Objectives
Study and improvement of forage crop production on irrigated and rain-fed land, development and management of typically Mediterranean rangelands. Study of forage feeding value; by-products and rangelands of the Mediterranean.
Origins
The activities of CIHEAM Zaragoza related to the characterization and feeding value of forages, by-products and Mediterranean rangelands date from 1970 (Tables of feeding value of Mediterranean forages and by-products). During the 1980s and at the beginning of the 1990s, part of these activities were carried out in collaboration with the AGRIMED programme of the DG VI of the European Commission. During the years 1990 to 1996, research projects were financed within the framework of the CAMAR and AIR programmes of the European Commission. The FAO-CIHEAM Network has been in operation since 1995, created in the framework of the European System of Cooperative Research Networks in Agriculture (ESCORENA). Since then, the Network has continued working, attracting new members oriented towards the most relevant research topics and challenges affecting pasturelands and grazing systems.
See the article "The history and activities of the FAO/CIHEAM Research and Development Network on Pasture and Fodder Crops" (Scientific Bulletin of ESCORENA 2: 39-40).
Topics addressed
- Subnetwork on Mountain Pastures.
- Subnetwork on Mediterranean Forage Resources.
Type of Action
- Exchange of information
- Organization of periodic meetings and seminars (every two or three years)
- Working groups with common methodologies
- Research projects
- Training
Co-ordination Structure
Research co-ordinator: Claudio Porqueddu, CNR-ISPAAM Sassari (Italy)
Subnetwork on Mountain Pastures: Giampiero Lombardi. Università degli Studi di Torino (Italy)
Subnetwork on Mediterranean Forage Resources: Magali Jouven, Montpellier SupAgro (France)
Results and Impact
The results of the activities carried out within the framework of the Network on Pastures and Forage Crops range from the more or less formal exchange of information to the development of large-scale research projects, as well as formal meetings and seminars and a large number of publications. Moreover, almost all the researchers working in pastures and forage crops in the Mediterranean Region participate in this network. There is also participation of experts from Anglo-Saxon, northern European and Mediterranean climate countries (Australia, South Africa, USA), which ensures a very good connection with the European research centres. A substantial number of scientific meetings and publications have been produced from the Network activities. Beyond the most immediate results, the contacts and relations created among the community of experts and researchers have fostered multiple collaborations in terms of training of students, joint activities among groups and centres, and development of joint research projects.
Past and upcoming activities
2nd Joint Seminar of the FAO-CIHEAM Networks on Mediterranean Pasture and Forage Crops and on Sheep and Goat Nutrition: “Alternative feed resources and their management for transiting towards a sustainable ruminant production” (Catania, Italy, 27-29 September 2022). https://faociheam2022.org/
Joint meeting EAAP Mountain Livestock Farming & FAO-CIHEAM Mountain Pasture: Mountains are agroecosystems for people (Online, 28-30 September 2020).
https://www.eaap.org/joint-meeting-eaap-mountain-livestock-farming-fao-ciheam-mountain-pasture/
1st Joint Meeting of the FAO-CIHEAM Networks on Sheep and Goats and Mediterranean Pastures and Forage Crops: “Efficiency and resilience of forage resources and small ruminant production to cope with global challenges in Mediterranean areas” (Meknes, Morocco, 23 to 25 October 2019) https://networks.iamz.ciheam.org/meknes2019/en/index.php
See more ….
Publications
López-Francos A. Jouven M. Porqueddu C. Ben Salem H. Keli A. Araba A. Chentouf M. 2021. Efficiency and resilience of forage resources and small ruminant production to cope with global challenges in Mediterranean areas. Options Méditerranéennes, Series A, 125. Zaragoza : CIHEAM, 2021. 704 p. https://om.ciheam.org/option.php?IDOM=1038
Casasús I. Lombardi G. 2016. Mountain pastures and livestock farming facing uncertainty: environmental, technical and socio-economic challenges. Options Méditerranéennes, Series A, 116. Zaragoza : CIHEAM, 2016. 372 p. https://om.ciheam.org/option.php?IDOM=1024
Kyriazopoulos A.P. López-Francos A. Porqueddu C. Sklavou P. 2016. Ecosystem services and socio-economic benefits of Mediterranean grasslands. Options Méditerranéennes, Series A, A114. Zaragoza : CIHEAM, 2016. 541 p. https://om.ciheam.org/option.php?IDOM=1023