TransforMed Welcomes Two Master's Students for Research Internships on Agroforestry Policies

News

From April to September, the University of Évora is hosting two students from the CIHEAM-IAMM Master’s program in Economics – Mediterranean Farming System Design for a Sustainable Food System.

Inès Tehami with the ICARDA team, in Tunis.

Oumaima Ghariani presenting her activities to Moroccan's partners.

These internships are being developed as part of the TransforMed project, on the specific focus on policies frameworks that can influence the use of agroforestry practices.

Oumaima Ghariani will do her research focusing on the project Lighthouse #4: Argan AFS site, Perimeter of Lahyatla, Morocco. In collaboration with AGENDA, INRA Settat, and ANDZOA, she is analyzing how policies influence the adoption of agroforestry practices on Chtouka-Aït Baha region, with a particular focus on Argan production.

Inès Tehami is working with ICARDA focusing on the project Lighthouse #1: Sbaihia site, to understand the key policy factors that support or limit the use of agroforestry systems in Tunisia's Zaghouan Governorate.

Recently both students presented their research plans to Moroccan and Tunisian project partners. Their fieldwork, taking place from May to July, includes:

Reviewing existing policies, incentives, and institutional frameworks related to agroforestry.
An analysis of the demographic profile and socioeconomic conditions of farmers that influence the adoption of these practices.
Interviews with stakeholders involved in the formulation and implementation of local agroforestry-related policies.

These internships underscore the strong collaboration between TransforMed partners and foster cross-institutional research in agroforestry. The students' findings will directly support the project's goals—particularly the work led by the University of Évora, which aims to develop results-based models adapted to the realities of Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey to encourage stakeholders to adopt agroforestry systems.