Location: Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Egypt
Funded By: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
Implemented By: IUCN Regional Office for West Asia (ROWA) and International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
The ALMURUNA project aimed to increase water security in the MENA region by integrating Nature-Based Solutions for Water (NBSW) and Agricultural Water Management (AWM) to build climate resilience and combat land degradation. The program strengthened national capacities to implement and scale integrated NBSW/AWM through transformational change processes and developed field-based examples and actionable recommendations addressing both technical and non-technical barriers to uptake and long-term sustainability. It also generated evidence on the contribution of NBSW/AWM to sustainable water security.
Implemented by the MENA regional office of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in partnership with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the project focused on four MENA countries—Jordan, Lebanon, the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), and Egypt—where investments in NBS/AWM could bolster water security. These transboundary river countries faced complex water security challenges exacerbated by climate extremes. Sharing experiences across countries within a cooperative regional framework aimed to amplify benefits. The project specifically targeted women, youth, and marginalized communities to engage them in co‑developing solutions across activities.
Achievements
Strengthened stakeholder engagement across target areas, securing support from ministries, municipalities, and local institutions to ensure effective implementation and long-term ownership.
Modernised irrigation systems and rehabilitated natural springs through infrastructure upgrades, protection works, and improved water management practices—enhancing water security and reducing losses.
Supported the establishment and empowerment of community-led structures to coordinate agricultural activities, advance local governance, and promote women’s leadership in resource management.
Delivered targeted awareness and capacity-building sessions covering Nature-based Solutions (NbS), and entrepreneurship, covering more than 350 beneficiaries.
Reached a wide range of beneficiaries through in-person and online training, with NbS-focused modules tailored to gender considerations and local needs.
Enabled over 500 farmers to benefit from rehabilitated irrigation canals and engaged cooperative members and farmers through technical training, Farmer Field Schools, and resilience-oriented workshops.
Completed initial scoping deliverables—including hazard mapping, proposed flood management measures, and a roadmap for integrating climate downscaling and socio-economic factors into planning—while progressing subsequent phases focused on climate scenarios and vulnerability analysis.
Advanced integrated climate-resilient planning by developing and refining hydrological and hydraulic models, preparing basin-wide flood hazard maps, and drafting multi-phase flood management plans aligned with national and international frameworks.
Conducted national-level workshops to validate readiness assessments, strengthen policy dialogue, and support scaling pathways for NbS and flood management approaches.
Positioned project sites as replicable models for integrated, climate-resilient rural development and strategic planning, supporting long-term adaptation and community resilience.