There is no genuine agricultural relationship between north and south Mediterranean. Some production partnerships have been initiated between the two shores, but they fall way short of potential levels. As far as commerce is concerned, southern countries are highly dependent on the outside for food. The implications of this are significant commercial deficits and serious food insecurity. A significant share of food imports (particularly cereal) comes from other regions of the world, to the expense of north Mediterranean production.  

  
Furthermore, the rural areas of the southern Mediterranean face grave risks of destabilization, particularly due to unsustainable use of water. In the south, agriculture still represents a third of total employment, and provides a living for an even larger share of the rural population. The liberalization of agricultural trade within a free trade zone ...

There is no genuine agricultural relationship between north and south Mediterranean. Some production partnerships have been initiated between the two shores, but they fall way short of potential levels. As far as commerce is concerned, southern countries are highly dependent on the outside for food. The implications of this are significant commercial deficits and serious food insecurity. A significant share of food imports (particularly cereal) comes from other regions of the world, to the expense of north Mediterranean production.  

  
Furthermore, the rural areas of the southern Mediterranean face grave risks of destabilization, particularly due to unsustainable use of water. In the south, agriculture still represents a third of total employment, and provides a living for an even larger share of the rural population. The liberalization of agricultural trade within a free trade zone is bound to lead to a significant abandonment of agriculture, due to the considerable production gap between north and south. Any liberalization should be accompanied by measures to reinforce activities in rural areas – in order to prevent an exodus which neither southern cities nor international migration will be able to contain.

Supply:

- Support the modernization of southern supply and develop cooperation to reinforce technical and managerial skills (the capacity for organizing companies and subsidiaries).

- Support the organization of integrated subsidiaries that respect the principles of sustainable development.

Markets:

- Promote unique regional qualities through controlled identification of the place of origin: develop geographic indications to improve sales of local products.

- Establish common rules to favour trade by unifying sanitary and environmental norms, in order to constitute integrated euro-Mediterranean trade organizations.

Rural territory:
 
-  Finance common rural development policies for the region based on the EU’s ERDF policies for 2007-2013.

- Create a co-financed programme for sustainable rural development in the south.

Supply:

- Support the modernization of southern supply and develop cooperation to reinforce technical and managerial skills (the capacity for organizing companies and subsidiaries).

- Support the organization of integrated subsidiaries that respect the principles of sustainable development.

Markets:

- Promote unique regional qualities through controlled identification of the place of origin: develop geographic indications to improve sales of local products.

- Establish common rules to favour trade by unifying sanitary and environmental norms, in order to constitute integrated euro-Mediterranean trade organizations.

Rural territory:
 
-  Finance common rural development policies for the region based on the EU’s ERDF policies for 2007-2013.

- Create a co-financed programme for sustainable rural development in the south.

Project methodology, workgroup presentation, timetable

1- Constitute a work group on agriculture in partnership with the CIHEAM to examine the different recommendations.

2- Organize meetings to validate hypotheses and proposals.

Project methodology, workgroup presentation, timetable

1- Constitute a work group on agriculture in partnership with the CIHEAM to examine the different recommendations.

2- Organize meetings to validate hypotheses and proposals.

In 2008, the bill for agricultural and food imports of South and East Mediterranean Countries (SEMCs) topped an abysmal 57 billion USD, almost three times the figure for 2000. Three countries: Turkey, Egypt and Algeria, spent 9 million USD or more on the international market to feed their inhabitants.

In 2011, the extreme volatility of stocks for foodstuffs will once more inflate the bill, which is likely to exceed 60 billion USD.

Food insecurity is getting worse in the region and contributes to the unprecedented political crises sweeping through SEMCs. For all governments, crisis management should involve establishing quantitative and qualitative food security based on estimations of the costs/advantages (economic, social and environmental) and geopolitical impacts of not integrating into the Euro-Mediterranean region.

The populations of the 11 south and east Mediterranean countries in the south and east of the Mediterranean that are not members of the EU rose to 290 million inhabitants in 2010. In 2030, the next generation will have added approximately 75 million (mostly young) people. One of the major challenges will be to manage the crucial issue of food security, not only for public health, but for political stability.

Mediterranean agriculture is subject to significant constraints like land exploitation, water shortages and the technological gap. Production factor resources to improve food security are thus rare. SEMCs must optimize the use of natural resources (land and water), and improve the inflow of agricultural supplies (seeds, fertilizer and equipment) while instigating new production concepts that integrate the constraints of climate change and sustainable development.