Water scarcity in agriculture is a growing challenge across the Mediterranean. To address this issue, WISEMED – Mediterranean joint Water management and conservation Sustainable solutions aims to increase the uptake of integrated and sustainable water management measures in irrigated agriculture at basin level.
Coordinated by ICU – Institute for University Cooperation (Italy), this 36-month project (from October 2025 to October 2028) is implemented under the INTERREG NEXT MED Programme, with the aim of promoting sustainable water solutions across the Mediterranean. The project has a total budget of EUR 2.8 million, of which EUR 2.5 million is co-financed by the EU (89%).
WISEMED brings together partners from Jordan, Tunisia, Spain, Italy and Lebanon, together with associated institutions from Egypt, Greece, Türkiye, Lebanon and Tunisia, creating a Mediterranean network to share knowledge, test pilot solutions and promote cooperation.
Project partners
- National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Jordan
- Institut National de Recherches en Génie Rural, Eaux et Forêts (INRGREF), Tunisia
- Spanish National Research Council (CEBAS-CSIC), Spain
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Italy
- Lebanese University (LU), Lebanon
- Centre des Recherches et des Technologies des Eaux (CERTE), Tunisia
Associated partners
- Agricultural Engineering Research Institute (AEnRI), Egypt
- Soil and Water Resources Institute (SWRI), Greece
- Dokuz Eylül University (DEU), Türkiye
- UN-ESCWA, Lebanon
- Union of Al Buhaira Municipalities, Lebanon
- Commissariat Régional au Développement Agricole de Nabeul (CRDA Nabeul), Tunisia
WISEMED objectives are to test and scale up sustainable irrigation systems, improve water efficiency by incorporating non-conventional water sources, support evidence-based policies, and strengthen the local water ecosystem by connecting suppliers, institutions and financial actors.
The project will have a direct impact on 500 farmers and 60 technicians, while more than 700 local stakeholders will acquire advanced skills in water management. Indirectly, more than 1,200 water ecosystem actors, 1,288 farmers, 600 technicians and over 600,000 residents across the Mediterranean will benefit from the project.
By promoting water-efficient irrigation aligned with basin-level strategies, protecting scarce water resources and sharing solutions across borders, WISEMED contributes to a resilient, sustainable and water-secure Mediterranean.
