Introducing MAENA: a project restoring the Small Water Cycle for a resilient Mediterranean

MAENA restores the Small Water Cycle on 26 farms, increasing water efficiency and climate resilience for agriculture.

Publication Date
10/12/2025
Reading Time
2 minutes

MAENA project (Replenishing the Small Water Cycle towards a More Resilient Agriculture) is officially launched , bringing out a new paradigm in water management for the climate-vulnerable Mediterranean region. Co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg NEXT MED Programme, MAENA is introducing a farm-level approach to combat critical water scarcity by restoring the natural balance of localized water cycles.

MAENA’s vision is to showcase the effectiveness of restoring the Small Water Cycle (SWC) at the farm level, directly tackling inefficient water use, which is one of the most impactful solutions for:

  • Conserving agricultural water
  • Adapting to climate change in the Med region

Understanding the Small Water Cycle

The central concept underpinning the MAENA project is the SWC .

It is a localised, closed-loop system where water evaporates from the land from plants, soil, and water bodies and falls back as rain over the same area.

When healthy, the SWC nourishes the land, keeping it fertile and resilient. But when it’s broken through deforestation, poor soil management, and unsustainable agriculture, rainfall lessens, drought worsens, and the entire ecosystem suffers. In fact, the small water cycle is far more important to local precipitation patterns than the large water cycle. Research shows that up to two-thirds of the rain we receive on land comes from this localised system.

The project, which began on September 16, 2025, and will run for three years with a total budget of €2.8 Million (EU €2.49 Million), anticipates the following positive changes:

  • Enhanced water use efficiency at the farm level, leading to higher agricultural productivity and more resilient Mediterranean farming systems.
  • Strengthened knowledge and capacities of agricultural actors, fostering a deeper understanding and adoption of SWC restoration principles and practices.

MAENA will be taking concrete steps to demonstrate and disseminate SWC solutions:

  • 26 farms will deploy SWC restoration solutions.
  • 60 agricultural actors will be trained on SWC practices.
  • 400 water management actors will be engaged in a strategic HUB for knowledge sharing.

MAENA brings together a consortium of partners and associates from Tunisia, Italy, Lebanon, Jordan, Malta, and Spain dedicated to promoting transnational cooperation in the Mediterranean region to secure a more resilient future for its agriculture.

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Last Update

10/12/2025