Suggested Initial Research Priorities for

Thematic Partnerships

Middle East and North Africa _____________________________________

Network of Water Centers of Excellence

• Purpose: Identify the initial set of applied research

funding priorities

• These must be: Ideas around which potential research teams can form

Research areas that have potential for policy

impact, commercialization, and/or professional publication

Limited in number: no more than 3 to 4

Suggested Initial Research Priorities for

Thematic Partnerships

Water Supply/Sanitation/Utilities:

Middle East and North Africa _____________________________________

Network of Water Centers of Excellence

• Water quality standards, management, and enforcement

• Rural water and sanitation challenges

• Improved service delivery

• Climate change

Suggested Initial Research Priorities for

Thematic Partnerships

Water Use Efficiency/Productivity:

Middle East and North Africa _____________________________________

Network of Water Centers of Excellence

• On-farm irrigation efficiency, including protected

agriculture

• Water-efficient and salt-tolerant crops

• Postharvest technology and management

• Land use planning

Suggested Initial Research Priorities for

Thematic Partnerships

Groundwater:

Middle East and North Africa _____________________________________

Network of Water Centers of Excellence

• Socioeconomics of non-renewable groundwater mining

• Aquifer storage and recovery

• Groundwater management and monitoring

• Saltwater intrusion

Suggested Initial Research Priorities for

Thematic Partnerships

Non-Conventional Water:

Middle East and North Africa _____________________________________

Network of Water Centers of Excellence

• Wastewater re-use in agriculture

• Desalination technologies, economics, and finance

• Inland desalination of brackish water

• Environmental impacts of desalination

Suggested Initial Research Priorities for

Thematic Partnerships

Water, Energy, Food Relationships:

Middle East and North Africa _____________________________________

Network of Water Centers of Excellence

• Energy costs of water system operation

• Energy and desalination

• Urban versus agricultural water supply