Overview – MEDAMIN

Presentation

The MED-Amin network (Mediterranean Agricultural Market Information Network) is an intergovernmental initiative aimed at strengthening food security by enhancing transparency in Mediterranean agricultural markets and fostering ongoing dialogue between countries. It was established in 2014 at the request of the Agriculture Ministers of CIHEAM member countries, in the wake of the 2007/08 and 2010 food crises and the creation of AMIS. Bringing together representatives from CIHEAM’s 13 member countries and supported by partner institutions, MED-Amin monitors cereal markets (soft wheat, durum wheat, barley, maize and rice) and serves as a platform for information sharing and dissemination.

Context

Food Security in the Mediterranean area

Cereals (and wheat in particular) have been strategic agricultural commodities for food security and agricultural trade across the Mediterranean Basin since ancient times. Both common soft and durum wheat are widely cultivated in the region, which accounts for around 10% and 45% of global production, respectively. For historical and cultural reasons, MED-Amin countries are among the world’s largest wheat consumers, and cereals provide a substantial share of dietary energy and protein in North Africa.

Driven by demographic, geographical and socio-economic changes, food demand has continued to rise. Most Mediterranean countries produce only a limited share of the food they need and have become net cereal importers. Although MED-Amin member countries account for only around 6% of the world’s population, they collectively represent approximately a quarter of global soft wheat imports, 21% of maize imports and 22% of barley imports. This makes the region one of the world’s most dependent on cereal imports and, consequently, on global markets to ensure food security. This dependence is expected to deepen as population growth, urbanisation and climate change continue to characterize the region.

Cereal prices, trade and the security of supply are therefore major concerns for policymakers and populations alike, particularly given how sensitive household budgets are to increases in cereal prices.

Cereal Markets: A Key Challenge

The global food crises of 2007-2008 and 2010, marked by exceptional spikes in international prices for staple food commodities, highlighted the need for countries worldwide to gain a clearer understanding of agricultural commodity markets. In response, the G20 announced the creation of the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) in 2011. Its aim was to improve transparency in international agricultural markets, helping to curb excessive food price volatility and strengthen coordination among national market policies. AMIS initially focused on four key commodities (wheat, maize, rice and soybeans) and brought together 28 participating countries (the G20 members, Spain, and the seven leading importers and exporters of the targeted commodities), alongside observer organisations.

Coordinated by CIHEAM, and more specifically by its Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Montpellier (CIHEAM Montpellier), the MED-Amin network builds on the foundations laid by AMIS, with a specific focus on the Euro-Mediterranean countries that are members of CIHEAM.

Background

A Shared Need for Cooperation Among the 13 CIHEAM Member States

At the 9th meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries of CIHEAM’s member countries, held in Malta on 27 September 2012, the Ministers recommended in their final declaration to CIHEAM member countries to “contribute to the development of a market information system of the Mediterranean countries, linked to AMIS, in close collaboration with the G20 monitoring panel, as a way to share sound information in order to help prevent price volatility in agricultural markets“. They also called on CIHEAM itself to support “Mediterranean countries in the development of a market information system of the Mediterranean countries, linked to AMIS, in close collaboration with the G20 monitoring panel in collaboration with FAO, and to make use of its expertise and specialisation to reinforce the capacity building of the countries“.

Launching the Initiative and Taking the First Steps

Following this request, and in the wake of the first ministerial meeting of the 5+5 Dialogue, held in Algiers on 27 November 2013, CIHEAM member states met in Paris on 22-23 January 2014 and launched the initiative known as the Mediterranean Agricultural Markets Information Network (MED-Amin). Its aim was to foster cooperation and the exchange of experience among national agricultural market information systems. The creation of MED-Amin was formally endorsed at the 10th CIHEAM Ministerial Meeting, held in Algeria on 6 February 2014, where ministers expressed strong support for the development of the network, as reflected in the meeting’s declaration. Together, these meetings marked key milestones in confirming a shared commitment to the initiative, grounded in a partnership-based approach and aligned with CIHEAM’s mission to promote cooperation and multilateral dialogue.

Objectives

General 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.
Exploring the links and possible interfaces with existing systems, in particular at the international level.

Detailed Objectives :

Securing confidence and fostering an enhanced mutual understanding, through the organization of regular meetings, experience and best-practices sharing sessions.
Improving and disseminating information on cereal markets, with a forward-looking approach.
Information and methodology sharing for the creation of a common understanding on the monitoring of cereal markets.
Capacity-building for countries to produce, collect and analyze better quality data.
Producing analysis tailored to a range of audiences.

Commodities Monitored

The network deliberately focuses on a limited number of agricultural commodities: soft wheat, durum wheat, barley, maize and rice. This list may be expanded in the future to include pulses, soybeans and other oilseeds, as well as potentially other agricultural commodities.

MED-Amin Brochure

Documents

• Press Release – Lauching of MED-Amin (Paris, 2014)

• Press Release – Tackling Price Volatility in Agricultural Markets (Paris, 2014)

• Proceeding of the 10th Meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries of CIHEAM’s member countries (Alger, 2014)

• Action Plan MED-Amin 2024-2026

Financial Partners

The MED-Amin network is coordinated by a Secretariat comprising a small team based at CIHEAM Montpellier. The Secretariat regularly draws on contributions from experts from partner organisations, particularly AMIS, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) and Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI), the International Grains Council (IGC) and the FAO. All 13 member countries contribute to the network’s activities through the involvement of Focal Points and Strategic Resource Persons as well as by hosting the annual meeting, which is organised in rotation among the member countries.

The network’s activities are supported by voluntary contributions from several funding partners.