Successful Workshop in Asmara Advances NBS4Water Project

The NBS4Water project has taken another major step forward in strengthening urban water security in Asmara. A 2-year interdisciplinary project, funded by the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, NBS4Water aims to apply strategic approaches for planning nature-based solutions for urban water security in mountain metropolitan regions.

Following earlier fieldwork this year, the Principal Investigator Dr. Bilal Adem Esmail was joined by Dr. Stefan Schneiderbauer, Head of Eurac Research’s Global Mountain Safeguard Research (GLOMOS), and Dr. Giacomo Bertoldi, senior hydrologist at Eurac’s Institute for Environment, for a high-level workshop with local stakeholders.

The workshop, organised with the support of the Asmara Heritage Project and the Department of Water Resources at the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment, brought together more than 30 participants from ministries, academia, the private sector, and NGOs.

Shared Understanding of Challenges and Opportunities

Using the Impact Chain approach developed at Eurac Research, participants collectively mapped the systemic drivers of water scarcity risks in the Greater Asmara Area. They identified critical challenges—such as pressure on water supply infrastructure, ecosystem degradation, and climate variability—while also highlighting opportunities for innovative responses.

In a collaborative exercise, the group co-defined scenarios of water (in)security, weighing different levels of investment in traditional grey infrastructure and nature-based solutions (NBS). This allowed stakeholders to visualize trade-offs, synergies, and potential policy pathways to secure Asmara’s water future.

Sharing Research Insights

The workshop was also an opportunity to present preliminary results from high-resolution hydrological modelling and recent field visits. These findings are helping to clarify water flows, stress points, and the potential benefits of ecosystem-based interventions.

To close the mission, the research team visited:

• Dam construction projects in Gahtelay and Gherghera, which will play a crucial role in improving supply reliability.
• Archaeological sites in Adulis, underlining the importance of cultural heritage in regional development.
• Ecological restoration initiatives in Mongida Shiketi, demonstrating the potential of NBS to strengthen water security and biodiversity.

Next Steps

The outcomes of the Asmara workshop will provide the foundation for a scientific publication and a policy brief, to be co-developed with local stakeholders. Looking ahead, the project team is planning a GeoDesign workshop in February–March 2026, where scientific modelling, design tools, and stakeholder knowledge will be combined to identify concrete, implementable solutions.

By bringing together diverse expertise and perspectives, NBS4WATER is building the basis for actionable strategies that blend infrastructure development with ecosystem restoration—securing water for the people of Asmara while safeguarding the environment.

Press contact: Dr. Blal Adem Esmail GLOMOS - Centre for Global Mountain Safeguard Research & Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy Email: blal.ademesmail@eurac.edu