International training course for the Design of Resilient Farming Systems in face of climate change in Dry Regions

Abstract

As part of the SemiArid project funded by ERANET ArimNet2 (2017-2020), a group of lecturer-researchers from different Mediterranean institutions wish to set up a short international training course dedicated to the design of dryland farming systems. This training course follows several doctoral programs initially organised within the SEAMLESS project (2005-2010), then as part of the global FSD network (Farming System Design), which have trained more than a hundred international doctoral students. Until now, these courses aimed to prepare young scientists for the analysis and assessment of the sustainability of farming systems thanks to integrated approaches. The « SEMIARID » training course will focus on farming system design in dry regions (climate variability) in the context of climate change and food/nutritional security (referred to as « Climate-smart agriculture »). In its applications it will emphasize the role of diversities (intra-field, intra-farm and across-farms) in the efficiency and resilience of agricultural systems. It therefore falls within several national and international priorities programme of most dryland countries: « Feeding » and « Protecting »