Research and education interact to raise fresh prospects for the Mediterranean Region and offer new ways of meeting challenges in the fields of agriculture, food and rural affairs. In order to ensure that essential research can be carried out as effectively as possible, CIHEAM continues to strive for the creation of a Euro-Mediterranean agricultural research area.


A common language

CIHEAM is working with national institutions to the North and South of the Mediterranean Basin to develop language, references and criteria that are common to all partners and may be used inter alia in determing appropriate agricultural and rural policies and promoting the quality of regional agricultural and food products.

Effective, innovative and original teaching must be supported by relevant research. Research is promoted and organised in the MAIs'laboratories, most often as part of a cooperative exercise involving researchers and experts from different Mediterranean countries. This approach encourages synergies, galvanises the networks and greatly enhances CIHEAM's scientific standing in its own specialised fields.


Areasof research

CIHEAM commits all of its teams to four broad areas of research:

      Production methods and technologies
      Economics, management and development
      Environment and resources management
      Fisheries and aquaculture

The same imperatives underpine all four areas of work: namely, to give all players the means to understand developments in Mediterranean agriculture and respond appropriately, to provide them with common references and to extend their expertise.


Fundings and Teams

The MAI's take part in or directly manage a large number of research programmes, cooperating closely with teams from the associated national institutions. Mention should be made of the programmes secured under the tendering procedure for the European Union's FPRTD (Framework Programme for Research and Technical Development), which are particularly importance.