On October 17-18, Brussels hosted the COST Connect event, “Agriculture and Its Products.” This gathering brought together policymakers, stakeholders, and more than 40 researchers from 20 COST Actions to discuss agricultural research and policies. Prof. António Manuel Teixeira Monteiro from the University of Lisbon, Dr. Irene Christoforidi from the Hellenic Mediterranean University and Dr. Somaye Latifi from the Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rural and Mountain Research (BAB) represented MARGISTAR at the event.

MARGISTAR is launching its second Short-Term Scientific Mission call for mobilities occurring between January 25th, 2025 until May 31st, 2025. All applications must be made before the deadline on January 6th, 2025, and all activities must occur before May 31st, 2025.

MARGISTAR is launching its third call for Dissemination Conference Grants for mobilities occurring between January 25th, 2025 until May 31st, 2025. All applications must be made before the deadline on January 6th, 2025, and all activities must occur before May 31st, 2025.

MARGISTAR is launching its third call for for Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC) Conference Grants for mobilities occurring between January 25th, 2025 until May 31st, 2025. All applications must be made before the deadline on January 6th, 2025, and all activities must occur before May 31st, 2025.

MARGISTAR is launching its first call for Virtual Mobility Grants for mobilities occurring between January 25th, 2025 until May 31st, 2025. All applications must be made before the deadline on January 6th, 2025, and all activities must occur before May 31st, 2025.

The recent MARGISTAR Extended Core Group meeting in Sofia gathered leaders from the project’s working groups to assess progress, address ongoing challenges, and outline plans for the next phase of the COST Action. Participants engaged in productive discussions, generating fresh ideas for enhancing community engagement and improving dissemination efforts. Among the key topics was the presentation of case studies and the launch of new tools to support sustainable development. A field visit to Gabrene showcased how local communities are successfully integrating cultural heritage with environmental sustainability to revitalise the region.

Crete, the largest island of Greece, is facing significant environmental challenges. Once covered in dense forests, the island's mountainous areas are today severely degraded due to overgrazing, fires, and soil erosion. However, with strategic restoration efforts, there is hope for revitalising these marginalised landscapes. Read more about the Asterousia range and the ancient village of Ethia to better understand local initiatives in  Crete's mountains.

Participating in a Virtual Mobility last June with Dublin City University was a pivotal experience for MARGISTAR’s Irene Christoforidi in designing the MARGISTAR Vision Workshop. This workshop aims to engage stakeholders in marginalised mountainous communities across the EU, enabling them to imagine future possibilities and develop actionable strategies for overcoming marginalisation challenges. Read on to better understand the outputs of this collaboration between Greece and Ireland and the budding initiative for community transformation in marginalised mountain areas.

In the rural mountainous areas of Serbia, women face significant challenges due to traditional patriarchal norms. These norms have long marginalised women, limiting their participation in economic activities outside the household and excluding them from decision-making processes both at home and within their communities. Despite legal prohibitions against gender discrimination, women in these regions still face substantial barriers to achieving equality.

MARGISTAR’s Ferlanda Luna participated in a Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) at ClimLaw: Graz in Graz, Austria. The mission focused on interdisciplinary research into data practices and examining their multiple dimensions, and provided a platform for discussing legal concepts and regulatory frameworks for managing climate vulnerabilities. This experience involved comparative desk research on urban public policies and risk management across different countries, enriching Ferlanda’s research methodologies and understanding of diverse climate impacts. Continue reading to learn more about the mission and its effects on Ferlanda’s research.