The Mediterranean region faces increasing water scarcity, driven by climate change, growing demand and structural pressures on water resources. The agrifood sector, a cornerstone of the Mediterranean economy and territorial cohesion, is particularly exposed to these challenges, while also offering significant potential for water efficiency, reuse and circular economy solutions.

AquaLoops4Med, co-funded by the EU through the I3 instrument, addresses these challenges by promoting circular economy approaches to sustainable water management in the agrifood sector. The project supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing, demonstrating and scaling up innovative solutions for water reuse, recycling and efficient water use, transforming water-related challenges into economic and environmental opportunities.

Operating across four Mediterranean regions—Catalonia (ES), Basilicata (IT), Attica and Thessaly (EL)—AquaLoops4Med fosters cross-regional collaboration, knowledge exchange and market uptake of innovative technologies. By combining pilot demonstrations, financial support through an open call and a strong focus on SMEs, the project boosts competitiveness while accelerating the adoption of circular water solutions such as water efficiency, reuse and alternative water sources, and fostering the creation of new water-related value chains in the Mediterranean agrifood sector.