TSARA Forces Inter-Task Seminar

From December 3 to 5, 2024, theÉcole Nationale d'Agriculture de Meknès (Morocco) will host the TSARA initiative's Inter-Task Forces (Inter-TFT) seminar. A scientific meeting dedicated to the sustainable transformation of food systems in Africa and Europe.

The event will bring together some forty members of TSARA's nine thematic Task Forces, with the ambition of strengthening scientific collaboration, sharing experience andinitiating new inter-TFTprojects addressing global and local challenges.

A rich and structured program over three days:

Day 1: Exploring the actions and prospects of TFT and Transformative Sciences for impact

The first day of the seminar will be devoted to reflection and sharing on the work of the Task Forces.

The morning will kick off with a hybrid plenary session devoted to the actions and prospects of the TFTs, presenting the major scientific orientations, landmark projects and challenges faced by each Task Force. These exchanges will provide an overview of the progress made and promote synergies between themes to strengthen TSARA's collective impact.

The afternoon will be devoted to a session on transformative science, a concept central to TSARA's research and innovation methods. Through expert presentations and collaborative workshops, participants will explore the challenges of transformation in food systems, and reflect on the levers for integrating these approaches into their work. This session will also provide an opportunity to develop concrete ways of positioning transformative sciences as a strong marker of the initiative.

Day 2: Emergence and setting up projects

The second day will be devoted to the design and emergence of collaborative projects within TSARA.

In the morning, workshops will analyze feedback from different types of projects (interconnaissance, starters, pilots, large-scale projects), identifying success factors, obstacles encountered and key stages in building ambitious, high-impact projects. These exchanges will be based on concrete examples, such as the MAHDIA and Employae projects. w

In the afternoon, participants will work on the emergence of cross-disciplinary projects, exploring new inter-TFT themes and defining innovative scientific fronts. They will identify the partners, needs and funding sources required to bring these ideas to fruition. A plenary session will close the day, consolidating the collective proposals and outlining the next steps to strengthen TSARA's synergies and impact.

Day 3: Field day and inspiring visits

A field day will round off the seminar with visits to the MAHDIA project, emblematic of TSARA's objectives. Participants will meet with local players to discover agroecological initiatives and solutions for resilience in the face of climate change. Exchanges with farmers, visits to women's cooperatives and agroecological farms will provide concrete illustrations of the issues addressed during the seminar.

A collaborative and inclusive space:

The seminar will take place in a hybrid format, allowing both face-to-face and online participation, with bilingual French-English facilitation. Interactive tools will encourage co-construction and the emergence of innovative proposals. The conclusions of the seminar will be shared with all TSARA members, and will serve to guide future actions and collaborations within the framework of the initiative's scientific and strategic priorities.

This seminar is a key step in anchoring TSARA's partnership dynamic and ultimately strengthening its contribution to the sustainable transformation of food systems, from local to global.