On Thursday July 7, 2022, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI), represented by Dr. Michel Afram (PDG of LARI) and Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth – Ecole Supérieure d’Ingénieurs d’Agronomie Méditerranéenne (ESIAM-USJ), represented by Pr. Salim Daccache (Rector of Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth), implicating ESIAM-USJ in the LIVINGAGRO project in the activities related to the realization, management and conduction of the experimental field trials, as well as the data collection, analysis and interpretation.

The LIVINGAGRO project, financed under the “Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme”, is the largest Cross-Border Cooperation initiative implemented by the EU under the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI CBC MED Program). It aims technology transfer and commercialization of research results in the Mediterranean agroforestry sector, through the creation of two Living Labs (olive and silvopastoral systems) based on Open Innovation approaches, and creation of new opportunities for local communities in terms of sustainable farming practices and product diversification, through the identification and implementation of innovative techniques in the agroforestry sector; improvement of the stability of food production of agroforestry sector by promoting the production of quality products that support the income growth of farmers in marginal area with limited resources and environmental constraints; as well as innovation suppotr with high commercial potential in various contexts.