The overall objective of the CHANGE-UP project is to re-design innovative farming systems for the Mediterranean area more resilient to climate change and able to face and overcome adverse and unpredictable events while ensuring food security and sustainable farmers’ income. The capacity of crops to counteract climatic perturbations and to adapt to the changing conditions in the Mediterranean area is needed to ensure production stability over time, as well as the nutritional quality of the agricultural products. At the same time crops and farming systems should allow a more sustainable and efficient use of natural resources thus preserving the agro-ecosystems integrity. To this aim, CHANGE-UP will test a technological strategy based on the integration of Evolutionary Populations of cereals (EPs – barley, common wheat, durum wheat, triticale) under crop rotation with a range of leguminous plants and of New Perennial Grains (NPGs, perennial wheat lines). NPGs are new species obtained by hybridization and/or domestication holding great potential in ameliorating soil physical-chemical properties, biodiversity and food web composition. The longer growing season of NPGs, their more extensive root systems, and the permanent soil cover, make them more competitive against weeds and more effective at capturing nutrients and water. In addition, they protect soil against erosion and increase soil C storage. Cereal EPs possess a high degree of within crop genetic diversity (heterogeneity), thus holding an inherent higher buffering capacity than homogeneous varieties to adapt to various abiotic and biotic stresses. EPs are able to produce good and stable yields even when the availability of resources decreases or when climatic conditions become extreme. The project specific objectives are: 1) To comparatively assess the benefits of integrating such innovative cropping systems through the assessment of: i) their agronomic performance in relevant Mediterranean vulnerable environments; ii) safety and quality of the agricultural commodities produced; iii) economic and social benefits for farmers and consumers; iv) environmental impacts; 2) To share knowledge among stakeholders and facilitate collective decisions through participatory processes, in particular: i) improving the knowledge on the technical and organizational dynamics of Mediterranean production systems; ii) developing knowledge-based guidelines useful for policy decisions in terms of local governance and to overcome technical barriers to the adoption of the proposed innovations by farmers Overall, the adoption of EPs, combined with good farming practices (i.e. crop rotation with legumes), and of NPGs effectively addresses the complex of challenges imposed by climate change, since these systems together combine adaptation and mitigation strategies to the impacts of both long and short-term climate changes. Moreover, thanks to the reduction of agrochemical use and increased soil fertility, the introduction of this technological strategy has the potential of enhancing agricultural production and quality over time and facilitating the preservation of farm household and farming activity in rural areas. CHANGE-UP will ensure that the integration of such systems is effective not only from the technical, but also from the economic and social viewpoints, studying their impact on the food security of small farming households. A socio-economic analysis will identify and assess specific value chain policies aimed to introduce such innovations in the standard agricultural practices. The cooperation of the research entities with different stakeholders (farmers, policy makers, associations, food producers, researchers etc. from the participating countries) from the beginning of the project by the establishment of stakeholder groups in each partner country will be fundamental to ensure the efficacy of the new cropping systems and for developing local, context-specific and adoptable solutions.

In a context of rapid economic growth impacting its coastal zone, Morocco must organize a marine and coastal management plan as stipulated in the 2015 Moroccan Coastal Act. However, Morocco is facing one main challenge: to found highly qualified personnel at postgraduate level, with technical and transversal skills, fully able to implement this policy. In this purpose, this Erasmus + Capacity building Joint Project in the field of Higher Education intends to reduce the gap between current academic offers and the work market in the field of marine and coastal sciences. The ScolaMAR specific objective is to develop an Innovative training for Smart Coastal Management and Sustainable Blue Growth at the Master level.The ScolaMAR consortium, composed of four European and four Moroccan universities, will work together to reinforce Moroccan training capacities through exchange of good practices, focusing on 3 main approaches: technical, innovative pedagogical and integrative approaches. In order to maximise the project impact and sustainability, activities will specifically target teachers through two main activities: job-shadowing that implies staff mobility from Morocco to Europe and scientific events in Morocco. The ScolaMAR final objective is the development of an Innovative Master program based on the integration of a diversity of disciplines and approaches explored during this 36-months project, that are relevant to the field of Marine and Coastal Sciences. In addition, a SPOC, an e-learning module, on Coastal Risks will be developed to be integrated into the Master program . This regional Master program will help Morrocco to face great societal challenges of both increasing youth employability and ensuring coastal and marine sustainable development.

The main objective of this project is the creation in Rabat-Morocco University of a Master in Applied Plant Biotechnology in partnership with universities and centers/institutes from Europe and Morocco. It aims to improve the quality of higher education and relevance of this for the labor market and society at national and regional level. It also aims to improve the level of local expertise and teaching skills in this Master by developing new innovative education modules in plant biotechnology. The purpose of this project is to support modernization, accessibility and internationalization of education in the field of plant biotechnology in this country and internationally through the deployment of Information and Communication Technologies for education (TICEs) and the distance education development (MOOC). For this, the project aims to promote the professional development of staff and youth leaders in TICE methodologies. Finally, this project will contribute to maintaining and strengthening the cooperation between France, Spain and Italy through partners that are already involved in networks/research European programs in in the plant biotechnology field.