALGERIA, MOROCCO

TOPICS 2014 Call (for which Greek Partners may apply for funding)

A. Developing sustainable production in the context of increasing ecological and climatic stresses

• Increase in resilience, rusticity and productivity of Mediterranean agricultural production systems
• Improving inputs management , at the level of the production systems
• Common Mediterranean challenges in animal and plant health

B. Food chain from production to consumption: enhancing the advantages of Mediterranean Agriculture and Food

• Food safety, food sanitary issues

C. Sustainable management of landscape and resources used by agriculture

• Sustainable management of water and other resources used by agriculture

The review will be carried out in a 2 step procedure following step 1 submissionof Pre-proposals (5 pages) and step 2–submission of Full Proposals (30 pages). Only applicants invited to submit a full proposal can participate to the second step of the selection process

FUNDING

Regarding the call and the funding, ARIMNet 2 has a coordination role and does not directly provide funding. All of the contracts and funding procedures remain the full responsibility of the national research funding agencies (for Greece: National Agricultural Research Foundation (DEMETER)).