“Arbomed ” the euro-Mediterranean network of fruit and vegetables producers meets in Tunis

The Arbomed project was initiated by AREFLH and Fert in February 2014. The second meeting of the group took place in Tunis on October on 29th, 30th and 31st, 2014.

This network gathers producers' organizations of seven Mediterranean countries (Albania, Algeria, Spain, France, Italy, Morocco and Tunisia) who were given for objectives to better manage competition, to develop complementaries and also to approach together the technical or commercial challenges that are more and more often located on a Mediterranean area, such as the climate change for example.

During the plenary session on October 29th, two work axes were validated: the piloting of the irrigation for a better management of the water resources and the observatory of the production and the markets.
One of the key topics concerning the possible partnerships between the producers of the two banks of the Mediterranean was also approved. It could actually lead to the organization of B to B meetings between producers.
It was also decided to share the experiments of each country on the organization of the production and the sector in order to reinforce the economic power of the producers on the market.

This meeting also permitted the appointment of the members of the Steering committee, which brings together 2 representatives of each country. The two copresidents of the Steering committee were thus elected: Adel Messaoudi (UTAP, Tunisia) and Andre Pinatel (AREFLH, France).

During these days of sharing, visits of exploitations were organized by the UTAP and GIFruits in the delegations of Sbikha and El Fahs, as well as a visit of the SIAT (Tunisian International fair of Agriculture).

The last day was devoted to a work meeting on an answer to an “Horizon 2020” invitation to tender on the management of the water resources.

These three days were the occasion to confirm the will of each member from the network to work together and to advance jointly towards the objectives set in February 2014, that is the piloting of the irrigation, the economic observatory and the partnerships.

For more information
Fert
Jean-Charles Derongs
Email: j.c.derongs@fert.fr
www.fert.fr

The AREFLH
Pauline Panegos
Email: mission@areflh.org
www.areflh.org

Publication date: Mon 17 Nov 2014