EMPOWERMed
Enhancing Management of Water Scarcity through Proactive and InnOvative WatER Accounting Approaches in Mediterranean Regions
The EMPOWERMed project tackles chronic water scarcity in the Mediterranean regions by developing an integrated water‑accounting framework that bridges hydrological modelling, socio‑economic analysis, policy review, and participatory Living Labs. Through coupled model‑based Decision Support Systems and precision agriculture tools, EMPOWERMed aims to optimise inter‑basin transfers and irrigation practices under climate‑change scenarios, while empowering vulnerable rural communities.
About
Facing the critical challenges of water scarcity in the Mediterranean, particularly in the southern shore where resources are limited and irregular in space and time, the EMPOWERMed consortium brings together experts from Morocco, Türkiye, Jordan, Spain, Germany, Tunisia, and France in a collective effort to tackle these challenges. This ambitious project, “Enhancing Management of Water Scarcity through Proactive and InnOvative WatER Accounting Approaches in Mediterranean Regions,” aims to advance water scarcity management in the Mediterranean region by implementing an integrated water accounting framework. The EMPOWERMed’s conceptual framework recognizes that managing water effectively goes beyond just technical solutions. Therefore, the project’s approach is multidisciplinary, combining different areas such as socioeconomics, policy analysis, hydrology, agricultural insights, and advanced technologies. EMPOWERMed addresses both water supply and demand dimensions. On the supply side, the project will develop a Model-Based Decision Support System (DSS) to guide inter-basin water transfers, crucial practices in Mediterranean countries dealing with uneven spatial distribution of water resources. Meanwhile, on the demand side, EMPOWERMed focuses on advancing water accounting in the agriculture, recognizing its status as the largest water consumer. This will involve implementing demonstration sites and focusing on pilot areas in Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, and Turkey. EMPOWERMed aligns with this PRIMA Call by innovatively enhancing water management in the Mediterranean through advanced accounting, real-time monitoring, and community-driven approaches. The major expected outcomes of the project include advancing knowledge about water resources in Mediterranean countries, developing innovative water accounting tools for more resilient water management, as well as incorporating Living Labs to engage stakeholders in developing solutions based on consensus and equity.
Objectives
- SO1: Diagnostic & Comparison
Map and compare water‑scarcity challenges and governance arrangements across consortium countries. - SO2: Unified Data Platform
Establish an integrated database and platform for inter‑basin water‑transfer analysis in Morocco and Jordan. - SO3: DSS Development
Develop and validate a model‑based Decision Support System (SWAT + WA+) for sustainable inter‑basin transfers under climate change. - SO4: Precision Agriculture Accounting
Advance water‑accounting in agriculture using remote sensing (pyWaPOR), IoT soil‑moisture sensors, and Living Labs in Morocco, Tunisia, Türkiye, and Jordan. - SO5: Socio‑Economic & Gender Analysis
Assess socio‑economic impacts—particularly on rural women—and design gender‑sensitive interventions to enhance equity and resilience.