Preliminary Agenda (10 September 2024)

Time

Title

Session description

9:00-10:00

Inauguration, opening session and speeches (high level policy participation)

Status of the international "4 per 1000" Initiative in the Mediterranean region (regional context, challenges and solutions concerning soil health).

10:00-10:30

Challenges and opportunities for soil health and agriculture in the region

This session should set the scene for the coming days, by providing a brief overview of the most pressing challenges effecting soil health (salinization, erosion, drought, loss of biodiversity) and the resulting effects for production, society and the environment. This entails a reflection of how social and economic developments as well as the effects of climate change will affect the region and its soils. At the same time, this session will highlight the potential for regional food production and how strengthening agroecology can help to harness it.

10:30-11:00

Holistic approaches to water management

Water availability can already be a serious challenge for agricultural production in the region and pressure on water resources will further increase under climate change. Establishing agroecosystems based on the principles on agroecology, can help to minimize the need for irrigation and equally reduce the risk for erosion during heavy rainstorms. This session aims to introduce innovative and holistic approaches to water management and irrigation, at a field but also at catchment and landscape scale with a special focus on the close interlinkages of water and soil management. Besides the technical aspects, it will shed light on political incentives and social innovations supporting adaptation.

11:00-11:30

Coffee break and group photo

11:30-12:00

Sustainable fertilization

This session reflects on agroecological approaches to fertilization, which help to manage and regenerate vulnerable or degraded soils in semi-arid regions, by increasing the organic matter content and avoiding salinization, while safeguarding water resources and fostering agricultural production.

12:00-12:30

MRV and indicators for soil organic carbon and soil health

Recent years have shown increasing interest in monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of soil organic carbon, as well as the need for comprehensive and yet easily recordable indicators to measure soil health. Sound monitoring systems are crucial for the design of site-specific agricultural management practices, as well as the establishment of early warning systems and the inclusion of carbon farming practices in carbon markets. This session explores the latest developments of MRV tools and systems and reflects on soil health indicators in the region.

12:30-13:00

Business models for soil health

Protecting and regenerating soils through engaging in agroecological production has been recognized as a sustainable business model. At the same time agroecological products need favourable market structures, which support sustainable and local production. This session introduces private sector initiatives and reflects on political incentives and certification approaches.

13:00-14:00

Lunch break

14:00-16:00

Parallel sessions: Agroecological approaches in Mediterranean agroecosystems, presenting holistic solutions.

Holistic production systems

Agroecology aims to establish resilient agroecosystems, which foster circularity and rely on diversity. This session explores holistic approaches to the design of production systems for the major regional produces, like cereals and crops, fruits and nuts, olives, meat, etc., placing a special focus on combined systems (agriculture-forestry-pastoralism) and sheds light on challenges and opportunities in the establishment and maintenance of these systems.

Vineyards and wine

This session will focus on innovative approaches to agroecology in wine production.

Agroecology for local development

Empowerment of local producers and consumers is a crucial element of agroecology. This session explores how agroecology can drive local and regional socio-economic development, and how policies and private sector engagement can foster the needed changes.

16:00-16:30

Coffee break

16:30-17:15

Wrap up of Day 1 with some elements to start building the regional Roadmap.

19:30

Official Dinner