MS Sustainable Agriculture

Increasing concern over environmental, biodiversity, and food safety issues in the Mediterranean area have formed the basis for a Masters of Science (M.Sc.) degree in “Sustainable Agriculture”. Sustainable Agriculture promotes the principles of a viable agroecosystem with natural living systems that operate compatibly through responsible management of abiotic and biotic resources and it is particularly sensitive to environmental pollution and waste. The postgraduate program enables the graduates to tackle the recent incorporation of environmental issues into the EU common agricultural policy. The framework of integrated and organic farming systems is provided by the quality assurance legislation and agro-environmental indicators. Technical topics are also analysed in-depth: agro-ecology, ecotoxicology, agro-biodiversity, genetic resources management, soil and water management, crop protection, case studies of sustainable methodologies.

Established in 1962, the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) is a Mediterranean intergovernmental organization composed of 13 Member States (Albania, Algeria, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, and Turkey).

It operates through its 4 Institutes based in Bari (Italy), Chania (Greece), Montpellier (France), and Zaragoza (Spain), and the Headquarters based in Paris.

As a key player in multilateral cooperation in the fields of sustainable agriculture and fisheries, food systems, coastal and rural development, its missions revolve around four main objectives:

Protection of the planet by combating all forms of waste: waste of natural resources, food waste, and waste of knowledge and know-how

Food and nutrition security by boosting sustainable agriculture and food systems

Inclusive development by investing in new generations and fragile territories

Prevention of crises by managing tensions and working for the resilience of communities