Institut' website : www.iamb.it

Director
Cosimo LACIRIGNOLA
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Developing Mediterranean agriculture, while ensuring that natural resources are rationally managed, remains the principal objective of the MAI of Bari. The work of the Institute is designed to fulfil CIHEAM’s three missions: education, research and cooperation.

Education and new methodologies

The MAI of Bari has redoubled its efforts in four of its main areas of expertise: water and land management, integrated protection of fruit crops, organic agriculture, sustainable agriculture and rural development. Water and land management involves further modernisation of irrigation techniques and intensification of the fight against desertification and coastal erosion.

Integrated protection of fruit crops is concerned most notably with the characteristics, diagnosis and epidemiology of plant viruses, as well as sanitary selection, sanitation and certification of Mediterranean fruit crops. Organic agriculture examines ways of promoting organic production methods. Research into sustainable agriculture and rural development serves the dual function of aiding in the fight against poverty and protecting the environment and rural communities.

The dynamic of the Bologna process has prompted the MAI of Bari to bring its teaching operation up to date. Publication of a course prospectus, organisation of courses into modules and units, and transfer of credits (in accordance with the ECTS) have now become standard practice. The teaching programme is regularly updated to satisfy expectations in the region. The ministries of agriculture of several countries, including Iraq, have officially asked the Institute to prepare and organise specific courses on implementing agricultural strategies.

By way of supplementing its traditional courses, the MAI of Bari is developing a largescale E-learning programme. The Institute launched this programme in 2004 to make its educational provision more widely available. It has three objectives: organisation of a resources centre, development of an E-learning model, production of an online course prospectus.


Research applications

The MAI of Bari’s research effort is designed to offer solutions to the problems of Mediterranean countries by developing protocols and good practice while ensuring sustainable development and cost efficiency. The main goals of research into water and land management are to provide water resource management models, introduce new technologies and define the specific features of particular areas. Pertaining to integrated protection of fruit crops, the MAI of Bari has conducted new research in entomology, bacteriology and mycology, focusing on the main problems affecting Mediterranean crops.

As to organic agriculture, the MAI of Bari has devoted its efforts to fruit and vegetable crops, drawing up protocols for the development and implementation of bioexperimental approaches.

Networked research

The first meeting of the “Mediterranean organic agriculture” network was held in November 2006. The network was established in 1999 and reorganised to comply with the recommendations of the Euro-Mediterranean conference on Agriculture held in Venice in 2003. Today it includes representatives from the ministries of agriculture of 25 European Union and Mediterranean Basin countries.

The “Integrated protection of fruit crops” networks have embarked upon the task of harmonising methodologies to control pests and their vectors in the Mediterranean Region. The “Water and land management” networks, which mobilise a great many Mediterranean Institutes, are continuing their work on water resource management methods, desertification control procedures and coastal erosion.

Two projects have been prepared for implementation under the 7th FPRTD. One concerns the establishment of the ERA-NET for “Coordination of agricultural research in the Mediterranean”, the other is related to teaching work and involves the creation of an interactive platform designed to promote participation by the Mediterranean countries in the 7th FPRTD.


Cooperation

The MAI of Bari has developed its regional action through its involvement in a cooperative network established by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italian national bodies, Italian regional funds, and the European Union’s INTERREG programme.

One of its most important acts was to set up a project in the Balkans on “Improving fruit and vegetable yields by promoting the spread of sustainable production systems”. Another project on “Training of technicians in organic agriculture as part of the rural development process and food emergency” has consolidated cooperation with the Balkan countries. The object of this programme is to train experts and promote organic fruit and vegetable growing at national, regional and local level. Workshops, pilot schemes and technical assistance have also been put in place.

The Institute’s “Plant production and certification” project in Lebanon has enabled the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture to set up a certification programme and form nurserymen’s association. It also launched a project on “Rural territorial development strategies”. Funded by the Italian Cooperation, this project was designed to provide income support for Lebanese communities affected by the July 2006 war. It sought to promote quality in agricultural output and rural development, and to support initiatives by fishermen along the South Coast of Lebanon.

In Syria two projects have been undertaken in collaboration with the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform. The first concerns “Technical assistance to improve the quality of olive oil in Syria” and involves drawing up a strategy for organising the national olive-growing sector. The second seeks to optimise irrigation techniques and reduce water consumption. A cooperation platform has been set up to mobilise players wishing to increase sources of income in rural communities. The platform provides them with access to information, enabling them to pool and compare practice and promote activities.

Cooperation has also been extended to Mediterranean countries as a whole, enabling them to make their territory more attractive and thereby qualify for the European Neigbourhood and Partnerships Instruments (ENPI) programme. This programme sets out to harmonise the quality standards governing agricultural output in preparation for a free trade area. It also seeks to improve Mediterranean research institutions as part of the 7th FPRTD.

To highlight the outstanding role played by the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari in promoting Italian cooperation policy, the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, visited MAI Bari in September 2006.