Environmental and social changes are deeply affecting Euro-Mediterranean agro-food systems and water resources. Climate change, unsustainable agricultural practices, over-exploitation of natural resources, new lifestyle behaviours (diet, physical activity and socio-cultural) and low profitability of smallholders put a strain on the sustainable and healthy development of the Region, with major impacts on our societies. The increased complexity and multidimensionality of such social, economic and environmental challenges can only be tackled through common efforts and resources with a research and innovation approach. PRIMA – Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area is the most ambitious joint programme to be undertaken in the frame of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.
PRIMA consists of European Union Member States, Horizon 2020 Associated Countries and Mediterranean Partner Countries on an equal footing basis (co-ownership, co-management and co-funding) with the Participation of the European Commission, under the framework of Art.185 TFEU.
TO DATE, 20 COUNTRIES COMMITTED TO THE INITIATIVE:
Algeria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey have formally become PRIMA Participating States.
The partnership will be financed through a combination of funding from PRIMA Participating States (currently €274 million), and a €220 million contribution from the EU through Horizon 2020, its research and innovation funding programme (2014 – 2020), with an increase of EUR 105 million from the European Union budget under Horizon Europe for the period 2025-2027, matched by Participating States,
BY FUNDING R&I THROUGH COMPETITIVE CALLS, PRIMA AIMS TO:
“build research and innovation capacities and to develop knowledge and common innovative solutions for agro-food systems, to make them sustainable, and for integrated water provision and management in the Mediterranean area, to make those systems and that provision and management more climate resilient, efficient, cost-effective and environmentally and socially sustainable, and to contribute to solving water scarcity, food security, nutrition, health, well-being and migration problems upstream”.
PRIMA also aims at to contribute to United Nations’ Agenda 2030 through the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
