We are pleased to announce the launch of the project NPP-SOL “Modelling and technological tools to prevent surface and ground water bodies from agricultural non-point source pollution under Mediterranean conditions” (PCI2023-143359), funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and cofounded by the European Union under the PRIMA Programme, Section 2 Call Multitopic 2022.

NPP-SOL will co-design and test site-specific best management practices and pollution-preventing technologies in 4 Case Studies, enhancing a multi-stakeholder participatory approach considering context-related needs and challenges.

The aim is to intercept and remove NPS pollutants before reaching the groundwater and surface water bodies. Technologies such as Bioreactors and Constructed Wetlands will be set up to remove nutrients from surface runoff and/or drainage water coming from agricultural fields. Anaerobic Digestors will treat livestock slurries before spreading them to the soil. Modelling Tools will support the design and implementation of the solutions.

The 3 years long project is coordinated by Università degli Studi della Basilicata (UNIBAS, Italy), and involves other partners from Italy (Università degli Studi di Cagliari, UNICA), Morocco (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) and Mohammed V University in Rabat (UM5)), Israel (Agricultural Research Organization (ARO) – Volcani Institute, and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MOAG)), France (Institute of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, CIHEAM-IAM) and Spain (Universitat de Barcelona through our group MAiMA).

It was a pleasure to attend the Kick-Off meeting from the 6th to the 8th November 2023 in Cagliari (Italy), and to share fruitful discussions with all participants.

#water #naturebasedsolutions #circulareconomy #diffusepollution #stakeholder engagement