NEEMA project

Strengthening Food Security in West Africa: MCI Joins the Ulysseus Project NEEMA

How can European environmental and food policies, such as the European Green Deal and the Farm-to-Fork Strategy, be designed in a way that does not unintentionally jeopardize food security in particularly sensitive world regions? This is precisely the question addressed by the European-African research project NEEMA – named after the word for “food” in the Senegambian language Fula.

Launched in 2024, the project brings together 14 universities from Africa and Europe, including the Management Center Innsbruck (MCI). MCI, through its Department of Social Work, plays a key role in developing a new curriculum for food and nutritional resilience, specifically tailored to the needs of West African societies.

In addition to curriculum development, NEEMA focuses on social innovation approaches and tackles pressing societal issues such as gender inequality, which are critical for achieving sustainable food security. The overarching goal is to strengthen the capacities of local universities, foster knowledge exchange, and jointly develop long-term solutions for equitable and sustainable food systems.

“NEEMA is especially exciting for us because it allows us to contribute our expertise in social innovation and participatory education development – in a project that has direct impact on people in highly challenged regions,” says project leader Prof. Dr. habil. Belachew Gebrewold from MCI. “It’s also a valuable opportunity for our department to connect global sustainability issues with local action.”

A key aim of NEEMA is to deepen cooperation between African and European universities. In addition to curriculum development, the project will establish a regional training and research network that will serve as a long-term platform for exchange, professional development, and joint research initiatives.

Running over a period of 36 months and coordinated by the University of Seville, NEEMA represents a new and collaborative model of international academic cooperation – with the goal of making global strategies locally effective and socially just.

Further information can be found on the following website.