TY - JOUR

T1 - LEGU-MED

T2 - Developing Biodiversity-Based Agriculture with Legume Cropping Systems in the Mediterranean Basin

AU - Martinelli, Federico

AU - Vollheyde, Anna Lena

AU - Cebrián-Piqueras, Miguel A.

AU - von Haaren, Christina

AU - Lorenzetti, Elisa

AU - Barberi, Paolo

AU - Loreto, Francesco

AU - Piergiovanni, Anna Rosa

AU - Totev, Valkov Vladimir

AU - Bedini, Alberico

AU - Morelli, Roberto Kron

AU - Yahia, Nourredine

AU - Rezki, Meriem Amina

AU - Ouslim, Sarah

AU - Fyad-Lameche, F. Z.

AU - Bekki, Abdelkader

AU - Sikora, Sanja

AU - Rodríguez-Navarro, Dulce

AU - Camacho, María

AU - Nabbout, Rania

AU - Amil, Rola

AU - Trabelsi, Darine

AU - Yucel, Derya

AU - Yousefi, Sanaz

N1 - Funding Information: Funding: This research was funded by PRIMA Foundation, grant entitled “Legumes in biodiversity-based farming systems in Mediterranean basin” (LEGU-MED). The APC was funded by the same grant.

PY - 2022/1/6

Y1 - 2022/1/6

N2 - Environmental degradation and the decrease of ecosystem service provision are currently of major concern, with current agricultural systems being a major driver. To meet our future environmental and sustainability targets a transformation of the agro-food systems and current agricultural value chain are crucial. One approach to redesign farming systems is the concept of biodiversity-based agriculture (BBA) which relies on sustainable diversification of biological components and their natural interactions in farming systems to maximize fertility, productivity, and resilience to external perturbations. Despite minimizing anthropogenic inputs, BBA is not yet able to meet all beneficial environmental objectives. BBA applied in the Mediterranean basin requires urgent innovation in approaches, methodologies, and models for small-holder traditional farming systems to ensure a stable provision of ecosystem services and better resilience to environmental stresses linked to climate change. Legumes are the backbone of the Mediterranean agro-ecosystems from ancient times, but their unique and wide biodiversity was not sufficiently valorized, especially by North-African countries. Here, we present LEGU-MED, a three-year international project funded by PRIMA initiative 2019. An international consortium was established involving five universities, 5 research institutes, and one private company from 8 countries: Italy, Germany, Spain, Algeria, Tunisia, Turkey, Lebanon, and Croatia. The main objective of this project is to put forward an international and well-integrated plan to valorize the legume agrobiodiversity of the Mediterranean in biodiversity-based farming systems and consequently enhance agro-ecosystem functions and services in the Mediterranean basin. The successful completion of LEGU-MED will have the following impacts on Mediterranean legume-based farming systems: (1) improve water use efficiency, (2) reduce the use of anthropogenic inputs through the maintenance of soil fertility, (3) enhance pollination and improve ecological connectivity with flora and fauna, (4) protect close-by wildland ecosystems, (5) enhance other ecosystem services (e.g., pest, disease, and weed suppression), and (6) provide healthier and safer protein-rich food.

AB - Environmental degradation and the decrease of ecosystem service provision are currently of major concern, with current agricultural systems being a major driver. To meet our future environmental and sustainability targets a transformation of the agro-food systems and current agricultural value chain are crucial. One approach to redesign farming systems is the concept of biodiversity-based agriculture (BBA) which relies on sustainable diversification of biological components and their natural interactions in farming systems to maximize fertility, productivity, and resilience to external perturbations. Despite minimizing anthropogenic inputs, BBA is not yet able to meet all beneficial environmental objectives. BBA applied in the Mediterranean basin requires urgent innovation in approaches, methodologies, and models for small-holder traditional farming systems to ensure a stable provision of ecosystem services and better resilience to environmental stresses linked to climate change. Legumes are the backbone of the Mediterranean agro-ecosystems from ancient times, but their unique and wide biodiversity was not sufficiently valorized, especially by North-African countries. Here, we present LEGU-MED, a three-year international project funded by PRIMA initiative 2019. An international consortium was established involving five universities, 5 research institutes, and one private company from 8 countries: Italy, Germany, Spain, Algeria, Tunisia, Turkey, Lebanon, and Croatia. The main objective of this project is to put forward an international and well-integrated plan to valorize the legume agrobiodiversity of the Mediterranean in biodiversity-based farming systems and consequently enhance agro-ecosystem functions and services in the Mediterranean basin. The successful completion of LEGU-MED will have the following impacts on Mediterranean legume-based farming systems: (1) improve water use efficiency, (2) reduce the use of anthropogenic inputs through the maintenance of soil fertility, (3) enhance pollination and improve ecological connectivity with flora and fauna, (4) protect close-by wildland ecosystems, (5) enhance other ecosystem services (e.g., pest, disease, and weed suppression), and (6) provide healthier and safer protein-rich food.

KW - Agro-ecosystems

KW - Agroecology

KW - Biodiversity

KW - Biodiversity-based agriculture

KW - Chickpea

KW - Legumes

KW - Lentil

KW - Mediterranean

KW - Sustainable agriculture

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85123680792&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/agronomy12010132

DO - 10.3390/agronomy12010132

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85123680792

VL - 12

JO - Agronomy

JF - Agronomy

SN - 2073-4395

IS - 1

M1 - 132

ER -