Managing unconventional water resources in the Mediterranean: insights from a participatory approach in four Living Labs

In a world facing the impact of climate change and increasing demands for water and food, the use of non-conventional water (NCW) resources - can contribute to addressing the water supply-demand gap. Such need is critical in the Mediterranean, a region where water scarcity increases the risk of water and land resources degradation. Yet, the adoption of NCW in the region remains limited. Supporting the implementation of NCW resources requires going beyond an assessment of what is technically feasible (i.e., attainable water yields) and shall include considerations for the social, economic and institutional conditions that stimulate or deter the uptake of these solutions. In this study, we present a methodological framework developed within the AG-WaMED PRIMA S2 project to unpack the multiple dimensions associated with the use, management and regulation of NCW. The methodology combines hydrological and socio-economic modelling, 4 participatory workshops, stakeholder interviews, and multi-level governance assessment. 

Involving stakeholders is crucial to ensure the social acceptability of the proposed solutions and their successful implementation. In AG-WaMED, the participatory approach was based on the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) Roadmap©^TM. The methodology is applied in four Mediterranean study areas (Living Labs, LL) in Italy, Spain, Egypt and a transboundary LL between Tunisia and Algeria.

Four workshops were held in each of the four LL. In the first one, the LL was established and the main challenges and solutions related to the NCW were assessed. Based on the outputs, specific models were developed and presented in the second participatory workshop to obtain feedback on potential further analyses. While technical aspects are important, most of the stakeholders’ concerns regard governance and legal aspects. Hence, we dedicated the third participatory workshop to the discussion of the draft of an integrated watershed management plan and improved it according to the feedback received. Finally, in the fourth workshop, we wrap up the activities and try to ensure their continuity in the future. 

The whole approach is inspired and embedded into the RRI Roadmap©^TM, which is an effective guide to frame the activities of such a complex project. Limitations and further improvements are also discussed. The lessons learned within the co-production approach applied in AG-WaMED project, framed in the RRI Roadmap, exemplifies how it is possible to actively involve stakeholders in sustainable water management.   

 

This research was carried out within the AG-WaMED project, funded by the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area Programme (PRIMA), an Art.185 initiative supported and funded under Horizon 2020, the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Grant Agreement Number No. [Italy: 391 del 20/10/2022, Egypt: 45878, Tunisia: 0005874-004-18-2022-3, Greece: ΓΓP21-0474657, Spain: PCI2022-132929, Algeria: N° 04/PRIMA_section 2/2021].

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