Periodic Reporting for period 2 - FASTER (Farmers’ Adaptation Sustainability in Tunisia through Excellence in Research: FASTER)
Période du rapport: 2020-02-01 au 2021-10-31
Farmers’ Adaptation and Sustainability in Tunisia through Excellence in Research (FASTER) is a Twinning Project funded by the European Commission (Directorate-General for Research and Innovation) through Horizon 2020 funding programme. FASTER aims to reinforce research and knowledge transfer capacity of the Tunisian National Research Institute of Rural Engineering, Water and Forests (INRGREF) related to innovative climate change adaptation measures in land and water management and its implementation through the use of Farm Advisory Systems (FAS). To achieve its mission, FASTER developed a sustainable framework for research and built an international networking and partnership as well as FAS capacity building and practice.
The consortium gathers seven European and Tunisian partners. CREAF and LU ensured knowledge transfer to strengthen the scientific excellence of researchers and technicians of INRGREF and the associated IRESA centres. Europe for Business evaluated the experience from the economic perspective, and Vision Communication ensured an appropriate public awareness, dissemination of results, and training support. Finally, AVFA (the Agriculture Extension and Training Agency) served as a liaison with policy makers and related stakeholders, making sure to integrate the FASTER results into national policies.
The consortium gathers seven European and Tunisian partners. CREAF and LU ensured knowledge transfer to strengthen the scientific excellence of researchers and technicians of INRGREF and the associated IRESA centres. Europe for Business evaluated the experience from the economic perspective, and Vision Communication ensured an appropriate public awareness, dissemination of results, and training support. Finally, AVFA (the Agriculture Extension and Training Agency) served as a liaison with policy makers and related stakeholders, making sure to integrate the FASTER results into national policies.
FASTER has a dedicated WP1 on ethical requirements to ensure that all research undertaken in the project, including data management aspects, complies with H2020 ethical standards. The consortium met regularly and several times during the project lifetime to debate and discuss all the activities performed and the next steps planned. A contingency plan was deleoped during the second reporting period to overcome the sanitary situation. All the efforts of interaction have proved to be enriching and very productive in achieving the objectives and the activities of the project.
The capacity building activity has resulted in more sustainable collaboration between INRGREF (including national associated partners) and the international partners. We particularly mention, the benefit towards an increase in support, new research avenues accessibilty, recognition of qualified Tunisian scientists in terms of their creativity, development of new approaches, knowledge and know how exploration via increased contact with international research environments.
The process of the creation of a living lab has been designed through an iterative work. Several workshops and stakeholder activities were developed aiming to integrate different contributions to the process of scoping the Living Lab as much as possible. These participatory activities have been benefited by over 250 participants with profiles related to Farm Advisory System, including farmers, farmer organizations, engineers, technicians, practitioners, public administration, researchers and broader society. Face to face meetings enabled to reach a common understanding on the Living Lab process, to share thoughts & experiences as well as to ensure writing and revising 60 adapation solutions’ factsheets. The latter are now gathered into an “Atlas of Adaptation to Climate Change in Tunisian Agriculture”.
The governmental agreement signed by three institutions is already promoting and developing cooperation in innovative solutions while, ensuring the sustainability of excellence. In the same context, the, Job Bank platform/Excellenece Hub is currently serving as a repository of international/transcontinental employment opportunities for Tunisian's job seekers related to FAS services. It is specially oriented to younger audiences in special need of such tools, like employers that will use it to advertise jobs and to young professionals and researchers for job and collaboration opportunities. The Job Bank is now supporting and highlighting the synergies with the aforementioned FASTER products, while adding to them more features and functionalities.
Ppositive impacts are related to the achievement of the project. Among others, relevent communication and dissemination strategy displayed thousands of followers via the public website and the social media channels.
Finally, during the second reporting period, all the FASTER activities and deliverables have been conducted properly and were submitted on time. The process displays great synergies between the whole consortium and effective complementarities that helped to overcome most of encountered issues.
The capacity building activity has resulted in more sustainable collaboration between INRGREF (including national associated partners) and the international partners. We particularly mention, the benefit towards an increase in support, new research avenues accessibilty, recognition of qualified Tunisian scientists in terms of their creativity, development of new approaches, knowledge and know how exploration via increased contact with international research environments.
The process of the creation of a living lab has been designed through an iterative work. Several workshops and stakeholder activities were developed aiming to integrate different contributions to the process of scoping the Living Lab as much as possible. These participatory activities have been benefited by over 250 participants with profiles related to Farm Advisory System, including farmers, farmer organizations, engineers, technicians, practitioners, public administration, researchers and broader society. Face to face meetings enabled to reach a common understanding on the Living Lab process, to share thoughts & experiences as well as to ensure writing and revising 60 adapation solutions’ factsheets. The latter are now gathered into an “Atlas of Adaptation to Climate Change in Tunisian Agriculture”.
The governmental agreement signed by three institutions is already promoting and developing cooperation in innovative solutions while, ensuring the sustainability of excellence. In the same context, the, Job Bank platform/Excellenece Hub is currently serving as a repository of international/transcontinental employment opportunities for Tunisian's job seekers related to FAS services. It is specially oriented to younger audiences in special need of such tools, like employers that will use it to advertise jobs and to young professionals and researchers for job and collaboration opportunities. The Job Bank is now supporting and highlighting the synergies with the aforementioned FASTER products, while adding to them more features and functionalities.
Ppositive impacts are related to the achievement of the project. Among others, relevent communication and dissemination strategy displayed thousands of followers via the public website and the social media channels.
Finally, during the second reporting period, all the FASTER activities and deliverables have been conducted properly and were submitted on time. The process displays great synergies between the whole consortium and effective complementarities that helped to overcome most of encountered issues.
The project achieved significant impacts by, considering: INRGREF (and associated partners) researchers and technicians’ participation throughout the project, a concrete transfer strategy, international and sustainable networking, and direct contact with governmental bodies. At the same time, the quality assurance procedures was applied by the Steering Committee to guarantee the achievement of expected impacts.
More importantly, the support of FASTER to
• To bridge the gap between research and innovation
• To better face climate change impacts and sustain nature and crops production
• To improve linkages between researchers, technicians and farmers while helping them connect to EU policy and research development
• To facilitate administrative FAS based on govrnemental agreement
• To support the attraction of young people through economic incentives and services
To work on a potential new markets for alternative products supported by FAS initiatives
More importantly, the support of FASTER to
• To bridge the gap between research and innovation
• To better face climate change impacts and sustain nature and crops production
• To improve linkages between researchers, technicians and farmers while helping them connect to EU policy and research development
• To facilitate administrative FAS based on govrnemental agreement
• To support the attraction of young people through economic incentives and services
To work on a potential new markets for alternative products supported by FAS initiatives