WATERMED4.0: ICT Tool to Facilitate Collaborative Governance of Water Resources in the Mediterranean Agriculture

Digitalization allows efficient management of water resources in a participatory manner through the deployment of ICT tools (Information and Communication Technologies) which enables data acquisition from multiple sources. Integration of smart applications also facilitate easier assessment of complex water governance systems, thereby improve decision-making processes. WATERMED4.0 platform stemmed from the same idea, targeting to boost current agricultural practices by compiling and processing data on agricultural water demand, water resources availability, agricultural production as well as water governance. The integrated decision support system offered by WATERMED4.0 assists end-users to find solutions according to their needs and exploit natural resources in a much sustainable, efficient and competitive manner. WATERMED4.0 platform tested the effectiveness of using smart agricultural tools for easy monitoring and follow-ups in cultivated areas, fine tuning already available solutions by collecting data from the field (e.g. crops’ water requirements), and investigating the applicability of different technological and technical solutions for different challenges (e.g. hydroponics, agrivoltaic systems, water reuse). Improvements were observed in all pilot studies regarding input optimization without compromising product yields. With the fertigation plans provided by the platform, water savings up to 30% were recorded as well as ~ 10% decline were observed in fertilizer needs. In parallel, incorporation of the governance perspective into the platform by launching a specific governance tool promoted an interpretative and participatory approach. The governance tool could be a key and very low-cost solution for improving adaptive management and governance of water resources worldwide, bringing forward adoption of fit-for-purpose policies and strategies. Concisely, multi-stakeholder and multi-purpose platforms provide the flexibility to adjust solutions to different settings, and digital tools facilitate this process through easy, real-time and continuous monitoring and data collection. Still, stakeholder participation from the outset is as vital to facilitate trust building among actors via information and knowledge exchange.