PRIMA – Section 1 – Thematic Area 4 Coordination and Support Action (CSA) – 1.4.1-2026 (CSA): Institutionalising and scaling the Mediterranean WEFE Nexus Community of Practice for cross-sectoral governance and policy uptake
Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
PRIMA – Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area is the most ambitious joint programme to be undertaken in the frame of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.
The overall objective of the PRIMA programme is to build research and innovation capacities and to develop knowledge and common innovative solutions for agro-food systems, to make them sustainable, and for integrated water provision and management in the Mediterranean area, to make those systems and that provision and management more climate resilient, efficient, cost-effective and environmentally and socially sustainable, and to contribute to solving water scarcity, food security, nutrition, health, well-being and migration problems upstream.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
Building on the foundations laid under the PRIMA-funded WEFE4MED project, this action will consolidate and expand the Mediterranean WEFE NCoP, fostering cross-sectoral cooperation and strengthening linkages to policy and investment agendas.
The NCoP will operate as a structured and sustained mechanism for collaborative learning, cross-sectoral dialogue and the progressive uptake of Nexus approaches across the Mediterranean, including in contexts where land, water, energy, food and ecosystems interact along the land–water–coastal continuum.
Detailed Call Description
The CSA will network, document, and draw lessons from existing and newly identified WEFE Nexus demonstration cases across the Mediterranean. Selected cases must exhibit (i) financial and operational feasibility, (ii) strong stakeholder ownership, (iii) alignment with regulatory and governance contexts and (iv) modular, adaptable design suitable for replication in diverse territorial and socio-economic settings. The CSA will support their identification, methodological strengthening, visibility and use as reference points for peer learning and policy uptake.
The action will reinforce the Community of Practice in line with the Etienne Wenger model, by:
- Strengthening the shared domain (a common Nexus framing and problem space),
- Enabling an active community (facilitated, recurring, structured engagement), and
- Developing a shared practice (transferable tools, methods and validated Best Management Practices).
Projects are expected to address all of the following activities:
- Formalise and strengthen the governance and facilitation model of the NCoP, including clear roles, membership mechanisms, thematic working groups and engagement protocols, to ensure coordinated and sustained community animation.
- Design and deliver structured peer-learning and capacity-building programmes, such as practitioner exchanges and moderated community dialogues, to build shared understanding, skills and problem-solving capacity across sectors and governance levels.
- Synthesize lessons from demonstration cases into practical, transferable guidance, including replication frameworks, methodological notes, practice briefs and targeted policy recommendations, to enable adaptation and uptake in new contexts.
- Enhance and maintain a digital knowledge and interaction hub that supports ongoing knowledge and data exchange, collaborative development of materials and access to curated resources, ensuring the NCoP functions as a living, continuously-learning community
- Support selected public authorities and basin/coastal organisations in applying Nexus principles in planning and policy processes, through contextualised advisory support and facilitated multi-stakeholder dialogue, enabling real-world operational and governance improvements.
- Co-develop investment and partnership pathways for replication and scaling, including finance-ready concept notes and engagement with regional, EU and international funding mechanisms, to position validated Nexus practices for future deployment and financing.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
100%
Thematic Categories
- Agriculture - Food
- Environment and Climate Change
- Industry
- Public Administration
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Rural development
- Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness
- Water - Management of Water Resources
Eligibility for Participation
- Businesses
- Central Government
- Educational Institutions
- Farmers Unions
- Farmers, Agriculturalists
- International Organisations
- Local Authorities
- NGOs
- Non Profit Organisations
- Other Beneficiaries
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
Eligibility For Participation Notes
For Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs) at least one legal entity established in a PRIMA Participating State (by the time of grant agreement signature). Proposals from a single legal entity are allowed.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
EU Contact Point
Marco Orlando at marco.orlando@prima-med.org