HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-03: Overcoming the barriers for scaling up circular water management in agriculture

CIRCUWATER-MED aims to overcome technical, socio-political, and economic barriers to scaling up circular water management in agriculture through the piloting, validation, and replication of off-grid water and wastewater treatment and reuse technologies across Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries: Greece, Italy, Israel, Jordan, and Palestine. The project focuses on regions with water scarcity, decentralized farming systems, and a high potential for circular economy integration in agriculture and food production.

Objectives:

•             Pilot and validate context-specific, modular, off-grid technologies for water and wastewater treatment, reuse, and nutrient recovery in agricultural settings.

•             Demonstrate the feasibility and scalability of circular approaches to water management for off the grid and decentralized smallholder and peri-urban farms.

•             Facilitate knowledge exchange and co-creation among EU and non-EU countries through multi-actor platforms.

•             Address regulatory, cultural, behavioral challenges and technical barriers through stakeholder engagement and policy dialogue, of upscaling to alternative water solutions. Adopt multi-actor approach to co-create knowledge and solutions.

•             Identify and test different business models regarding financial viability and long-term economic sustainability (including cost-benefit analysis or agro-economic modelling) for the adoption of alternative water sources,

•             Increase awareness about the potential value for farmers, advisors and society at large and people of the results via dissemination activities.

Expected Impact

CIRCUWATER-MED will:

Deliver scalable, affordable, and replicable circular water solutions for agriculture in water-stressed regions.

Contribute to the EU Water Framework Directive, Zero Pollution Action Plan, and Farm to Fork Strategy.

Foster regional cooperation and trust-building across politically complex environments through shared environmental goals.

Enhance awareness of the value of circular water solutions and solutions to farmers, and society at large via proper dissemination materials and strategy.