MONALISA has reached a wider regional audience through a recent report broadcast by RAI TGR Sardegna, bringing public attention to the growing challenge of land degradation and desertification in Sardinia.
The report, broadcast on 22 July 2026 under the title “Sardegna a rischio desertificazione, la Gallura tra le aree più vulnerabili” – “Sardinia at risk of desertification, with Gallura among the most vulnerable areas” – highlighted the importance of appropriate land management in responding to these processes.
Bringing MONALISA research to a wider audience
During the segment, researchers from the University of Sassari discussed desertification processes affecting Sardinia and the increasing pressures facing the island’s landscapes.
The report referred to the MONALISA project and presented footage from the fields of the Berchidda-Monti Case Study. This provided viewers with a closer look at the landscapes where MONALISA researchers and local stakeholders are working together to better understand land degradation and identify practical, locally adapted solutions.
The appearance on RAI TGR Sardegna represents an important opportunity to bring scientific knowledge and field-based experience into the wider public discussion on climate change, desertification and sustainable land management.
The Berchidda-Monti Case Study
Located in northeastern Sardinia, Berchidda-Monti is characterised by a Mediterranean landscape in which rainfed agriculture, livestock farming, vineyards and cork oak-based agro-silvopastoral systems play an important role.
These landscapes face several interconnected challenges, including drought and climate change, declining cork oak regeneration, land-use intensification and abandonment, increased wildfire risk, and reduced grassland productivity and quality.
Through the Berchidda-Monti Case Study, MONALISA is exploring solutions such as innovative grazing management, legume enrichment of grasslands, microbial-based approaches, and the use of organic fertilisers and amendments. These solutions are being developed through participatory processes that involve farmers, cooperatives, public authorities, advisory services and other relevant local actors.
From awareness to action
Media coverage plays an important role in making land degradation and desertification more visible – not only as scientific or environmental concerns, but as challenges that directly affect agricultural production, rural livelihoods, biodiversity and the long-term resilience of Mediterranean landscapes.
By sharing knowledge from the field and highlighting locally relevant solutions, MONALISA aims to support informed decisions and encourage collective action to prevent and reverse land degradation across Europe and the Mediterranean.
The RAI report is available in Italian.
Watch the RAI TGR Sardegna report and learn more about the MONALISA Berchidda-Monti Case Study.
