This course will critically review a broad spectrum of water-energy nexus issues, including technical and management solutions, tools to support decision-making, sustainability assessment methodologies and pathways for improved policy and governance. By the end of the course participants will: – Gain deep insights into the complex challenges surrounding the water-energy nexus in Mediterranean rural environments, and its implications for agricultural production and food security. – Analyze the energy implications of changes in water use in irrigated agriculture, and apply sustainability criteria to optimize water and energy requirements in project development. – Understand cost-effective alternatives for small-scale renewable energy generation and management adapted to Mediterranean environments. – Consider regional policies for energy and current approaches to governance that include stakeholder engagement in decisionmaking. – Apply sustainability assessments, considering technical, economic and environmental issues to improve water, energy and food security. – Improve their skills in the use of modelling tools and benefit from experiences gained through case studies and a technical field visit