Water Harvesting Lab - UNIFI

Our work for the United Nations World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought - 17 June was featured by Università degli Studi di Firenze 🌿

Find out all our activities at: https://www.dagri.unifi.it/vp-808-water-harvesting-lab.html?newlang=eng

Elena Bresci, coordinatrice del Water Harvesting Lab - UNIFI, protagonista dell'appuntamento "Gli Aperitivi dei Georgofili", organizzato dall'Accademia dei Georgofili, insieme a Simona Consoli.

L'intervista affronta l'importante tema dell'acqua partendo dal celebre verso della canzone di Francesco Petrarca "Chiare, fresche e dolci acque".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi8lT1JKn0E

DAGRI UNIFI
Università degli Studi di Firenze

Simona Consoli e Elena Bresci - Chiare fresche dolci acque Il nono appuntamento con "Gli aperitivi con i Georgofili: le stagio...

📢 Meet some of the international guest lecturers of our International Online Course on in

The course brings together lecturers from leading institutions across Sub-Saharan Africa to explore climate-resilient - from best siting and design to project management and monitoring of water harvesting structures 💧 🌾

Swipe through the carousel to meet them!

Don't forget to apply to to the course by June 12th: https://www.dagri.unifi.it/vp-882-online-course-on-water-harvesting.html?newlang=eng

The course's programme:

📅 Module 1 · 29 Jun – 12 Jul: Introduction to Water Harvesting and the Sub-Saharan Africa Context

📅Module 2 · 13 Jul – 26 Jul: Micro-catchment Water Harvesting

📅Module 3 · 27 Jul – 9 Aug: Macro-catchment Water Harvesting

📅Module 4 · 14 Sep – 27 Sep: Flood-based Water Harvesting

Key information:
— 100% online and live, in English (all lessons recorded)
— 4 modules · 4 CFU · 100 hours · official UniFI certificate on completion
— Starts 29 June 2026
— Fee: €150 (+ €16 fees). Free places available for UniFI PhD students, students and staff, and candidates from water-scarce, resource-limited countries

Questions? [email protected]



DAGRI UNIFI

Seminar/Webinar at the University of Nairobi by Prof. Elena Bresci

Organized within the PNRR TNE project, the seminar will explore current research activities and opportunities for mobility and grants for Italian and Kenyan students.

Do not miss it, today at 10:30 am Kenyan Time and 9:30 CET.

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/6ZHgofrVQZSidlf82048NQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Università degli Studi di Firenze, DAGRI UNIFI, Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo - Ufficio di Nairobi, Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture UNIFI

New paper with the participation of the Water Harvesting Lab - UNIFI:

Basel et al., 2026
𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚-𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒍-𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒇𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒐𝒉𝒚𝒅𝒓𝒐(𝒈𝒆𝒐)𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑶𝒂𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒂, 𝑴𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒄𝒐
(La recarga gestionada de acuíferos a pequeña escala liderada por la población local puede atenuar la propagación de sequía: evidencia sociohidro(geo)lógica de Oaxaca, México)

This research assesses the role of small-scale managed aquifer recharge (s-MAR) in the attenuation of meteorological drought propagation.

In , , people have united to implement s-MAR techniques, using low-tech, ecologically sound, and low-cost structures to address water scarcity and drought. Efforts began shortly before an extreme drought in 2008–2009, and 2023–2024 brought the first significant meteorological drought since, offering an opportunity to assess s-MAR’s impact on drought
propagation.

Drawing on hydrogeological data, geospatial methods, climatic data, and social data, the analysis finds s-MAR attenuated drought propagation. The hydrological impact of s-MAR depended not only on biophysical and climate parameters but also on social factors.

This study shows that incorporating social sciences in hydrogeological research can help address hydrological data gaps, and the complementary use of biophysical data and qualitative social data can uncover dynamics that would remain invisible if only hydrological data or socio-economic data were considered. A sociohydro(geo)logical approach offers a more comprehensive understanding of the context of interventions and complex system dynamics, supporting more effective solutions to water management challenges.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-026-03070-x

Luigi Piemontese, Elena Bresci, Giulio Castelli

DAGRI UNIFI | Wageningen University & Research | Università degli Studi di Firenze

Community-led small-scale managed aquifer recharge can slow drought propagation: Sociohydro(geo)logical evidence from Oaxaca, Mexico - Hydrogeology Journal This research assesses the role of small-scale managed aquifer recharge (s-MAR) in the attenuation of meteorological drought propagation. Human activity can induce or aggravate the drought cascade, threatening groundwater-dependent communities. In Oaxaca, Mexico, people have united to implement s-MA...

Don't forget to register to our Online Course on .

Applications close on 5th June!

Info and registration: https://www.dagri.unifi.it/vp-882-online-course-on-water-harvesting.html?newlang=eng

We will explore the theme "Water Harvesting in " through four modules running between July and September:

📕 Introduction to Water Harvesting and the Sub-Saharan Africa Socio-Ecological Context
📙 Micro-catchment Water Harvesting
📘 Macro-catchment Water Harvesting
📗 Flood-based Water Harvesting

(10) are available for candidates from water-scarce, resource-limited countries.

Università degli Studi di Firenze DAGRI UNIFI

Dall’Ateneo al mondo: internazionalizzazione e cooperazione allo sviluppo in Unifi

Il 14 maggio 2026 si è svolto al Campus di Novoli l’evento “Dall’Ateneo al mondo”, una giornata dedicata alle iniziative di internazionalizzazione e cooperazione allo sviluppo dell’ degli Studi di Firenze.

Attraverso poster session, confronti istituzionali e tavole rotonde, l’incontro ha restituito la dimensione internazionale dell’Ateneo: mobilità, accordi scientifici, cooperazione con i Paesi partner, corridoi universitari per rifugiati, tutela della libertà accademica, Cattedre UNESCO e partecipazione alle reti europee.

Elena Bresci, coordinatrice del Water Harvesting Lab - UNIFI, ha coordinato la sessione Cooperazione@Unifi, con Elisa Masi (Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo - Firenze), Guido Zolezzi (Coordinatore Coordinamento Universitario per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo, Università di Trento), Raffaella Milano (Save the Children Italia), Lorenzo Paoli (Area MEAL Oxfam - Oxford Committee for Famine Relief), Laura Vigoriti (Cooperazione per lo Sviluppo dei Paesi Emergenti COSPE onlus).

“Questo evento – ha commentato Elena – costituisce un’importante piattaforma programmatica che ribadisce il ruolo dell'Università di Firenze come attore sociale globale, capace di coniugare l’alta formazione con l’impatto locale nei paesi partner, promuovendo una cultura della solidarietà e dell’integrazione accademica nell’ambito della cooperazione internazionale.”

Per informazioni: https://www.unifi.it/it/news/dallateneo-al-mondo

DAGRI UNIFI
Scuola di Agraria - Università di Firenze

New paper published coauthored by Lorenzo Villani, Giulio Castelli, Enrico Lucca and Elena Bresci from the Water Harvesting Lab.

Villani L, Piemontese L, Castelli G, Borgo A, Ghilain N, Van Schaeybroeck B, Lucca E, Aslam MF, Debolini M, Bouizrou I, Yimer EA, Baudewyn M, Jaramillo F, Trabucco A, van Griensven A, Penna D and Bresci E (2026). Neglecting plant physiology: systematic overestimation of drought projections. Environmental Research: Climate

By reviewing current literature, we show that most drought projections overlook a crucial mechanism thoroughly studied by climatologists, ecohydrologists, and ecophysiologists. Vegetation response to CO₂ implies an increased plant water-use efficiency and a reduced stomatal conductance, leading to lower atmospheric evaporative demand (AED).

AED is increasingly being considered in drought research through its inclusion in indices like the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). As most projections neglect this aspect, future drought is often overestimated, especially in arid climates under high-emission scenarios.

Based on a sample of publications, we quantify the overestimation of future drought-affected areas by up to 17.4% under high-emission scenarios.

We hope that this study will promote the consideration of vegetation response in new drought projections and foster collaboration between different research communities to improve our understanding of this fascinating but often neglected research topic.

Read the full Open Access paper here:
https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5295/ae583c

Neglecting plant physiology: systematic overestimation of drought projections Neglecting plant physiology: systematic overestimation of drought projections, Villani, Lorenzo, Piemontese, Luigi, Castelli, Giulio, Borgo, Andrea, Ghilain, Nicolas, Van Schaeybroeck, Bert, Lucca, Enrico, Aslam, Muhammad Faizan, Debolini, Marta, Bouizrou, Ismail, Yimer, Estifanos Addisu, Baudewyn,....

The Water Harvesting Lab - UNIFI at Macfrut with Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo

Our coordinator, Elena Bresci, participated in the roundtable on for and Adaptation with several relevant colleagues and stakeholders.

For more information: https://www.aics.gov.it/news/filiere-globali-innovazione-e-partenariati-a-macfrut-2026-limpegno-della-cooperazione-italiana-per-lagricoltura-sostenibile/

Università degli Studi di Firenze, DAGRI UNIFI, Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo - Sede di Maputo, Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo sede San Salvador, Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo - AICS Tunisi, Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo - AICS Hanoi