Replenishing the sMall wAter cyclE towards a more resilieNt Agriculture Programme: Interreg NEXT MED 

MAENA addresses the ecological challenges in the Mediterranean region caused by the disruption of natural water cycles due to human activities like urbanization and intensive agriculture. Recognizing that traditional water management often overlooks the significance of Small Water Cycles (SWC), the project aims to restore these cycles to enhance ecosystem health and agricultural productivity. Through a participatory approach, MAENA actively involves farmers and local communities, establishing four demonstration farms and extending practices to twenty additional sites. The initiative emphasizes capacity building via transnational training, onsite demonstrations, and peer exchanges, fostering a collaborative environment for sustainable water management.

• MAENA’s implementation strategy builds on the achievements and resources of previous partner projects such as AgriHub, OurMed, SustinAfrica, and ACCWA. The project will develop a robust methodological framework for assessing sustainability and replicability, using established indicators and leveraging knowledge, tools, and methodologies from earlier initiatives.
• Key steps include sharing a curated list of small water cycle restoration practices with farmers, enabling them to select suitable approaches through a participatory process. Relevant practices and replicability indicators will be identified using publicly available project databases. Tested remote sensing tools from partner projects will be deployed on demonstration and beneficiary farms across partner countries to monitor and support implementation.
• MAENA will establish a Mediterranean strategic hub, expanding the AgriHub network and enhancing its website to showcase sustainable agricultural practices focused on small water cycle restoration. The project will also replicate successful participatory governance frameworks for irrigation management and system performance evaluation.
• Field-scale strategies will incorporate reviewed financing schemes for water conservation and biodiversity restoration. Additionally, MAENA will draw on past experiences with decision support tools to optimize agricultural water use. By leveraging established management and decision-making processes, the project aims to maximize stakeholder engagement and ensure the sustainable management of water ecosystems.

The MAENA project is expected to yield more resilient and sustainable farming communities by promoting SWC restoration, which conserves water resources, improves soil health, and boosts agricultural productivity. By supporting practices such as conservation agriculture, rainwater harvesting, and solar-powered drip irrigation, MAENA contributes to the achievement of UN SDGs, the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, and the Farm to Fork strategy. The creation of a regional Hub will facilitate knowledge transfer and policy adoption thus enabling the replication and scaling of successful approaches. Ultimately, the project will enhance water availability, reduce environmental impact, and strengthen food security in the Mediterranean region.

The MAENA project is expected to yield more resilient and sustainable farming communities by promoting SWC restoration, which conserves water resources, improves soil health, and boosts agricultural productivity. By supporting practices such as conservation agriculture, rainwater harvesting, and solar-powered drip irrigation, MAENA contributes to the achievement of UN SDGs, the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, and the Farm to Fork strategy. The creation of a regional Hub will facilitate knowledge transfer and policy adoption thus enabling the replication and scaling of successful approaches. Ultimately, the project will enhance water availability, reduce environmental impact, and strengthen food security in the Mediterranean region.