The 2021 Farming System Design Symposium - call for abstracts now open!

The 7th Farming System Design Symposium (FSD), brought to you by The CIHEAM-IAM, ICARDA and IRESA-Tunisia, will take place in Tunis on March 21-24. Delegates for accepted abstracts will present and discuss findings and initiatives for dryland agri-food systems towards alleviating the effects of climate change and socio-economic uncertainties that affect dryland regions more than others.

The symposium will be organized around three pillars:

• The first is to present, discuss and integrate recent scientific findings that contribute to the analysis, assessment, and design of resilient/sustainable farming systems in general and in the dryland agroecosystems in particular (irrigated, rainfed, agro-pastoral, desert farming). Work which notably deals with the role of agro-biodiversity observed at the plot, farm or territory level in resilient farm system design will be encouraged. Integrated approaches to water management, re-use, and accounting in farming systems sustainability is also expected to be addressed. Research results documenting the interactions between agricultural systems and food systems, policies, market and natural resource management (water, soils, rangelands…) are also welcome.

• The second pillar is the strengthening of capacity development for young researchers (doctoral and post-doctoral students, especially women) in the form of forums and short intensive training courses dedicated to the design of resilient/sustainable production systems in dry regions.

• The third pillar is to strengthen the collaboration between the public and private sectors to support the out-scaling of innovative technologies, tools and organizations for nutrition-sensitive, climate-smart and job-providers agri-food systems in the Dry Areas. 

Submitted abstracts and initiatives should use as an entry point of integration (down to the field and up to landscape, market, and ecosystems), the farm household and its role in sustainable food production within an uncertain climatic and socio-economic context.

Beyond this focus, the symposium is also open to other subjects if they can contribute to the FSD informal interdisciplinary scientific community of practice to promote research and capacity building on farming systems design.

The CIHEAM Montpellier, ICARDA and IRESA-Tunisa welcome your initiatives and expertise.

Deadline for submission: 30th June 2020

More information and rules on abstracts