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Project Topic
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In RESCHEDULE, we hypothesize that improvements in the adaptation of smallholder farms to climate change extremes in the Mediterranean Region at scales able to cause impact require the adoption of integrated and easily adjustable approaches that consider all the types of resilience (ecological, social, economic, institutional). To meet this goal, RESCHEDULE assembles a multidisciplinary consortium of researchers and a wide spectrum of stakeholders and farmers; encouraging their active participation and interaction throughout the lifetime of the project to maximize the innovation potential and outcomes applicability. From the technical viewpoint, RESCHEDULE adopts a hierarchical strategy that considers incremental, and transformative adaptations, targeting mainly the improvement of soil health and associated microbiota to strengthen the resilience of farms and the efficient use of natural resources. State-of-the-art approaches, based on the principles of agroecology (minimum tillage, intercropping, crop genotypes, soil microbiomes) are theoretically evaluated before their extensive evaluation in three experimental sites (GR, IT, TUN) characterized by contrasting conditions (cropping systems, social background economic prosperity, climate). To further advance our insights on the effects of climate change, new experiments are planned at the Global Change Experimental Facility (DE) on non-tillage, crop genetic diversity and intercropping at ambient and anticipated climate in 50 years. Modelling tools are then employed to extend the outcomes of experimental sites (adaptation strategies) in the long-term, under different climate change scenarios (RCPs). Transition pathways are then evaluated to propagate the spread of adaptation strategies at larger scales. Toward this goal, RESCHEDULE outcomes will identify and engage relevant stakeholders to ensure that the pathways proposed for a transformative change of agriculture under changing conditions result from a co-construction. A cost benefit analysis of the applied approaches will be performed, considering all necessary costs to provide preliminary estimates of environmental benefits. The RESCHEDULE project outcomes will be effectively communicated to local, governmental and EU agencies in the form a solid roadmap, describing actions and conditions, gaps and limitations, and the need for incentives and initiatives. This roadmap can be considered by policy makers and stakeholders at different governance levels to make the needed decisions to increase the resilience of agricultural sector to climatic change.
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