To understand what is the Mediterranean Agricultural Market Information Network ?

On the occasion of their 10th meeting in Algeria on February 2014, the ministers of agriculture of the 13 Member States of CIHEAM officially launched MED-AMIN (Mediterranean Agricultural Market Information Network).MED-AMIN aims at fostering cooperation and experience sharing among the national information systems on agricultural markets.

MED-AMIN will be dedicated during a first stage to cereal products (wheat, corn, barley, and rice) that are strategic for food security in the Mediterranean countries. The evolution of these vital products, as well as trade exchanges and security of their supply are major concerns for the public authorities and for the populations.

The network is coordinated by CIHEAM, and more specifically by its Mediterranean Agronomic Institute (MAI) of Montpellier. It operates in relation with the secretariat of the multilateral initiative AMIS (Agricultural Market Information System) based in Rome, with FAO, and with the European Commission.

Focal points for each CIHEAM member countries have been appointed. They are responsible for mobilizing in their respective country the actors involved in data collection and analysis and for sharing knowledge, methodology and data.

If Mediterranean cooperation remains a long-term geopolitical ambition, each step taken towards a greater multilateral solidarity in this region is most welcome. Developing more cooperation in food security issues and establishing mechanisms able to promote food diplomacy is an absolute priority.

MED-Amin : Strategic Objectives

The MED-Amin network (Mediterranean Agricultural Information Network) fosters mutual understanding among its Mediterranean members in order to provide greater information and transparency on Mediterranean food markets.

Strategic objectives

Laying the foundation for a stronger monitoring of food security in the Mediterranean region, possibly via the establishment of a database, an early warning system, as well as stronger cooperation between countries.
Promoting the relevance of moving towards greater transparency for agricultural markets.
Targeting an harmonization of data collection methodologies on cereal markets for participating countries (working in collaboration with AMIS)
Exploring the links and possible interfaces with existing systems, in particular at the international level: AMIS and GEOGLAM, SMIAR/GIEWS, FAOSTAT, IGC, Food security 5+5 Observatory, Eurostat, GLOBCAST(UE), etc.

MED-Amin : Missions

1. Securing confidence among the members of the network and fostering an enhanced mutual understanding, through the organization of meetings, experience and best-practices sharing sessions, as well as through common work on the monitoring of cereal markets within the Mediterranean region.
2. Improving information on cereal markets (production, utilization, stocks, prices, trade) within the region, while aiming at the preparation of forecast balance sheets.
3. Information and methodology sharing for the creation of a common understanding on the monitoring of cereal markets within the different countries.
4. Capacity-building for countries to produce and collect better quality data through the organization of training sessions, experts interventions, methodology sharing, common projects, etc.
5. Producing analysis, in particular on short-term perspectives, for the selected MED-Amin commodities, and advocating (about food security and cereal markets) for an enhanced communication towards media and policy-makers.

MED-Amin Focal Points