Résultats du Programme d'action régionale en agriculture pluviale (RAP-RAG) initié dans le cadre du Projet de coopération CE-CIHEAM 1998-2003 pour améliorer l'efficacité et la conservation de l'environnement dans les systèmes de production méditerranéens arides et semi-arides (MEDRATE). Evaluation de l'impact des techniques agricoles sur la gestion de la terre, l'eau, la production, etc. ©Electre 2024

OM est le titre du Ciheam au service des agricultures méditerranéennes. Revue périodique de 1970 à 1976, OM est devenu le nom d'une collection «Etudes» entre 1981 et 1989.

Aujourd'hui, trois séries se partagent les numéros édités: «Séminaires Méditerranéens» (Sér. A), «Etudes et Recherches» (Sér. B) et «Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes».

OMis a Ciheam series devoted to the development of Mediterranean agriculture.

Having appeared in the form of a periodical from 1970 to 1976, the title OM has been given to the«Etudes» series from 1981 to 1989. To date, OM includes three series:«Séminaires Méditerranéens»(Ser. A), «Etudes et Recherches» (Ser. B) and«Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes».

Rainfed agriculture is practised over the largest crop surface area in the Mediterranean. The crop and livestock production that accompanies rainfed agriculture in the South and East of the Mediterranean have been and continue to be the main and often only basis of economic activity in these areas. The maintenance and efficacy of the agricultural systems in these areas is therefore an indispensable condition for the livelihood of the rural population and for a decline in their migration and concentration in the urban areas. From the point of view of environmental protection, even though excessive pressure from arable and livestock farming has harmful effects, particularly soil erosion, the abandonment of human activity in these lands leads to further risk of desertisation and desertification and to the impossibility of controlling natural phenomena: fires, floods, pests, etc., which are potentially hazardous for inhabited areas and for the equilibrium of ecosystems.

The EC(EuropeAid)-Ciheam Co-operation Project, 1998-2003, "Regional co-operation in the agricultural sector on training, promotion of research and communication of scientific and technical information in the context of economic transition", has covered a second pluriannual period of collaboration between EC and Ciheam with a new approach of more in-depth involvement of MNCs (Mediterranean non-EU member countries). The choice of rainfed agriculture as a Regional Action Programme (RAP-RAG) of the EC-Ciheam project is justified by the expected effects of supporting the rural population, protecting the environment and contributing to the Final Agricultural Output. The programme's objective has been to improve regional cooperation to favour sustainable agriculture and transition towards more open and competitive market economies. The programme has covered the components of training, with specialised short courses, support to cooperative research networks and research projects designed to develop joint research and information exchange, organisation of seminars and workshops, and logistic support to South and East Mediterranean institutions for information and communication technologies.

These proceedings collect the texts of the 35 presentations made in the final Seminar of the RAP-RAG programme. The objective of the Seminar was to contribute to the adoption of appropriate technologies for technical and economic sustainability of rainfed agricultural systems, and to increase cooperation for that objective between the national and international organisations of the Mediterranean region. During the Seminar, that was open to free contributions, the activities and results of the RAP-RAG programme were presented and discussed, with a special focus on the results obtained by the Medrate Research Project (Evaluation of agricultural practices to improve efficiency and environment conservation in Mediterranean arid and semi-arid production systems). This project has evaluated and assessed the impact and adoption of agricultural technologies specially adapted to rainfed agriculture at research and farm levels. Technologies related with land and water management, crop production and animal production have been evaluated in Algeria, Egypt, Italy, Morocco, Spain, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.

The Seminar was attended by 52 experts from Algeria, Egypt, France, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.