EMAP · Edible, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

Edible, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

EMAP project (Edible, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants) carried out by 14 research institutions aimed at a coordinated exchange of scientific, technical and managing staff between the EU and ICPC countries and vice versa. During 43 months of implementation of the project approximately 250 research and technical members of the Institutions had the opportunity to carry out exchanges and benefit from receiving both visitors to their Institution and visiting others, improving their own scientific research and management skills. The aim of the project is to establish long-term research co-operation through a coordinated joint program of research staff exchanges for short periods. The main goals of the EMAP project, linked to edible, medicinal and aromatic plants, are to discover, develop and analyse the possible commercial opportunities of new bioactive natural products as new pharmaceuticals, food supplements or agrochemicals. The aim was also to identify, characterize and develop plants for the production of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, aromas or dye products as potential alternative crops. The targets were achieved using the following approaches: 1) Development of strategies for rational collection and agronomic protocols of edible, medicinal and aromatic plants. 2) Investigations on the selection, cloning, propagation, and processing of the plants in relation to the chemistry of desired natural constituents. 3) Development of methods and technologies for the phytochemical and biological evaluation of the plant extracts as sources of pharmaceuticals or botanical supplements. 4) Research and development of natural product formulations from higher plant extracts for pharmaceutical or food industry. During the Project a total of 184 secondments were carried out between EU and non EU participating Partners. The exchanges covered all staff typologies included in the project: 89 experienced researchers, 65 early stage researchers, 2 management and 24 technical staff. It should be noted that the same person sometimes did more than one secondment or did a secondment for more than one month. Comparing the two reporting periods it is apparent that the EU Partners increased their number of secondments from 22 to 53 while the non EU Partners did 125 secondments in the second period compared to 59 in the first period. UNIPI (Italy)was the Partner most visited by the non EU Partners followed by IUNG (Poland) and UBU (Spain)/UNISS (Italy). With regard to visitors to non EU Partners, UJ (Jordan) was the most visited followed by INRA (Morocco) and CBBC (Tunisia). No visits were made to the two Egyptian Partners due to the political unrest which discouraged people from going as the ministers of foreign affairs in the respective EU countries strongly advised people not to go. BAS (Bulgaria) despite not doing any secondments until October 2013 managed to complete 15 secondments by the end of the Project. NIBS (Romania), however, was the Partner who carried out the least number of secondments, a total of 6. See EMAP_table_visits and EMAP_final_GANTT As a consequence of the type of people (experience and early stage researchers and technicians) two main objectives have been achieved: (a) improvement of laboratory knowledge and technology and collection of scientific data. (b) exchange of plant materials and data for collaborative work on specific projects within the framework of this Project. (c) Characterisation and analysis of numerous plants to evaluate their potential uses in the pharmaceutical, food and flavouring fields. (d) Publication of scientific articles (16 during the period of the Project) and organization of internal seminars and meetings and participation in international conferences (23 poster presentations and attendances at conferences). (e) Approval of a bilateral project between Italy and Egypt; the University of Pisa and National Research Centre are involved (2013-2015). The EMAP exchange programme has created a network of communication and cooperation between the EU and non EU Mediterranean partners. Stable links and future prospectives in the Mediterranean region have been achieved. EMAP has enhanced scientific cooperation which may in the future generate innovation, develop human resources and research capacities. The EMAP project will address these common challenges from a multidimensional point of view (nutrition and health issues, quality productions trade and competitiveness, organic productions and rural development, environmental protection). Thanks to the establishment of an enlarged and strong partnership amongst universities, research centres and institutions, the scientific and technological research cooperation has been significantly reinforced. The Project participants complied with the ethical standards regarding the rules of the international conventions on “COLLECTION OF LIVING WILD PLANTS” in which all the Partner countries are also included. One of the main results obtained is the approval of the II Executive Program between ITALY and EGYPT 2013-2015: A joint project of exchange of researchers, titled “Antifungal activity of Mediterranean essential oils and their formulations in addition to conventional therapy to reduce drugs overuse and their adverse side effect”. http://www.esteri.it/MAE/IT/Politica_Estera/CooperScientificaTecnologica/ProgramEsecutivi/ElencoProgrammiEsecutivi.htm Other projects are currently in progress that involve the Italian Partner UNIPI and the Moroccan Partner IAV in response to the ARIMNet2 2014-15 call.

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