Archives: Agenda

Posted on July 15, 2025

From July 8 to 12, 2025: organisation of a FPC session, in collaboration with IMIDRA (Instituto Madrileño de Investigación y Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y Alimentario) as part of the ERASMUS Agrario programme.

CIHEAM Montpellier welcomed some fifteen winegrowers and winemakers from the Madrid region, as well as researchers and institutions from IMIDRA and the Community of Madrid, for a training session on the sustainability of the wine industry and the use of new technologies. The training alternates between classroom sessions, technical visits and meetings with farmers and players in the wine industry in the Hérault and Occitanie regions.

Posted on July 04, 2025

On June 30, July 1, and 2, 2025, in Cairo, the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), the Egyptian Agricultural Research Center (ARC), and CIHEAM Montpellier organised a regional conference dedicated to the governance of the “Water-Environment-Food-Energy” Nexus in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Based on the sharing of results from several projects carried by the three co-organizers (SUPMED, NATAE, STE CATHERINE, etc.), the 80 participants of the conference were asked to reflect on the third day on how to set up an interface dedicated to the “science, society, policy” dialogue to better inform public policies in favour of more sustainable and resilient agriculture in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. A roadmap was developed to guide the work of CIHEAM Montpellier, particularly within the framework of the DIONYSUS project, in the coming months.

To find out more: https://www.supmed-project.com/

From left to right: Dr Adel Abdel Azzim Abu Al Yazid Al Akhdar, President of the Agricultural Research Center, Egyptian delegate to the CIHEAM. Dr Amjad Badr, Syrian Minister of Agriculture. Pr Ibrahim Al Dukheri, Director General of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development. Thierry Dupeuble, Director of the CIHEAM Montpellier

Posted on June 30, 2025

From 23 to 25 June 2025, the partners of the EU funded INSIST-VAT project (Institutional, Sustainable and Innovative Strengthening of Vocational Agricultural Training in Albania) met at the Agricultural University of Tirana.
The aim of this project is to establish a permanent training centre in Albania and develop innovative training initiatives adapted to the needs of the sector and the demands of the job market.

A new European Union-funded project is set to boost agricultural training, knowledge exchange, and rural innovation in Albania, with CIHEAM Montpellier playing a key role as a coordinating institution. The INSIST-VAT project (Institutional, Sustainable and Innovative Strengthening of Vocational Agricultural Training in Albania) will establish a permanent training centre at the Agricultural University of Tirana by 2027. This centre will provide modern, practical training programmes for farmers, agricultural advisors, and institutional staff across Albania.

SUPPORTING ALBANIA’S AGRICULTURAL FUTURE

The project directly supports Albania’s national rural development strategy, launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) in January 2022, which identifies agricultural knowledge as essential for building sustainable food systems. By creating accessible, high-quality training opportunities, INSIST-VAT will help Albanian farmers adapt to climate change and compete in global markets through sustainable agricultural practices.

STRONG INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP

INSIST-VAT brings together eight partner organisations from four countries. From Albania, the project includes the Agricultural University of Tirana, the Agricultural Technology Transfer Centre Fushë Krujë and the Agricultural Technology Transfer Centre Korçë. French partners comprise CIHEAM Montpellier (serving as project coordinator), the Agricultural Technical Coordination Association (ACTA), and the Association for Quality in Research and Higher Education (QUARES). The University of Prishtina represents Kosovo, whilst CIHEAM Zaragoza brings Spanish expertise to the consortium.

FIRST STEPS UNDERWAY

INSIST-VAT was officially launched in January 2025 during a 3 day kick-off meeting in Montpellier. The first steering committee meeting was held in Tirana from 23 to 24 June 2025. This event brought together all consortium partners to review progress, align on key objectives. The meeting included a visit to the Agricultural Technology Transfer Centre Fushë Krujë, one of the members of the consortium, giving partners direct insight into local agricultural innovation efforts.
To engage Albanian stakeholders, a high-level workshop on “New challenges for agriculture – new knowledge needs” was organised on 25 June 2025.

BUILDING LONG-TERM IMPACT

Project coordinator Christophe Mur from CIHEAM Montpellier explained the project’s broader vision: “INSIST-VAT goes beyond delivering training; it aims to build a long-term knowledge system that enables Albanian farmers and institutions, and ultimately the ones in Kosovo, to drive agricultural transformation from the ground up.”
The new training centre will become a cornerstone of Albania’s Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) – a key pillar for building sustainable food systems and calls for accessible, high-quality training to strengthen producer capacity–, advancing vocational education and aligning with European Union quality standards. By engaging national departments and regional actors, the project will also help to ensure the long-term sustainability of training services and knowledge-sharing mechanisms.
The involvement of Kosovo, which faces similar agricultural challenges and training needs, will allow the future transferability of these training tools.

PROJECT DETAILS

INSIST-VAT is co-funded by the EU-Erasmus+ programme for Capacity Building in Vocational Education and Training, with a total grant of €395,674. Project Number: 101183189.
The initiative focuses on improving employment prospects and resilience for crop farmers in Albania, a member country of CIHEAM (International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies). The project runs until December 2027.

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