Digitalising governance processes and water resources management to foster sustainability strategies in the Mediterranean agriculture

Water has become a scarce resource in the semi-arid regions of the Mediterranean. Its access, quality and quantity are essential to maintain the socio-economic and environmental prosperity of these regions, which is currently linked to the sustainability of agriculture. However, pressures such as climate change, overexploitation or pollution make it necessary to establish strategies to improve their management and governance. In this context, digitalization has the potential to offer useful tools for managing, governing, and conserving water resources in a more efficient, effective, and participatory manner. ICT tools allow us to explore the integration of various sources of information related to water use and management in agriculture - ranging from sensors, weather stations, and piezometers to socio-ecological and economic indicators, as well as societal participation. These sources can be converted into services for different users, such as farmers, irrigation communities, or administrations, thereby contributing to the enhancement of water governance strategies. The WATERMED platform stems from the abovementioned needs and challenges, offering a decision support system, to optimize agricultural water use via smart agriculture tools. Additionally, it incorporates a specific water governance evaluation tool using the analytical framework set out by the OECD. The services offered by the WATERMED platform were developed and tested in collaboration with local stakeholders in 3 semi-arid areas of the Mediterranean as pilot areas with different socioeconomic context, agricultural practices and crops: J & uacute;car-Vinalopo<acute accent> (Spain), Upper Cheliff (Algeria) and Konya (T & uuml;rkiye). In addition, a series of workshops were organised at each pilot study area with stakeholders in order to discuss and collect inputs that could improve water governance and functions of the platform. The attendees completed a questionnaire that enabled an in-depth analysis of stakeholder perceptions on the usability of the WATERMED platform as well as the impacts of promoting good water governance in the pilot regions from a socio-economic and environmental perspective. This provided relevant information to foster water governance strategies adapted to each pilot area considering the pros and cons of digitisation. The perception analysis highlighted that digitisation and WATERMED platform could help improve governance and water management strategies. Nonetheless, it is not a cure-all solution, as end users require technical and financial support. Simultaneously, collaborative efforts must be pursued to address environmental and water pollution issues, alongside raising awareness on topics such as climate change, water management, digitalisation, and sustainable agricultural practices.