The eight partners of the project MedArtSal - sustainable management model for Mediterranean Artisanal Salinas will gather in Rome on 17 January for the kick off meeting of this initiative funded by the European Programme ENI CBC MED 2014-2020.

Artisanal salinas across the Mediterranean are currently facing many pressures due to profound socio- economic changes that have affected productive activities. The MedArtSal project aims to promote the multifunctional use of the artisanal salinas to diversify socioeconomic activity generating revenues in terms of good quality salt production, but also by obtaining other products (i.e. food and cosmetics) that can be commercialized, or by exploring their potential for tourism, while respecting the natural environment of the sites.

The project will address common challenges for artisanal salinas in four Mediterranean countries (Italy, Spain, Lebanon and Tunisia), with 10 pilot actions for the development of new products/services in selected salinas and 2 demonstration projects on the diversification of salinas products/services carried out in La Esperanza, Cádiz (Spain) and Sidi Al-Hani (Tunisia).

"Investing in artisanal salinas means preserving our cultural heritage and landscape, local development and biodiversity. The final aim is to develop a sustainable and adaptable management model fostering the territorial valorisation of artisanal salinas in the Mediterranean region", says Gaetano Zarlenga, General Manager, CUEIM.

The main beneficiaries of this project will be artisanal salinas and salt producers, small and medium enterprises around these sites and local communities from the Mediterranean region.

The project is led by CUEIM - University Consortium for Industrial and Managerial Economics (Italy) and involves the following partners: ADR Association for the Development of Rural Capacities (Lebanon), FTL Fair Trade Lebanon (Lebanon), IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (Spain), MEDSEA Mediterranean Sea and Coast Foundation (Italy), Saida Society (Tunisia), UCA University of Cádiz (Spain), and CTICI Tuniso-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Tunisia).

MedArtSal in a nutshell
MedArtSal - sustainable management model for Mediterranean Artisanal Salinas is funded by the European Union under the ENI CBC Med Programme. The project total budget is € 3.2 million and the EU contribution is € 2.9 million (90%). MedArtSal is a 3 year-project that aims to promote the sustainable development of the Artisanal Salinas, providing concrete support on economic, environmental and governance issues related to salt production. Addressing common challenges in four Mediterranean regions (Italy, Spain, Lebanon and Tunisia), it will promote the development of a sustainable and adaptable management model fostering the territorial valorisation of artisanal salinas.

For further information: Lourdes Lázaro

Image: © MedArtSal Project