MED-WET : Improving MEDiterranean irrigation and Water supply for smallholder farmers by providing Efficient, low-cost and nature-based Technologies and practices

Context Mediterranean regions already face significant water scarcity. High tourist activities during the summer months additionally stress the limited water reserves, at a disadvantage for agriculture. Population growth, changing food consumption patterns and climate change are expected to intensify stresses. This calls for more efficient and sustainable irrigation technologies that are widely applicable for smallholder farmers. They must be low-cost, lean solutions that optimise natural resource use and income even at small scales. MED-WET provides such solutions to enhance irrigation efficiency as well as to increase freshwater availability by tapping into non-conventional water sources. Our selected solutions are low-tech, low-energy, easy-to-operate solutions using cheap, locally available and natural materials geared towards fi nancial feasibility. Objective and contents The overall objective of MED-WET is to introduce and improve the irrigation efficiency of small farmers in the Mediterranean region and to make optimal use of scarce water resources for lasting food and water security. MED-WET supports smallholder farmers to adopt better practices and low-cost, sustainable solutions in irrigation and freshwater harvesting, to promote controlled water use with more crop per drop combined with more resilient and regenerative agricultural methods that restore ecosystem services for the long term, as well as contribute to more value creation in rural areas. Higher water use efficiency shall be reached through more targeted and highly decreased water consumption through innovative irrigation systems and tapping into largely unused non-conventional water resources. Expected impact and results MED-WET contributes to combating the adverse effects of climate change on water security, agriculture and food security in the Mediterranean. Specifically, the action increases the "Number and efficiency performance of new irrigation technologies and scheduling protocols and models" and is geared towards the achievement of SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation), more specifically indicator 6.4.1 Change in water-use efficiency over time. MED-WET also contributes directly to SDG 13 (climate action), 1 (zero poverty), 2 (zero hunger) and 12 (responsible consumption and production). MED-WET supports the achievement of the EU Green Deal, including the 'Farm to Fork' Strategy, the Circular Economy Action Plan, and the New EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change. The direct impact reaches even beyond the Mediterranean via agrifood value chains reaching all over Europe and North Africa. Expected impacts beyond those mentioned in the Work Programme Innovation capacity and scientific cooperation New market opportunities due to smallholder farmings' significant cut of production costs Impacts on SDGs 1, 8, 9, 10 Potential impact on recovery after Covid-19 or other crises: rural value creation, regionalized food security and independence from food imports, local production of farming inputs, climate- and environmentally friendly, resilient food production, business models, creation of new 'sustainable' jobs in otherwise underdeveloped rural areas