Rome, 14.01.2025
WISEMED – MEDiterranean joint Water management and conservatIon SustainablE solutions project officially kick off with a launch meeting on 14th January 2026 in Italy, bringing together partners and associated institutions from across the Mediterranean to drive sustainable solutions that strengthen agricultural resilience and address one of the region’s most pressing challenges: water scarcity in agriculture.
WISEMED is led by ICU – Istituto per la Cooperazione Universitaria (Italy) and is funded by the EU with a total budget €2.8 million, of which €2.5 million (89%) under the Interreg NEXT MED Programme, The project will run for 36 months, from October 2025 to October 2028, and will focus on increasing the adoption of integrated and sustainable water management measures in irrigated agriculture at the basin level.
During the kick-off meeting, project partners from Jordan, Tunisia, Spain, Italy, and Lebanon, together with associated partners from Egypt, Greece, Türkiye, Lebanon, and Tunisia, will mark the start of a Mediterranean cooperation network aimed at sharing knowledge, testing pilot solutions, and strengthening collaboration among research institutions, public authorities, and local stakeholders.
WISEMED aims to test and scale up sustainable irrigation systems, improves water efficiency, including the use of non-conventional water sources, support evidence-based water policies, and reinforces local water ecosystems by connecting service providers, institutions, and financial actors.
The project is expected to have a direct impact on 500 farmers and 60 technicians, while over 700 local stakeholders will gain advanced skills in sustainable water management. In addition, more than 600,000 residents and thousands of farmers, technicians, and water ecosystem actors are expected to benefit indirectly across the Mediterranean.
By promoting efficient irrigation aligned with basin-level strategies and fostering cross-border exchange of solutions, WISEMED will contribute to a more resilient, sustainable, and water-secure Mediterranean region.
Further information on the project is available on the WISEMED page on the Interreg NEXT MED Programme website: https://www.interregnextmed.eu/project-page/wisemed/about/
