The LIFE Integrated Project is an eight-year project led by the Energy and Water Agency and co-financed under the EU LIFE Programme. This project supports the implementation of Malta’s 2nd River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) and the formulation of the 3rd RBMP.

The project addresses specific social, economic and environmental challenges associated with a highly populated Mediterranean small island state – water scarcity and drought conditions, high population density, saline intrusion, contamination, and vulnerability of coastal waters. The project actions focus on increasing awareness, assist uptakes of measures, governance and reducing uncertainty.

The Ministry for Gozo is a coordinating partner of the LIFE Integrated Project and is the lead partner for Concrete Action C.6: Demonstration Site for the application of New Water Resources – Gozo.

This project oversees the development of a demonstration site at the Government Experimental Farm in Gozo for the application of New Water to agricultural irrigation. The demonstration will serve several purposes crucial to the agricultural sector, namely:

  • Enable comparative evaluation of crop productivity when using different irrigation sources, one of which is New Water.
  • Demonstrate smart and innovative techniques applicable to irrigation efficiency.
  • Show how groundwater can be substituted feasibly and safely with this new source for irrigation, thus reducing pressure on groundwater bodies.
  • Allay fears and apprehensions on the use of New Water.
  • Provide a good training forum for young farmers to put innovation to practice.