On 6 April 2026, the EMPOWERMed Tunisia team met at the headquarters of the Regional Research Centre on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture (CRRHAB) to review project progress, coordinate upcoming activities and define priorities for the second year of implementation.
The meeting aligned responsibilities across the national team and connected completed work with the next phase of demonstration, modelling and stakeholder-engagement activities in Tunisia.
đź’§ About EMPOWERMed
EMPOWERMed (Enhancing Management of Water Scarcity through Proactive and Innovative Water Accounting Approaches in Mediterranean Regions) is a PRIMA-funded research project developing integrated approaches to water-scarcity management across the Mediterranean. It combines hydrological modelling, water accounting, digital tools, socio-economic analysis and participatory Living Labs.
đź“‹ Progress review and coordination
During the meeting, the team reviewed progress across the project’s work packages and reported completion of three key deliverables:
- D5.1 – Comprehensive Baseline Data Report;
- D6.1 – Survey and Interview Data Report; and
- D6.2 – Socio-Economic Indicators Report.
Team members also finalised the allocation of responsibilities and discussed procurement of soil-moisture sensors and other equipment needed to establish and monitor the Tunisian demonstration site.
🌱 Priorities for Year 2
The agreed work plan focuses on four connected priorities:
- assessing water-scarcity challenges in Tunisia;
- installing and monitoring the demonstration site while implementing smart-farming approaches;
- collecting hydrometeorological data and developing climate and hydrological models for the Nebhana Dam watershed; and
- conducting socio-economic surveys on water scarcity, climate-change impacts and the role of rural women in sustainable water management.
🤝 Preparing the Tunisian Living Lab
A major item on the agenda was preparation of a stakeholder workshop to establish the EMPOWERMed Living Lab in Central-Eastern Tunisia. The planned workshop was designed to bring together around 40 participants to exchange knowledge, identify local needs and support practical solutions for sustainable agricultural water management.
🔠What’s next?
The Tunisia team will move from planning to implementation by advancing equipment procurement, demonstration-site preparation, data collection, modelling and participatory activities. Continued coordination between researchers, public institutions and local stakeholders will be essential to keep these workstreams connected.
Source and further reading: original EMPOWERMed Tunisia update on LinkedIn.