We had a great time in Constantine (Algeria) where Aziz Benhamrouche and his Team, as well as the Governance of University of Constantine 1 welcomed the BENEFIT-Med Teams from Italy and Tunisia at the International Seminar WACCAD 2026, on February 9th-12th 2026. This was a unique opportunity to present the outputs of the BENEFIT-Med project, linking it to both FORECAST and PROSPER projects as its legacy. During the conference, researchers from different countries, with complementary expertises (water management, climate science, sustainable agriculture, seed technology, biotechnology, plant physiology, and territorial development) shared the results of their experimental activity, establishing novel, proactive interactions and networking. We are grateful to Aziz and his Team, as well as to the Governance of the University of Constantine 1 and CRAT (Territory Planning Reaearch Centre) for their warm welcome. The BENEFIT-Med Teams, members of the Scientific Committee, contributed as chairs during the conference sessions and they presented excellent talks. The BENEFIT-Med Coordinator, Alma Balestrazzi, highlighted the successful outputs of the project and the robustness of the orphan legume-based agroecosystem developed and validated, as well as the efficacy of the applied targeted seed priming technology. The head of the USFAX Team (Amine Elleuch) presented a talk focused on the multiple properties of fenugreek, not only as a source of food and non-food products but as an effective tool for the phytoremediation of contaminated soils. The presentation, held on February 10th, wa salso anice opportunity to celebrate the Interntional Day of Pulses. Radhouane Gdoura (USFAX) presented the results of the experimental activity dedicated to the valorization of autoctonous plant growth promoting bacteria, as tools for seed biopriming and other innovative biotech-based applications, in a circular bioeconomy scenario.
