• A National Workshop to present the Palestinian National Master Plan (28th of April). More than 100 participants attended the workshop representing relevant ministries, the water authority, municipalities and local councils, and many other stakeholders. The workshop has been organized under the patronage of the head of the Palestinian Water Authority H.E. Mazen Ghonim and at the presence of the Governors of Jericho and Tubas with the aim of presenting and discussing the National Palestinian Master Plan developed by the project.
• Regional Conference on “Planning for our shared future: Public release of Regional NGO Master Plan for Sustainable Development in the Jordan Valley” (9-10 June 2015, Dead Sea – Jordan). During this Conference organized under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Hazim al Nasser, the Jordanian Minister of Water, the project presented the first ever Integrated Regional NGO Master Plan for Sustainable Development in the Jordan Valley. The conference marked the conclusion of the project and brought together a considerable number of high-level government officials from Jordan, Palestine and Israel, international diplomatic representatives, international development agency representatives, and basin experts to discuss the advancement of the program from planning to implementation. To read about the Conference and download the Master Plan click here

• Training course on " Eco-physiology measurements: a quantitative and qualitative approach to environmental-plant interaction (Beirut and Tal Amara LARI station – Lebanon, 5-7 May 2015) with the participation of 23 young researchers and students from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), the Lebanese University (LU) and the Saint Joseph University (USJ).
• Field day on “Good management practices for cereals cultivation under climate change” (Irbid - Jordan, 21 May 2015) with the participation of twenty-five local farmers.
• Training Workshop on “Maximizing productivity of wheat and barley under dry-land systems” (National Centre for Agricultural Research and Extention-NCARE headquarter - Amman, 8-10 June 2015) with the participation of 23 water managers and the extension staff of NCARE coming from different experimental stations all around the country. The lecturers, NCARE staff from Maru station and NCARE-Amman who actively participated in the project activities, transferred the project achievements and results to other colleagues and discussed how to extend the best management practices to other provinces of Jordan.
• Training course on: "Climate Change Adaptation for Water, Food and Environment Security" (Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation Training Centre, 6th of October City – Egypt, June 13-15, 2015). The training brought together 60 experts, including 18 lecturers and 42 trainees (Policy makers, Officials, Researchers, Practitioners and students), in irrigated agriculture, water, agri-food production and environmental issues. The participants (40% gender equity) were affiliated to different Research Centers, Academia and Universities and Agricultural departments across Egypt working together in interdisciplinary teams.
• The training themes ranged from Water-Energy-Food Nexus and Socio-economic impact assessment of Climate Change to the technical water management sessions and policy analysis. To read the agenda (available only in English) click here
• The project promoted visibility and dissemination about its activities and achievements in two occasions:
  • During the International Conference on “Sustainable Water Integrated Management in the South Mediterranean: Matching Efficient Irrigation & Renewable Energy Sources” (May 6, 2015, Order of Engineers and Architects of Beirut – Lebanon) organized by the ENSIAP project in collaboration with SWIM-SM.
  • During the EU – Lebanon cooperation days (8 May 2015, Beirut – Lebanon)

     and communicates with its “community” also through various social Media and networks : Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Youtube.

• Active participation and contribution to the Workshop on “Climate change, water scarcity and sustainable use of resources in agriculture” (1st of July 2015, EXPO Milano 2015).
• Training course (follow up) on “Climate change adaptation for water, food and environment security” (15-17 September 2015, Cairo – Egypt).
• Active participation and contribution to the International Conference on “Modern technologies, strategies and tools for sustainable irrigation management and governance in Mediterranean agriculture” (IrriMed 2015) (23-25 September 2015, CIHEAM – Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari). For more information about the conference click here.
• Closing national Workshop-Seminar on the “Adaptation to climate change of Mediterranean Agricultural Systems” (29 September – 1 October 2015, Tunisia).
• Training course on “Water use and productivity of Mediterranean agricultural systems” (6-8 October 2015, Settat – Morocco).
• Closing national Workshop-Seminar on the “Adaptation to climate change of Mediterranean Agricultural Systems” (8-10 December, Marrakesh – Morocco).
• Closing International Workshop-Seminar on the “Adaptation to climate change of Mediterranean Agricultural Systems”, 15-17 December 2015, Cairo, Egypt.

This activity supports Algeria, Egypt and Palestine in their efforts to apply Managed Artificial Recharge (MAR) in a more consistent and regulated manner, so as to reap the full benefits of this application.
In fact, although MAR is widely used in most South Mediterranean countries on an ad hoc unregulated basis to enhance water supplies, uptake has been constrained by lack of a policy and a clear, consistent regulatory framework that allows the advantages of MAR to be materialized.

National reports will be prepared for each of the three countries including the following:

1. A general assessment of water, wastewater, and environment policies, legislation and regulations relevant to wastewater management and disposal.
2. Identification of gaps and constraints in the existing water, wastewater and environment legislations and regulations that hinder the control of artificial recharge practices.
3. A brief technical analysis of the adequacy of wastewater treatment, effluent water quality, nature of aquifers targeted for recharge, water quality of aquifer, current water uses from the aquifer, etc.
4. Identification of main techno-economic gaps and challenges that might hinder artificial recharge.
5. Listing of appropriate mitigation and precautionary measures to realize groundwater recharge without polluting the recharged aquifers.
6. Listing of physical, chemical and biological standards of adequately treated wastewater intended for MAR.
7. Identification and analysis of the risk factors that might affect the formulation and implementation (in terms of compliance and enforcement) of the proposed MAR regulations.
8. Draft guidelines for national MAR regulations that are suited to the national environmental conditions, socio-economic specificities and groundwater hydrology.
9. Proposed institutional reforms at the appropriate levels of government – national, local, users’ level - to administer the suggested artificial recharge regulatory package.
10. Organization of a 5 days study tour in 2 European countries recognized for their advancement in MAR
11. A National consultation forum involving all relevant stakeholders in each focus country to validate and finalise the guidelines.
12. National reports (30 – 40 pages each) with a specific regulatory text for potential adoption and implementation.

This activity follows up the development of guidelines for MAR based on global experience and best practices in recharging aquifers that was carried out by SWIM-SM to serve as inspiration for potential adoption and application by South Mediterranean countries.
In this sense it represents a field testing of the developed guidelines in country-specific situations and shall increase the usefulness of the guidelines and their adaptability to national specifications.