Nationality: Moroccan
University of Registration: Institut Agro Montpellier (France)
Year: 2025
Scientific Discipline: Economics
Doctoral School: EDEG

Research Unit: UMR MoISA
Thesis Director: Paolo PROSPERI (CIHEAM-IAMM)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Georgios KLEFTODIMOS
Thesis Committee: Nicola GALLAI, Tom BREEZE, Amélie BOURCERET (CIHEAM-IAMM), Nottebrock HENNING
Funding: —
Contact: blili@iamm.fr

Thesis Title

Economic assessment and integrated modelling of the co-benefits of pollinator restoration: a comparative regional analysis between France and Mediterranean countries.

Thesis Summary

Scientific Objectives:

This PhD project aims to conduct an economic assessment of pollination services and to model the environmental and socio-economic co-benefits associated with pollinator restoration measures. The study focuses primarily on mainland France, with a particular emphasis on Occitanie, and extends to a comparison with several European and Mediterranean countries as part of the Horizon Europe RESTPOLL project. The research proposes an integrated approach combining economic analysis, bioeconomic modelling and multi-scale spatialisation. It aims to estimate the value of pollination services by crop and by region (EVIP, EVCP), to analyse the impacts of pollinator decline, and to model the effects of restoration measures (diversification, flower strips, reduced inputs) on soil fertility, biodiversity, water quality and regional development. Drawing on large databases (Agreste, RICA, RPG, INSEE, IGN), the thesis seeks to produce robust indicators, comparable across regions and countries, to help integrate ecosystem services into public agricultural, environmental and territorial policies. It is fully aligned with the scientific priorities of the UMR MOISA concerning sustainability, the governance of ecosystem services and the economic evaluation of agriculture. The expected results will provide decision-making tools and help to strengthen agroecological transition strategies.

Keywords

POLLINATION ; CO-BENEFITS ; ECOSYSTEM SERVICES ; PUBLIC POLICY ; BIOECONOMY

Nationality: Lebanese
University of Registration: Université Jean Jaurès Toulouse II (France)
Year: 2024
Scientific Discipline: Economics
Doctoral School: EDTESC

Research Unit:
Thesis Director: Nicola GALLAI (Univ. Toulouse)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Hatem BELHOUCHETTE
Thesis Committee: Georgios KLEFTODIMOS (CIHEAM-IAMM), Michael MAERKER
Funding: NPPSOL Project
Contact: khannafer@iamm.fr

Thesis Title

Assessing the resilience of agricultural systems based on adaptation strategies in Mediterranean agriculture: multi-scale modelling of adaptation strategies in response to climate change and market uncertainties.

Thesis Summary

Keywords

Nationality: Turkish
University of Registration: Institut Agro Montpellier (France)
Year: 2024
Scientific Discipline: Economics
Doctoral School: EDEG

Research Unit: UMR MoISA
Thesis Director: Paolo PROSPERI (CIHEAM-IAMM)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Amélie BOURCERET, Georgios KLEFTODIMOS
Thesis Committee: Iciar PAVEZ (CIHEAM-IAMM), Iuri PERI (Univ. Catania, Italy)
Funding: NOVISHPAK Project
Contact: guzel@iamm.fr

Thesis Title

The socio-economic impact of the spread of sustainable packaging innovations across Mediterranean seafood supply chains: integrating governance, stakeholder dynamics and consumer preferences into the design of a triple-level business model.

Thesis Summary

Scientific Objectives:

This research aims to analyse the socio-economic impact of the spread of sustainable packaging innovations within the Mediterranean seafood supply chains. It has three main objectives:

1. To understand the dynamics of innovation diffusion by identifying the drivers, constraints and conditions for technology adoption across the chain’s stakeholders (producers, processors, distributors, consumers).
2. To assess the socio-economic and governance impacts of new packaging technologies by employing a mixed-methods approach combining Q-methodology and consumer behavioural analysis.
3. To propose sustainable business models integrating economic, environmental, social and governance dimensions in order to enhance value creation and strategic decision-making within Mediterranean fisheries systems.

Keywords

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION ; FISHERIES VALUE CHAINS ; FOOD PACKAGING ; INNOVATION DIFFUSION ; GOVERNANCE ; Q-METHODOLOGY ; CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR ; MEDITERRANEAN

Nationality: Moroccan
University of Registration: University of Evora (Portugal)
Year: 2022
Scientific Discipline: Economics, Agronomy, Landscape Management
Doctoral School:

Research Unit: MED-LABscape Evora (Portugal)
Thesis Director: Teresa PINTO-CORREIA (Univ. Evora, Portugal)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Hatem BELHOUCHETTE
Thesis Committee:
Funding: University of Evora (Portugal)
Contact:

Thesis Title

New business models supporting silvopastoral systems on the Iberian Peninsula.

Thesis Summary

The main objective is to model the effects of different management practices on a representative sample of farms located in the Alentejo region. The bio-economic model will be developed using data from live farms, enabling an assessment of the economic, environmental, and social performance of different types of farms. Several scenarios will be explored, incorporating various options regarding grazing intensity, livestock composition, soil and tree regeneration, as well as measures to protect and improve rangelands. The analysis will focus particularly on practices that could improve the overall sustainability of the system and contribute to achieving the environmental objectives defined in the CAP 2023.

Keywords

Nationality: Lebanese
University of Registration: Institut Agro Montpellier (France)
Year: 2022
Scientific Discipline: Business & Management Sciences
Doctoral School: EDEG

Research Unit: UMR MoISA, OSA Division
Thesis Director: Leïla TEMRI (Institut Agro Montpellier) & Faten KHAMASSI (Tunisia)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Myriam KESSARI
Thesis Committee: Hélène DAVID BENZ, Nicolas FAYSSE, Salem DARWICH (Lebanese Univ.)
Funding: Ater IUT Nîmes
Contact:

Thesis Title

The Role of Common Dates in the Resilience of Tunisia’s Date Value Chain: Overview and Prospects.

Thesis Summary

Scientific Objectives:

1. Characterize the current situation of common date varieties in Tunisia (economic role, uses, marketing channels, stakeholders, value-added levels, post-harvest losses).
2. Identify and analyze the “lock-ins” (technical, organizational, institutional, market-related, standards/quality, access to seedlings, processing, information) that limit the integration of common varieties into the value chain.
3. Assess the potential contribution of common dates to resilience against stresses (climate, salinity, diseases, price volatility, logistical shocks) using resilience indicators (diversification, costs, storage, market flexibility, income stability).
4. Develop perspectives/scenarios and propose levers for action (product innovation: powder, ingredients, cosmetics; market strategies; governance; public policies; support mechanisms) for the sustainable and inclusive valorization of common varieties.

Keywords

COMMON DATES ; LOCAL VARIETIES ; NEGLECTED AND UNDERUTILISED SPECIES (NUS) ; VALUE CHAIN ; RESILIENCE ; DIVERSIFICATION ; LOCK-INS ; KEBILI ; TUNISIA ; VALORISATION ; PROCESSING ; STORAGE ; SALINITY ; CLIMATE STRESS ; PRODUCT INNOVATION ; GOVERNANCE ; AGRICULTURAL POLICIES

Nationaliy: Turkish
University of Registration: Institut Agro Montpellier (France)
Year: 2023
Scientific Discipline: Economics ; Dept Agricultural & Ecological Sciences
Doctoral School: EDEG

Research Unit: UMR MoISA
Thesis Director: Sophie DROGUÉ (Institut Agro Montpellier)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Amélie BOURCERET
Thesis Committee: Georgios KLEFTODIMOS (CIHEAM-IAMM), Francesco ACCATINO
Funding:
Contact: cagiran@iamm.fr

Thesis Title

Assessing farmers’ adoption of the transition to agroecology using the socio-ecological systems framework and bioeconomic modeling in North African countries.

Thesis Summary

Scientific Objectives:

• Identify the factors influencing farmers’ behavior during the transition to agroecology in North Africa, and determine the key determinants of farmers’ decision-making.
• Develop a socio-ecological system framework that explains the relationship between farmers, the natural environment, and agro-ecosystems. This framework will enable us to understand farmers’ decision-making mechanisms while simultaneously assessing the ecological, economic, and social dimensions of sustainable agriculture from a holistic perspective.
• Enhance an existing bioeconomic farm management model and create a module for this model by incorporating these drivers of farmers’ decision-making into the model’s objective function and structure. This module will allow us to examine the role of factors within households.
• Propose public policies to encourage farmers to choose agroecology.

Keywords

AGROECOLOGY ; ECOSYSTEM SERVICES ; CONCEPTUAL MODELING ; BIO-ECONOMIC MODELING ; SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM FRAMEWORK

Nationality: Algerian
University of Registration: University of Paul Valéry Montpellier 3 (UPV) (France)
Year: 2023
Discipline Scientific Discipline: Agricultural policies & Anthropology
Doctoral School: ED Territories, Time, Societies & Development (TTSD)

Research Unit: UMR SENS
Thesis Director: Pascale Moity-Maizi (UPV)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Mélanie REQUIER-DESJARDINS
Thesis Committee: Fatima AMEUR, Emilie COUDEL, Karima BOUDEDJA (CREAD Algiers)
Funding: NATAÉ Project
Contact: lilia.benzerara@iamm.fr

Thesis Title

Agroecology in Algeria: Current Status, Social Acceptability, and Key Stakeholders.

Thesis Summary

Scientific Objectives:

• Map agroecological practices in the two study areas
• Present agroecological dynamics; perceptions, the circulation of agroecological knowledge, and farmers’ perspectives in the two study areas
• Identify agroecological stakeholders in each study area and describe their roles
• Present the sustainability of agroecological dynamics in the two study areas
• Redefine social acceptability in a dynamic context (agroecology)

Keywords

AGROECOLOGY ; SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY ; ALGERIA ; PERCEPTIONS ; AGROECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE

Nationality: Turkish
University of Registration: Institut Agro Montpellier (France)
Year: 2023
Scientific Discipline: Economics ; Dept Agricultural & Ecological Sciences
Doctoral School: EDEG

Research Unit: UMR MoISA
Thesis Director: Paolo PROSPERI (CIHEAM-IAMM)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Georgios KLEFTODIMOS
Thesis Committee: Amélie BOURCERET (CIHEAM-IAMM), Myriam KESSARI (CIHEAM-IAMM), Jean-Michel SALLES (HDR DR1)
Funding:
Contact: basaran@iamm.fr

Thesis Title

Promoting sustainable strategies for pollinator restoration: A living lab methodology to integrate ecological, economic and socio-institutional perspectives.

Thesis Summary

Scientific Objectives:

To study the complex socio-economic, institutional and ecological dynamics involved in farmers’ adoption of pollinator restoration strategies through the science-society-policy interface, including an analysis of sustainable innovation strategies for pollinator restoration among stakeholders, decision-makers and policymakers, including researchers and farmers. Innovations will be co-developed through a living lab approach as an innovation ecosystem to develop and test socio-economic knowledge and practices in real-world contexts.

Capture and analyse all the benefits provided by different pollinator species in the production process, and assess and analyse the determinants of farmers’ decision-making regarding pollinator restoration strategies.

Develop an integrated economic-ecological model that assesses the benefits provided by different pollinator species, whilst taking into account the synergistic relationship between stakeholders and the pollination services explored during the Living Labs, in order to suggest innovative policies and strategies relating to pollination services within the context of the studies carried out.

Keywords

POLLINATION SERVICES ; BEES ; ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC MODELLING ; LIVING LABS

Nationality: Albanian
University of Registration: University of Tirana (Albania)
Year: 2025
Discipline Scientific Discipline: Rural Economy
Doctoral School:

Research Unit: Fac. Economy & Agribusiness (Albania)
Thesis Director: Fatmir GURI (Univ. Tirana, Albania)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Amélie BOURCERET
Thesis Committee:
Funding: ERASMUS+
Contact:

Thesis Title

Analysis of Public Agricultural Policies in Albania Using Econometric and Mathematical Modelling.

Thesis Summary

The main objective of this doctoral research is to analyse the impact of public agricultural policies in Albania through the use of econometric and mathematical modelling. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of existing policy instruments, such as subsidies and public investments, and to predict the potential impacts of future policy interventions without prior implementation.

Specifically, the research seeks to:

• assess the effects of agricultural policies on farm productivity, farmers’ income, and employment;
• analyse regional disparities in policy impacts across different agro-economic zones in Albania;
• simulate alternative policy scenarios in order to identify the most efficient and sustainable policy combinations;
• provide evidence-based recommendations to support decision-making in agricultural and rural development policies.

Keywords

AGRICUTURAL POLICY ; ECONOMETRIC MODELLING ; FARM SYSTEMS ; SUBSIDIES ; RURAL DEVELOPMENT ; SUSTAINABILITY ; ALBANIA ; MEDITERRANEAN AGRICULTURE

Nationality: Italian
University of Registration: University of Pisa (Italia)
Year: 2024
Scientific Discipline: Rural Economy & Statistics (AGR-01)
Doctoral School: Agriculture, Food & Environment XXXIX Cycle

Research Unit: PAGE (Pisa Agricultural Economics)
Thesis Director: Gianluca BRUNORI (Univ. Pisa)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Tristan BERCHOUX
Thesis Committee:
Funding: Univ. Pisa
Contact :

Thesis Title

How does the Rural District drive the public action for rural policies integration?

Thesis Summary

The main objective of this research project is to identify how the district (intended as territorial network) contributes to the rural integration of policies. More specifically and supported by other similar cases, the RP will be deepened by trying to:
• offers a range of strategies and real-world examples that emphasise the vital role of territorial networks;
• give practical insights but also contributes to the theoretical and methodological discussions surrounding the network governance perspective linked to the rural studies;
• seek to identify and generalise insights that reveal broader patterns, concepts, delving into how various factors, such governance models shape the dynamics of rural areas;
• give practical guidance for policy-makers and local actors.

Keywords

RURAL GOVERNANCE ; DISTRICTS ; TERRITORIAL NETWORKS

Nationality: Egyptian
University of Registration: Ain Shams University Cairo (Egypt)
Year: 2021
Scientific Discipline: Climatic changes
Doctoral School: Arid Land Graduate Studies and Research Institute

Research Unit: Technology of Drought and Salty Soils
Thesis Director: Ayman ABOU HADID (Univ. Cairo, Egypt)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Hatem BELHOUCHETTE
Thesis Committee: Hatem BELHOUCHETTE (CIHEAM-IAMM), Tahani ABDELHAKIM
Funding: —
Contact:

Thesis Title

Improving rural community resilience to adapt to climate change in some arid lands.

Thesis Summary

1. Study the way that rural communities utilize the available assets.
   
2. Improve the use of current assets.
3. What are the appropriate means to develop new assets in rural areas to increase their adaptive capacity?
4. How we can institutionalize adaptation measures to cope with climate change.

Keywords

RESILIENCE ; ADAPTIVE CAPACITY ; VULNERABILITY ; SUSTAINABLE RURAL LIVEHOOD

Nationality: Tunisian
University of Registration: Institut Agro Montpellier (France)
Year: 2022
Scientific Discipline: Economics
Doctoral School: EDEG

Research Unit: UMR MoISA

Thesis Director: Sophie DROGUÉ (INRAe)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Georgios KLEFTODIMOS
Thesis Committee: Kamel LOUHICHI (INRA), Paolo PROSPERI (CIHEAM-IAMM), Yigezu Yigezu (ICARDA)
Funding: AGREEMED Project
Contact:

Thesis Title

The impact of overexploitation of groundwater resources on the sustainability of agricultural farms in semi-arid zones.

Thesis Summary

Objectives:
– Evaluate the impact of groundwater overexploitation on the resilience of agricultural households in Morocco
– Analyze current agricultural practices and groundwater use in this region
– Identify the main factors of vulnerability of farms to groundwater overexploitation
– Use of a bioeconomic analysis of farm sustainability and recommendations for enhancing sustainability

Keywords

BIOECONOMIC MODEL ; GROUNDWATER ; AGRICULTURAL FARMS ; SEMI-ARID AREAS

Nationality: French
University of Registration: Institut Agro Montpellier (France)
Year: 2023
Scientific Discipline: Environment, Territories & Societies
Doctoral School: GAIA

Research Unit: UMR TETIS
Thesis Director: Nicolas BAGHDADI (INRAe)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Hatem BELHOUCHETTE, Tristan BERCHOUX
Thesis Committee: Benjamin SULTAN, Michel LE PAGE, Amélie BOURCERET (CIHEAM-IAMM)
Funding: CIFRE & Spark Towers Ltd
Contact: grosse@iamm.fr

Thesis Title

Unveiling Climate Threats to Maize Farming in South Africa: Insights into Vulnerability and Risk Assessment.

Thesis Summary

The scientific objectives of the thesis are to assess the climate risks to maize farming in South Africa
by analyzing exposure, vulnerability, and risk.

The study aims to identify key climatic factors impacting maize yields, evaluate the vulnerability of farmers based on their practices, and develop a comprehensive risk index that combines these elements.

This approach seeks to provide actionable insights for reducing risks and enhancing the resilience of agricultural systems to climate hazards.

Keywords

CLIMATE CHANGE ; CLIMATE HAZARD ; VULNERABILITY ; RISK ; MAIZE ; SOUTH AFRICA

Nationality: Moroccan
University of Registration: Institut Agro Montpellier (France)
Year: 2023
Scientific Discipline: Agricultural and agri-food economy
Doctoral School: EDEG

Research Unit: UMR MoISA
Thesis Director: Paolo PROSPERI (CIHEAM-IAMM)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Tristan BERCHOUX
Thesis Committee: Egidio DANSERO, Ninon SIRDEY, Frédéric WALLET
Funding: GRANULAR Project & Occitanie Region
Contact: chahid@iamm.fr

Thesis Title

Analysis of the socio-economic and environmental transition dynamics that regulate the relationship between agricultural production, local food and the ecosystem, using multidimensional and spatial indicators, tools and approaches to build more sustainable and resilient territorial food systems in Occitania region.

Thesis Summary

Scientific objectives:

The scientific objective is to propose a systemic approach of food system assessments, especially at the local scale.

Keywords

FOOD SYSTEMS ; SUSTAINABILITY ; ASSESSMENT ; INDICATORS ; LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS

Nationality: Greek
University of Registration: University of Paris-Saclay, GS Biosphera (France)
Year: 2023
Scientific Discipline: Economics
Doctoral School : ABIES

Research Unit: UMR PSAE
Thesis Director: Kamel ELOUHICHI (Univ. Paris-Saclay)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Georgios KLEFTODIMOS, Hatem BELHOUCHETTE
Thesis Committee: Mourad HANNACHI, Adam KOMAREK, Aude RIDIER
Funding: NATAÉ Project
Contact: galanis@iamm.fr

Thesis Title

Understanding farmers’ resilience capacities and assessing their willingness to adopt agroecology as mean to improve their resilience: the case of Egypt.

Thesis Summary

Objectives:
• Investigate, based on a literature review, how agroecological practices have contributed to building more resilient agricultural systems in developing economies
• Characterize the farming systems in the study area to identify dominant farm types and potential entry points for agroecological transformation
• Identify the most context-appropriate agroecological practices for the study area and assess their cost-effectiveness, based on local conditions and stakeholder insights
• Use Living Labs to model the adoption process of agroecological practices, and evaluate stakeholder perceptions, as well as barriers and enablers of adoption
• Explore how public interventions and economic incentives can support and scale up the agroecological transition in the region

Keywords

DETERMINANTS ; AGROECOLOGY ; RESILIENCE ; BIOECONOMIC MODELLING ; LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES ; PUBLIC POLICIES

Nationality: Albanian
University of Registration: University of Paul Valéry Montpellier 3 (UPV) (France)
Year: 2020
Scientific Discipline: Geography & Land Use
Research Unit: LAGAM
Thesis Director: Pascal CHEVALIER (UPV)
CIHEAM-IAMM Supervisor: Philippe LE GRUSSE
Thesis Committee: Marc DEDEIRE (UPV), Fatmir GURI (Agricultural University Tirana, Albanie)
Funding: ERASMUS
Contact: zdafku@ubt.edu.al

Thesis Title

Local Socio-Economic Development Through the Optimal Use of Natural Resources in the Divjake Karavasta Protected Area (Albania)

Thesis Summary

The Local Socio-Economic Development Through the Optimal Use of Natural Resources in Divjaka Karavasta National Park by

1. Determining the optimal use of natural resources for each stakeholder group.
2. The economic efficiency of ecosystem resources/services for local development in the area.
3. Developing a participatory approach to the optimal use of natural resources.

Keywords

LOCAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ; LAND USE ; PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS ; SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ; PARTICIPATORY APPROACH