Nile University today highlighted the outcomes of the pivotal session held at Cairo Water Week 2025, title:Policy Perspectives for Safe Reuse of Treated Wastewater in Agriculture: Insights & Lessons Learned from the MENA RegionJointly organized under the SafeAgroMENA Project, this event—supported by IHE Delft Institute for Water Education and the Royal Scientific Society (Jordan)—provides critical insights for stakeholders to scale safe wastewater reuse, mitigating water stress and bolstering sustainable agriculture across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The MENA region faces acute water shortages, with agriculture consuming up to 80% of available freshwater, exacerbated by climate variability and population growth. The session, coordinated by Nile University experts and informed by cross-border consultations with ministries, research institutes, and international organizations like the FAO, evaluated global best practices alongside local hurdles. It underscored opportunities in advanced treatment technologies, policy frameworks for micropollutant control, and replicable strategies such as deposit-return-like systems for water quality assurance to elevate reuse rates—currently varying from 20-50% in key MENA countries—and drive economic benefits, including enhanced crop yields and reduced groundwater depletion.
The dialogue incorporated expert panels and foresight discussions, revealing strong consensus on the need for harmonized regional standards and public-private investments, with projections indicating a potential 30-40% increase in safe agricultural water reuse by 2030 through targeted policy reforms.
“This session marks a vital platform for fostering regional collaboration in sustainable water and food systems. By sharing evidence-based insights from the SafeAgroMENA Project, we equip policymakers with tools to address micropollutants and build resilient agricultural practices,” said Dr. Hadeel Hosney, Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Wastewater Treatment and Reuse at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, in opening remarks. (Paraphrased from session contributions.)
“Partnering with Nile University and IHE Delft enables us to advance national strategies on wastewater reuse, integrating innovative governance to safeguard ecosystems and promote green agricultural growth in Jordan and beyond,” noted Rana Ardah, Manager of Water Studies at the Royal Scientific Society (Jordan), during the policy progress overview.
“As a core academic collaborator, Nile University is dedicated to bridging research and action. This event highlights the transformative role of institutional coordination and multi-stakeholder models in overcoming barriers to safe water reuse, fostering inclusive opportunities for MENA’s water security,” stated Ms. Heba A. Hamed, Research Assistant at Nile University.
The session outlined high-impact pathways across implementation horizons:
- Short-term (1-3 years): Strengthen institutional frameworks, pilot advanced treatment for micropollutants, and launch awareness campaigns to boost adoption in high-priority agricultural zones.
- Mid-term (3-10 years): Scale regional policy harmonization, invest in monitoring infrastructure, and expand deposit-return schemes for water quality to achieve 70% reuse targets in select MENA countries.
- Long-term (>10 years): Deploy AI-driven predictive systems for wastewater management, integrate circular economy principles, and establish MENA-wide alliances for zero-waste agriculture, backed by R&D and international funding.
Recommendations stress public-private partnerships (PPPs), regulatory updates like mandatory reuse quotas and cross-border data sharing, and capacity-building programs to enhance stakeholder buy-in. The discussions project that full implementation could secure an additional 10 billion cubic meters of reusable water annually by 2050, while cutting agricultural water imports by 25%.
Related Resources:
- Cairo Water Week 2025: Aligned with regional goals for SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation.
