Tackling Water and Food Scarcity Around the Mediterranean Basin
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Government
The Prima initiative will tackle two of the root causes of migration - water and food scarcity around the Mediterranean basin.
The European Parliament has voted in favour of a €220 million research project that has the ultimate aim of curbing the flow of migrants into Europe from north Africa.
The Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (Prima), will tackle water and food scarcity around the Mediterranean, as two factors seen as massively contributing to the forced migration of thousands into Europe.
The project’s goal is to come up with fresh ideas for improving the sustainability of food and water provision in farmlands.
The ten year project will involve researchers from 11 EU countries, and Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey.
A combination of weak water management, adverse weather and declining farmland, coupled with political instability and violence in Libya, have made central Mediterranean the busiest route for migration to Europe.
“We have to acknowledge that these issues are the root causes of migration. Both within and beyond borders,” EU Research Commissioner Carlos Moedas told MEPs.
The region covered by the project is considered particularly vulnerable to climate change, which has already warmed the Mediterranean by more than the global average – 1.3C compared to 1C – since the industrial revolution.
It is not just north Africa beginning to feel these effects. If the current rate of greenhouse gas emissions continue unchecked, experts think that deserts could expand northwards across southern Spain and Sicily.
Climate change may also hurt the production of Mediterranean food staples such as olives.
Prima’s pragmatic goals received praise from MEPs. “Everyone knows this is a highly problematic area for the EU,” said Patricia Toia, an Italian centre-left MEP. “I think the new project will help avoid forced displacement.”
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Media
Taxonomy
- Drinking Water Security
- Drinking Water Treatment
- Resource Management
- Water Resource Management
- Scarcity
- Water Scarcity In Desert area
- Poverty Reduction
- Water Supply
- Drinking Water
- Food Distribution
- Water Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH)