Last month UNISS hosted the final conference of Wadis-Mar, a project dedicated to the sustainable management of water in dry lands. Funded by the European Union, Wadis-Mar, led by Research Team for desertification (NRD) of the  University of Sassari, was carried out with the aim of achieving an integrated, sustainable and comprehensive model of water collection and management in agriculture in the two North African regions of Oued Biskra (Algeria) and Oum Zessar (Tunisia). These regions are characterized by the scarcity of water resources, over-exploitation of groundwater and high vulnerability to the risks linked to climate change.

The idea of ​​artificially recharging aquifers as a solution to conserve water in arid countries and at risk of desertification, at the same time making it available for agriculture and other sectors, has aroused great interest among the experts and the international community. In the two areas where it was carried out, taking into account the experience gained by local tradition, having studied the hydrogeological composition of the territory, Wadis-Mar focused on the analysis of the possible use of some groundwater for different purposes, not only for irrigation but also for drinking.

The project involved: University of Barcelona, Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel (OSS) di Tunisi, l’Institut des Régions Arides (IRA) in ) in Medenine, Tunisia and Agence Nationale des Ressources Hydrauliques (ANRH) Algiers .

The project is being discussed by the national and foreign media.