Non Conventional WAter Re-use in Agriculture in MEditerranean countries (MENAWARA)

Water pressure has given rise in recent decades to a growing gap between supply and demand and to a deterioration in the quality of superficial and underground water sources in the Mediterranean region. Mediterranean countries are still torn between old and new water policies, and water shortage is not related only to increasing demand, but also to poor infrastructure and management practices.

The joint challenges of MENAWARA project consist in providing additional resources by recycling drainage and wastewater, tapping water losses, rationalizing water use practices and setting operational governance models in line with national and international plans.

The project is designed to enhance access to water through the treatment of wastewater to be re-used as complementary irrigation and to strengthen the capacity of governmental institutions, non-state actors operating in the sector, technicians, and farmers. 

The project will reduce the stress on freshwater sources and will improve the quality of treated wastewater in agriculture. New jobs will be created by incrementing the surface of fertile land equipped with innovative water supply solutions. The project will also contribute to increased farmers’ acceptance of the use of treated wastewater, thus saving fertilizers and increasing profit.