Mediterranean, the Sea that Unites. New Prospects for the Agri-Food System

Today the Mediterranean region faces major food security challenges in a delicate transition period following the 2008 economic crisis and the wave of social and political transformations that started in late 2010 and early 2011. Food security in the region is a challenge for many reasons. The demand for food is expected to increase by the mid-century because of population growth and shift in dietary patterns. Structural changes in the demand for food will require a substantial increase in food supply in a scenario progressively weakened by the lack of two strategic resources for agricultural production - fertile land and water -, the impact of climate, and greater instabilities in the global food market. These pressures raise the question of whether the principles and objectives that shaped the Mediterranean food system in the 20th century need revision in order to provide simultaneously enough food, in quantity and quality, to meet the nutritional needs of a growing population and to conserve natural resources for future generation. This volume aims at fostering dialogue and debate between decision-makers, stakeholders and scientific community of both shores of the Mediterranean, on the current challenges of the agri-food system and on the opportunities offered by a paradigm shift towards green/blue and circular economy.