DESERTNET II

Implementation of a Platform of Services to combat desertification and drought through a system of pilot actions in the Mediterranean Regions

Duration of the Project:
1st October 2005 – 30th June 2008

General Objective:
To carry on the DesertNet 1 experience, at the same time developing, improving and integrating it with innovating aspects.

Specific Objectives:
Enforcing and widening the partnership, by means of:
- Implementation, animation, integration of innovating functions in the Platform of Services (PoS) created during the DesertNet Project;
- Structuring a system of pilot actions linked to local planning processes;
- Intersectorial  and territorial integration, creation of an efficient system of transfer of the results to the Institutions;
- Promotion of actions aimed to sensitize local populations and to spread the results, at national and international level.

Partnership:
- Coordinator: Nucleo Ricerca Desertificazione Università di Sassari (NRD-UNISS)
- Scientific Committee: NRD-UNISS, APAT, ENEA, Prof. Giovanni Quaranta from the University of Basilicata
- 5 Italian Regions: Basilicata, Calabria, Sicilia, Toscana, Sardegna
- 4 European Regions/Institutions: Murcia (Spain), Andalucia (Spain), University of Algarve (Portugal), NAGREF (Greece)
- 3 MEDA Countries: Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria

Specific activities:

Scientific Committee:
- NRD-UNISS:
• Coordination of the Project
• Coordination of the Scientific Committee
• Implementation of the PoS
• Training of people from Maghreb who will be involved in the NRD’s activities by means of an education grant from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- APAT:
• Support to pilot actions
• Identification of a set of indicators that could be used for all the pilot areas
• Contribution to the PoS
• GIS on line (activity carried out by UNICA)
- ENEA:
• Promotion of the participation and sharing at local level concerning desertification items
• Development of a System to Support Decision

- Prof. G. Quaranta (University of Basilicata)

Technical-scientific support to the partners' activities with specific reference to the socio-economic aspects of the fight against desertification and drought

Other Partners:
• Contribution to the PoS
• Pilot actions foreseen in the selected areas
• Involving institution able to give the maximum visibility to the actions of the project at a regional level
• Sharing of methods and information with the other partners
• To favor the spreading of the information on the activities carried out during the Project and on the local features of the desertification phenomena