OM B74

Although the Mediterranean are is generally seen as the cradle of agriculture and traditional food production, the issue of innovation is now making its way to the top of the political and research agendas. This is due, firstly, to the enormous challenges the Mediterranean will face in terms of food and nutrition ssecurity with the impact of expected climate changes and the evolution of consumption models. Then, the new EU research framework places great emphasis on the reorganization of agricultural innovation via a collaborative and bottom-up multi-actor approach. Expo 2015 not only showcased Italian agriculture, but also favoured the emergence of a great many ambitious young entrepreneurs ready to carry out profound innovations in the production and food consumption models. This ferment of activity requires a deep-seated re-organisation of the Mediterranean’s agricultural innovation system. This book is needed to illustrate this developing system and is intended as an aid to orientation, providing some theoretical and regulatory reference points. Thanks to the INTRA Database developed by CIHEAM-Bari and the Ionian University, it also describes the concrete application of a new approach to innovation involving listening and interaction with the local territory.