Posted on June 20, 2024

The 10th annual meeting of the MED-Amin network was held on May 29 and 30, 2024, in Tirana, Albania. The event brought together representatives from member countries (focal points and strategic resource persons), experts from the Mediterranean region, and partner international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (including the Secretariat of the Agricultural Market Information System), the International Grains Council, the European Commission (DG Agri), and its Joint Research Centre. The event was hosted by the Albanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. It gathered 22 participants on-site and around fifteen online.

Several high-level speeches highlighted the importance of cooperation between CIHEAM and Albania, particularly through the MED-Amin network, which celebrated its 10th anniversary. H.E. Enio Civici, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Albania, opened the meeting, underscoring the quality of the MED-Amin initiative and presenting the national context. H.E. Anila Denaj, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Albania, became the new network president and embraced this new responsibility with enthusiasm. Her Excellency emphasized the importance of international collaborations to optimize resources, address climate challenges, and ensure high-quality standards. Thus, she highlighted the importance of networks like MED-Amin in providing useful indicators for policy-making. Ms. Frida Krifca, President of CIHEAM, praised the commitment of the network's members and partners. Ms. Krifca stressed the network's role in sharing information and best practices and encouraged all members to continue their collaborations in this direction.

The meeting was further marked by the active participation and support of the present international organizations, member country representatives, and invited experts who shared their experiences and insights towards developing a dashboard of indicators and an early warning system for the Mediterranean region.

Use of Satellite Data for Crop Forecasting and Early Warning

One of the highlights of the meeting was the presentation of scientific work by the Joint Research Centre on the use of remote sensing, modeling, and meteorological data for monitoring and early forecasting of crops. These technologies enable the monitoring of production, the generation of increasingly accurate forecasts, and the establishment of early warning systems. The discussions emphasized the numerous ongoing initiatives in member countries, as well as future collaboration opportunities to strengthen the link between remote sensing information and field feedback. In this regard, Mr. Giacinto Manfron, a researcher at the Joint Research Centre, proposed collectively producing a scientific publication on the subject. Mr. Philippe Drobinski presented the latest report from MedECC (Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change), which highlights, among other things, the importance of cooperative initiatives such as MED-Amin in adapting to climate change.

Data and Indicators for the Creation of a Mediterranean Dashboard

In-depth discussions took place regarding monitoring dashboards that aggregate various indicators related to cereal markets. Partner organizations and several member countries presented existing dashboards as well as their respective work in gathering new data on maritime freight, fertilizer, and energy markets, and wheat quality. It emerged that a great deal of information is already produced and available but often scattered. The challenge for MED-Amin will be to develop synergies to gather the most useful data for Mediterranean decision-makers. A working group combining national experts from the MED-Amin network and international partners will soon be established to advance these issues.

2024-2026 Action Plan

The event also provided an opportunity to adopt the new MED-Amin 2024-2026 Action Plan, which aims to strengthen ties with the scientific community and the private sector. This effort requires political support and greater visibility for the MED-Amin network through the dissemination of its publications and participation in key events.

Future Outlook and Upcoming Meetings

Finally, the meeting demonstrated the continued commitment of member countries, with Spain confirming its participation in funding the network's activities, and Algeria and Greece announcing that they are considering hosting future annual network meetings in 2025 and 2026. The members of MED-Amin, along with the President and the Secretariat, welcomed these promising new prospects.

CIHEAM Montpellier expresses its sincere thanks to the Albanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for successfully organizing this event, which opens a new presidency. This tenth plenary meeting marks an important milestone for the MED-Amin network, consolidating a decade of regional cooperation and information sharing on food security and cereal market issues in the Mediterranean.