The NEEMA project, whose name means “food” in Fula, a language of Senegal, is framed within the European Green Deal (EGD) and the Farm to Fork Strategy (F2F). NEEMA is funded through the ERASMUS EDU 2023 CBHE STRAND 2 call of the ERASMUS+ program by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) of the European Commission with a grant of €800,000, which finances 90% of the proposal.

The main objective of the project is to adapt these frameworks to the specific conditions of the Sahel and West Africa, focusing on mitigating the negative impacts on food and nutritional security, especially for the vulnerable populations in the region. NEEMA seeks to strengthen the participation of higher education institutions in West Africa to improve their capacities in food and nutritional resilience, allowing better adaptation to the challenges posed by the EU Farm to Fork Strategy and its impact on the region.

Led by the University of Seville and in collaboration with multiple African and European universities, NEEMA is organized into five work packages (WP) that cover management and coordination to communication and dissemination. With a duration of 36 months starting in February 2024, NEEMA focuses on specific objectives that include the design of contextual curricula, the implementation of a pilot social innovation initiative, and the enhancement of cooperation between higher education institutions and European partners.