Food security in the Mediterranean countries

We have experienced a period of great agricultural capacity almost on a global scale, called "the Green Revolution". This is a term used to refer to the remarkable increase in the world agricultural production between the early 1960s and the end of the 1980s. The technological progress experienced in the more developed economies and its transfer to other regions, especially Asia and Latin America, led, at that moment, to the doubling of yields for some cereal crops which are basic for the human diet, like rice, wheat and maize, besides the productivity of other plant species and livestock. This real production boom has been able to meet rising food demand in the past 30 years and has also ensured a certain stability to food prices. What has changed? How can we account for an alarming situation that today goes well beyond the ever-neglected issue of hunger in the world's poor areas? What has compromised the reaching of internationally-agreed goals regarding the war against malnutrition? The international markets for agricultural commodities are the stage on which the new scarcity is shown in all its clarity. The rollercoaster ride of commodity prices fully expresses the tensions between demand and supply which are responsible for price rises. Since for many years these changes have not been perceived or have been at the very least underestimated, in this paper we try to address the impact on food security in Mediterranean Countries of this "new paradigm", emphasizing the most critical aspect drawn from major indicators in the field.Entre le d\ue9but des ann\ue9es 1960 et la fin des ann\ue9es 1980, nous avons v\ue9cu une p\ue9riode de grande capacit\ue9 agricole qui a pris une dimension presque plan\ue9taire et est connue comme \uab R\ue9volution verte \ubb. Cette expression est utilis\ue9e pour \ue9voquer un accroissement formidable de la production agricole mondiale. Le progr\ue8s technologique r\ue9alis\ue9 dans les \ue9conomies plus avanc\ue9es et son transfert vers d\u2019autres r\ue9gions, notamment l\u2019Asie et l\u2019Am\ue9rique latine, a abouti, dans cette p\ue9riode, au doublement des rendements de certaines cultures c\ue9r\ue9ali\ue8res qui sont \ue0 la base de l\u2019alimentation humaine, comme le riz, le bl\ue9 et le ma\u457s, et \ue0 l\u2019augmentation de la productivit\ue9 d\u2019autres esp\ue8ces v\ue9g\ue9tales et du b\ue9tail. Ce v\ue9ritable boom de la production a permis de r\ue9pondre \ue0 la demande alimentaire croissante au cours des trente derni\ue8res ann\ue9es et d\u2019assurer une certaine stabilit\ue9 des prix alimentaires. Qu\u2019est-ce qui a chang\ue9 ? Comment pouvons-nous expliquer une situation alarmante qui, aujourd\u2019hui, va bien au-del\ue0 de la question jamais n\ue9glig\ue9e de la faim dans les zones les plus pauvres du monde ? Qu\u2019est ce qui a compromis la r\ue9alisation des objectifs d\ue9finis internationalement pour lutter contre la malnutrition ? Les march\ue9s internationaux des produits agricoles sont la sc\ue8ne o\uf9 cette nouvelle p\ue9nurie se r\ue9v\ue8le d\u2019une mani\ue8re flagrante. Les fortes fluctuations des prix alimentaires refl\ue8tent clairement les tensions entre la demande et l\u2019offre qui provoquent la hausse des prix. Etant donn\ue9 que ces changements sont pass\ue9s inaper\ue7us pendant longtemps ou ont du moins \ue9t\ue9 sous-estim\ue9s, nous essayons dans cet article d\u2019\ue9valuer l\u2019impact de ce \uab nouveau paradigme \ubb sur la s\ue9curit\ue9 alimentaire dans les pays m\ue9diterran\ue9ens, en insistant sur les aspects les plus critiques mis en \ue9vidence \ue0 l\u2019aide des principaux indicateurs sur le terrain

A simplified model for the estimation of life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of enhanced geothermal systems

International audienceBackground: The development of 'enhanced geothermal systems' (EGS), designed to extract energy from deep low-enthalpy reservoirs, is opening new scenarios of growth for the whole geothermal sector. A relevant tool to estimate the environmental performances of such emerging renewable energy (RE) technology is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). However, the application of this cradle-to-grave approach is complex and time-consuming. Moreover, LCA results available for EGS case studies cover a fairly high variability range. Methods: A new type of LCA-based approach, called simplified model, is developed based on the analysis of environmental performance variability of energy pathways. Such methodology has been applied to produce a reduced parameterized model, designed to estimate life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of EGS power plants applicable to a large sample of configurations

Straw in the retrofitting existing buildings: surveys and prospects

The article aims to investigate the feasibility of straw as an alternative to traditional construction materials, with particular reference to the retrofit of buildings. This paper is part of the international debate on environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and rehabilitation of the existing building heritage and reports the results of research carried out at the Department of Architecture and Design of the Politecnico di Torino. After initial research and classification of the main construction techniques that can be used to realize straw thermal coats, a survey was started to collect opinions on the use of straw in construction from professionals and potential users. At the same time, one on-site measurement campaign was carried out to assess the thermal transmittance of the straw insulation coat. The different investigations - literature research, surveys, experimentation - highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of the use of straw and identified possible scenarios for its wider application in Italy

Toccare il villaggio Leumann: un esempio di comunicazione inclusiva dell’architettura

The article deals with drawings in relief as a representational tool capable of responding to the specific needs of people with visual impairment and can, in a broader view, be utilized for the creation of products of inclusive communication that render the narration of the city, of the architecture, of the art, accessible to all. It specifically illustrates the project “Touching the Leumann Village” which, starting from a workshop experience, produced a visual-tactile book aimed at the comprehension and the valorisation of one of the most important examples of industrial villages built in Italy between the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The project fits into the broader context of inclusive communication as a tool for the valorisation and fruition of cultural heritage. A topic that is in continuous evolution thanks also to the numerous research and technological transfer studies and projects developed in recent years, both nationally and internationally

Accessibilità ai contenuti culturali come occasione di valorizzazione delle architetture chieresi

Using a case study, the paper aims to illustrate approaches to different aspects of acces- sibility by focusing specifically on accessibility to cultural content. Assessment of the physical accessibility of urban itineraries and historical buildings must be complemented by the creation of experiential proposals for utilization. These are based on the assumption that all visitors can discover and enjoy the cultural heritage. The design challenge is to create inclusive aids with multisensory and multilevel contents. These would consent full enjoyment for all, allowing even those with physical, mental, intellectual or sensory disabilities full and effective participation on an equal basis with others. The method is described through the work carried out on the city of Chieri and its histori- cal buildings with the students from the Master’s Degree in Architecture for the Sustain- able Project of the Polytechnic of Turin

Toccare il Villaggio Leumann. Comunicazione inclusiva dell'Architettura

Il testo illustra un progetto di conoscenza del Villaggio operaio Leumann di Torino. Pensato per rispondere alle esigenze specifiche delle persone con disabilità visiva, diventa, in una visione più ampia, uno strumento di lettura plurale che rende maggiormente accessibile a tutti il racconto della città, dell’arte, dell’architettura. Il progetto, replicabile e implementabile, si inserisce nel tema più ampio della comunicazione inclusiva come strumento di valorizzazione e fruizione del patrimonio culturale. Tema in continua evoluzione grazie ai numerosi studi e progetti di ricerca e di trasferimento tecnologico sviluppati negli ultimi anni

Measuring and modelling soil evaporation in an irrigated olive orchard to improve water management

The aim of this study was to estimate soil evaporation (Es) in an intensive olive orchard. Measurements of Es were performed for 19 days using microlysimeters, during summers 2010, 2011 and 2012 in southeast Portugal. In order to relate each area type to radiation transmissivity, ground cover measurements were performed over the years. These data were used to calibrate and validate an empirical model for Es estimation. Measured daily average Es was 0.55 0.14 mm; the model estimated 0.53 0.18 mm for the same days, with a determination coe cient of 0.94. This corresponds to 9% of the reference evapotranspiration, representing well the overall values estimated for the summer, except for days after rain. Regarding the wet area, measured Es for the validation data set was 2.42 L/(m2 of wet area), the estimated was 2.49 L/(m2 of wet area). Measured average Es in dry area (validation data set) was 0.42 L/(m2 of dry area), estimated Es was 0.43 L/(m2 of dry area). The large exposed dry area had a significant contribution to evaporation. On average, estimated Es during a typical Mediterranean summer was 10% of reference evapotranspiration, representing 30% of transpiration and 23% of evapotranspirationinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Animal health and livestock, mediterranean perspectives

International audienceThe CIHEAM Watch Letter n°39 in January 2018 on "Animal Health and Livestock, Mediterranean Perspectives" intends to provide a regional Mediterranean overview in terms of Animal Health & Livestock. The contributions of specialists of different nationalities, profiles and experiences, aim at making this issue, a collection of perspectives and studies on the state of animal health in the Mediterranean, its future challenges and the possible solutions allowing to strengthen regional cooperation