Our ancestors developed impressive water management systems and applications that helped them cope with harsh climates and scarce natural resources in many parts of the world. Discover how ancient civilizations applied indigenous knowledge to water management, as well as the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in tackling the water crisis threatening the entire MENA region.
The Golden Past
In the MENA region, and since the 4th century BC, the most powerful civilizations have overcome arid and semi-arid conditions largely thanks to sound water technologies and hydraulic engineering. In the 14th century , the reflections of Ibn Khaldun, a great sociologist and scholar born in Tunis, suggest that the formation of cities is a pillar of resilient dynasties. He also cites access to fresh water as an essential condition for the development of cities and the sustainability of civilizations.
The Nabataeans
Petra, the two-thousand-year-old capital of the Nabataean kingdom (located in present-day southern Jordan), contains invaluable evidence of these indigenous innovations. Thanks to sophisticated water technology, the Nabataeans were able to ensure a continuous water supply throughout the year while mitigating the dangers of flash floods. They prioritized acquiring a thorough knowledge of all available water sources and adopting techniques to optimize the monitoring, exploitation, conservation, and use of these resources. Their water reservoirs had a storage capacity balanced with their canalization system, and they used settling basins to purify the water and make it potable.
The Nabataeans had a deep understanding of their strengths and limitations, which enabled them to create a system to optimize water flow while reducing leaks, thus promoting a prosperous existence for many years to come.
Oman
Innovation is not limited to engineering and science; water markets and the decentralization of water resource management are important elements, which regulators and water user associations struggle to master. Oman’s community-based water management program, based on the right to water, institutions, and markets, is one of the oldest in the world.
The cost of water was adjusted based on supply and demand. The existence of an established right to water, the use of transparent management, and the promotion of water trade greatly contributed to better management of irrigation water at the time.
The future is here
Although the water sector offers unlimited potential for innovation, it remains underutilized in the MENA region. Information technology, data management, artificial intelligence , and a host of other tools provide opportunities for innovation and contribute to the development of effective water management solutions and socioeconomic development.
Today, innovation and entrepreneurship are more central than ever to development projects in the MENA region. Creating a favorable environment for technology startups to attract investment, create jobs, and boost economic development is a shared goal across the region. Regarding water, and despite the sector’s strategic importance, there are few water-related innovations likely to penetrate the market and establish a foothold, either in the region or globally.
More recently, the concepts of green growth and climate-smart solutions are reviving interest in locally focused water innovations to alleviate the economic and social burden of water scarcity and poor management systems. At the same time, social impact investing is gaining popularity, and today’s investors are looking to invest in companies with a robust ESG (environmental, social, and governance) framework.
If there were a silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic, it would be that it has brought local production and self-reliance back into the spotlight. Whether it’s food, energy, or water resources, availability and affordability must not be compromised. Since 2019, programs targeting innovations and startups in the food security and cutting-edge agriculture sectors have been expanding. Special innovation hubs, competitions, accelerators, and incubators have been launched to support the water-energy-food nexus and closely link them to climate change and social inclusion.
For example, WE4F’s MENA Regional Innovation Hub supports innovators of proven solutions that address water or energy-related issues within urban or rural food production, scaling them up through various financial and non-financial tools. As these efforts gain momentum, local needs are emerging, including skills development and knowledge management. Recent graduates have relatively theoretical information regarding a specific topic or specialty. However, most of these engineering, science, and business graduates lack practical skills and knowledge of the nexus and interconnectedness that link water, food, energy, society, and the environment. As a result, numerous training and upskilling programs have emerged to fill these gaps and guide the younger generation into the future.
In Jordan, a promising example of these skills development modules was launched through a partnership between the Sahara Forest Project and Al Hussein Technical University (HTU) . This skills development program for advanced agricultural and food security engineers was piloted on 30 young women from various governorates, selected based on spontaneous applications and predefined criteria. Participants benefited from on-the-job training with the Sahara Forest Project in Aqaba, technical lectures and seminars delivered by professionals, mentoring with women leaders, and inspiring speeches from market experts.
Such programs should not only aim to help unemployed youth join the labor market, but also to broaden their horizons so that they can create opportunities for themselves, their peers, and local communities. Revaluing agriculture, water, energy, and nature is the catalyst for transforming the future of work in the MENA region.
Translator: Cécile Lamhene
Cécile Lamhene is a freelance English-to-French translator. After completing a master’s degree in legal, economic, and technical translation at the University of Lille, she specializes in sustainable development in the MENA region, focusing on areas such as agriculture, livestock, engineering, energy, and water management.
Note: The original English version of the article is available at this link .
