MAENA project joined a recent workshop in Tunis, co-organised by MEDREC, focusing on « Youth, Climate and Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean: Italy and Tunisia for a new generation of cooperation. » The event, held on June 24, 2025, served as a platform to discuss collaborative opportunities for a green transition across the region.

Key participants in the event included the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE), the Embassy of Italy in Tunisia, the Italian Youth Council (CNG), and the Institution of Agricultural Research and Higher Education (IRESA).

The workshop featured a panel discussion on « Training in agro-ecological transition and green economy. » Prof. Zohra Lili, President of IRESA and Professor at INAT, emphasised the transformative potential of spatial management technologies and AI in understanding the impact of drought on agriculture. Prof. Lili highlighted how integrating updated multi-source information with GIS allows for more informed territorial decision-making. She also noted the success of IRESA’s projects, in partnership with Italian institutions, in promoting technology exchange, GIS tools, and participatory approaches in both countries.

A key takeaway from Prof. Zohra Lili was that the Interreg Next Med programme is empowering socio-economic beneficiaries to become full project partners, fostering ownership of solutions and increasing their adoption.

Prof. Mehdi Ben Mimoun, the local coordinator of MAENA at the National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia (INAT), presented the project, which is funded by the EU through the INTERREG NEXT MED programme. MAENA is coordinated by MEDREC and unites 11 partners from across the Mediterranean, including the INAT and CIHEAM Bari (Italy). The project’s core mission is to build capacities and support the adoption of practices targeting Small Water Cycle (SWC) restoration to improve on farm water use efficiency.