Ancient Wisdom, Modern Crisis: How MENA’s Heritage Irrigation Can Secure Water

A new study by researchers from Qatar University and partner institutes shows that reviving traditional irrigation systems such as qanats, aflaj, and terraced farming could help the MENA region tackle severe water scarcity and climate pressures. These ancient, community-based methods offer low-cost, sustainable solutions that modern policies often overlook

The Journal of Arid Environments has published a timely study led by researchers from Qatar University, the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies in Italy, Rasht Branch of Islamic Azad University in Iran, and North-West University in South Africa, which examines how traditional irrigation practices in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) can provide vital solutions to the region’s deepening water crisis. Confronted with dwindling rainfall, soaring temperatures, and escalating political fragility, the authors argue that centuries-old techniques such as qanats, aflaj, foggaras, and terraced systems must be revalued as living tools for sustainability. Their integration into modern policies, they suggest, could help preserve fragile ecosystems, secure livelihoods, and protect cultural heritage.

A Region on the Brink of Water Collapse

MENA is among the driest regions in the world, with average per capita water availability far below the global average. Except for Iraq and Mauritania, nearly every country faces water scarcity or even absolute scarcity. Agriculture consumes about 85 percent of available water, yet much of it is wasted through inefficient flood irrigation, which evaporates quickly in the searing heat and leaves behind salinized soils. Climate change projections are grim: drought frequency may rise by as much as 60 percent by 2050, while rainfall in Mediterranean countries like Morocco could decline by 40 percent by the century’s end. Economic costs are staggering, with climate-driven water shortages expected to shrink GDP by up to 14 percent in some states by mid-century. This already fragile context is aggravated by regional conflicts, mass displacement, and rapid urban growth, creating an urgent need for sustainable and adaptive water management strategies.

Ingenious Technologies Born of Scarcity

The study highlights a remarkable heritage of irrigation systems that evolved precisely in response to arid conditions. Qanats, developed more than 3,000 years ago in Iran, remain among the most ingenious: underground channels transport water from aquifers to farmland by gravity, avoiding evaporation losses. Iran alone once counted over 30,000 qanats stretching some 300,000 kilometers. Evaluations show these systems often outperform wells in water-use efficiency and crop yields. North Africa’s foggaras are equally sophisticated, incorporating distribution combs that allocate water based on family size and land rights. In Tunisia, farmers still practice meskat water harvesting, directing runoff from hillsides into olive groves, and jessour, earthen dams that trap stormwater and sediments to create fertile terraces. Yemen’s spate irrigation captures sudden floods from wadis, while terraced agriculture in Yemen and Morocco transforms mountain slopes into productive farmland that conserves soil and retains moisture. These methods, despite their age, continue to function where modern systems falter, proving the enduring genius of local adaptation.

Social, Economic, and Cultural Dimensions

What makes these traditional systems especially resilient is their integration into the social fabric. They are typically community-managed, relying on shared governance structures that distribute water equitably. Oman’s aflaj, for instance, operate through community water markets, with time shares sold and regulated by elected masters. This ensures transparency and fairness, while also reinforcing communal bonds. Economically, traditional systems are low-cost and energy-light, using gravity rather than pumps. They can be built and maintained with local materials and skills, unlike modern drip irrigation systems that require costly imports and reliable electricity. Culturally, they are a living heritage. UNESCO has recognized Iran’s qanats and Oman’s aflaj as World Heritage sites, symbols not only of technical achievement but of enduring cultural identity. In many communities, these irrigation systems are still celebrated in local rituals and practices, serving as anchors of history and continuity.

Challenges and a Blueprint for the Future

Yet the survival of these systems is far from assured. Expanding cities and industrial projects often destroy them, while dam construction diverts water away from their catchments. Migration and generational shifts have eroded the transmission of skills, with many young farmers viewing them as outdated. Governments, focused on modern infrastructure, frequently neglect or even discourage traditional practices. Even efficient modern irrigation can backfire, as water “saved” through drip systems is often used to expand irrigated land, increasing consumption overall. To counter these threats, the study outlines a clear agenda. Governments should formally recognize traditional systems as part of national water heritage, protect them under law, and embed them into climate resilience strategies. Blending them with modern science, using remote sensing, GIS mapping, and soil monitoring, could create hybrid models suited to today’s challenges. Education is critical, with curricula and extension services incorporating traditional knowledge to ensure intergenerational continuity. Financial incentives, such as grants and subsidies, should encourage farmers to rehabilitate old systems. Finally, strengthening community-based water governance is essential, giving legal status and institutional support to associations that have equitably managed irrigation for centuries.

From Heritage to Survival Strategy

Traditional irrigation knowledge is not a relic of the past but a strategic resource for the future. These systems embody sustainability by design: low-cost, community-based, and adapted to the extremes of climate variability. In a region where water scarcity threatens food security, economic stability, and even peace, reviving and integrating these methods could provide resilience against looming crises. The preservation of qanats, aflaj, foggaras, and terraced landscapes is as much about cultural survival as it is about water. Their lessons offer an alternative to the high-cost, high-energy approaches that dominate modern policy. If governments, civil society, and local communities act together, the MENA region can transform its ancient heritage into a foundation for future sustainability. As the study makes clear, ancient wisdom, far from being obsolete, may prove indispensable for navigating the turbulent century ahead.