The process of agroecological transition is often seen as context specific, but it is also based on transdisciplinary approaches, in which the agroecological knowledge is shared and co-built between the farmers and the researchers and intends to make connection with consumers and therefore food system, through structured dialogue and exchanges in particular with public decision-making and civil society associations. In this context, the NATAE project (North African Transition to Agroecology) will set 6 living labs in a participatory way so as to characterize, assess and stimulate local stakeholders’ dynamics around the agroecological potentials and constraints for the region. Furthermore, these living labs represent the main relevant agro socio environmental zones of the region: oasian and peri-oasian; peri-urban; mountains; cereals plain; Nile cultivated lands. Last, they are characterized by previous development and research projects implementation in the field of sustainable agriculture bringing in valuable inputs with regards to already existing agroecological practices.
NATAE aims at identifying optimal combinations of agroecological practices (AEP), and developing a replicable methodology to design evidence-based locally-tailored strategies for agroecological transitions on one hand, at networking through the setting-up of a durable Mediterranean network and community of knowledge: MEDAE. Building on the strength of an exceptional multi-actor and multidisciplinary consortium, NATAE will broadly disseminate its findings, impacting future curricula in North Africa and Europe, future development programs and future policies. NATAE is a project funded by the European Commission that started in December 2022 and will end in November 2026.