The STAPLES project contributed to the Cross-Fertilisation Events series, an initiative led by SEEDS in collaboration with the Future Food Institute and ENCO.

This first session took place on 10 June 2026, bringing together the consortium partners and key stakeholders from the agri-food sector across the MENA region.

The event focused on strengthening dialogue and knowledge exchange, with particular attention to shared challenges in sustainable agricultural systems.

A key topic of the session was virtual water analysis of cereals compared to key competing crops and sectors, with the presentation of a water footprint mapping and visualisations for Egypt and Morocco. The analysis was supported by an interactive web-based dashboard for data exploration and visualization, developed by EMEA within the project framework, enabling an accessible and data-driven understanding of water-related dynamics.

The presentation highlighted key findings on irrigated blue water footprint production in Morocco and Egypt, in relation to structural contradiction, unsustainable water use patterns, climate vulnerability, and policy-relevant insights.

Within this framework, STAPLES (PRIMA Partnership) supports the strengthening of synergies with existing communities of practice and contributes to knowledge exchange across related initiatives.