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A Brief History
A Brief History
The MENARET Project
The MENARET Project
The Middle East North Africa Renewable Energy Transformation Project (MENARET) in 2018 laid the foundation for MG Farm. This cooperation on sustainable energy transformations, moving beyond technical solutions to socio-economic and governance dimensions. It delivered a conceptual roadmap, networks, and pilot studies that enabled subsequent applied projects on renewable microgrids and agriculture.
The MENARET Team during the first Workshop at TU Berlin in 2018
Where We Are Today
Where We Are Today
From MENARET to MG-FARM1
From MENARET to MG-FARM1
(2022–2025)
(2022–2025)
Based on the outcomes of the MENARET Project, our initiative used co-funding from LEAP-RE for the MG-FARM1 (2022–2025) project, which deployed renewable-powered microgrids with smart storage on farms in Algeria and Morocco.
Impact
Impact
These pilots demonstrated how solar, batteries, and digital monitoring could replace costly diesel and gas, securing reliable power for irrigation, cooling, and processing. The idea is to transform farms from energy consumers into prosumers, combining solar, wind, storage, and digital platforms with IoT and blockchain. They empower farmers while strengthening food, water, and energy security. Aligned with AU–EU strategies and COP commitments, the MG-FARM initiatives showcase a progressive path toward resilient, climate-friendly agriculture in North Africa and in the Middle East.
Next Steps
Next Steps
Building on this foundation, we propose to takes the concept further by introducing green hydrogen for long-duration storage and hydrogen-powered farm machinery, expanding also to Tunisia.
Timeline
Timeline
(2018–2020)
(2018–2020)
The MENARET project (2018–2020) laid the groundwork by building a Euro–MENA research network on energy transition, focusing on decentralized renewable systems and the energy–water–climate nexus.
(2022–2025)
(2022–2025)
From this base, the MG-FARM 1 consortium (2022–2025, LEAP-RE), coordinated by Université de Lorraine, brought together partners from France, Germany, Algeria, and Morocco. It demonstrated digitized renewable microgrids with batteries, IoT/Blockchain platforms, and socio-economic modelling on pilot farms.
Shaping the Future of Sustainable Farming in North Africa
Shaping the Future of Sustainable Farming in North Africa
Following the successful demonstration of renewable-powered microgrids for agriculture, our team is preparing the next phase — expanding to new sites and integrating advanced technologies such as hybrid battery–hydrogen storage, digital monitoring, and smart irrigation systems.
We are now seeking partners and investors to help bring these solutions to scale. The project offers a strong foundation of proven concepts, technical expertise, and active pilot farms in North Africa. With additional investment, we aim to turn these prototypes into operational, revenue-generating systems that demonstrate the full potential of decentralized, clean energy for the agricultural sector.
Together, we can build resilient, data-driven farms that combine renewable energy, efficient water management, and sustainable food production — creating both social and economic impact across the region.
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