Background Large parts of southern Europe with low annual precipitation, including Mirabello and Platanias in Crete (Greece) and Metapontino in Basilicata (Italy) are expected to be hit particularly hard by climate change. In addition, these areas are also characterised by competing water uses, including agriculture as well as tourism in Crete and industry in the Basilicata area. Maintaining a high level of production in the orchards, while cutting back considerably on water usage would free sufficient water for agriculture resilient to climate change. In contrast, a failure to adapt orchards would reinforce the trend of abandonment with adverse consequences for the local communities and ecosystems. Objectives The project LIFE AgroClimaWater is designed to develop a climate change adaptation strategy for agriculture and prepare the agricultural sector for adapting to climate change by introducing water management adaptation strategies (WMAS) in selected farmers’ organisations. The project aims to provide these farmers in two areas in Crete and one area in Basilicata with a methodology to adapt their orchards (olive, citrus and peach) and cultivation practices, so that they can achieve the highest possible productivity, despite low or erratic water availability induced by imminent climate change and competing water uses (tourism and industry). This will help secure food supplies and maintain the farmers’ income, irrespective of the prevailing weather conditions. Equally significantly, the project aims to save water for ecosystems functions and to inform competing users about the impact of climate change on their economic activities. While, adaptation to climate change often involves installation of new equipment and/or investment in costly infrastructure, the project will: Take an innovative approach to provide farmers and FORs with low-cost management practices that can easily be adopted and exhibit high water efficiency. Establish water management adaptation strategies at farmer organisation level; Determine agricultural practices that increase water efficiency in the cultivation of perennial crops; Prepare the pilot farms to adapt to climate change; Build adaptive capacity and promote knowledge transfer to farmers and farmer organisations; Achieve a baseline for climate change awareness in the pilot areas; Provide a water management adaptation strategy to be implemented by farmers and farmer organisations in other areas facing similar climate challenges in the after-LIFE period; and Incorporate project results in national environmental, climate change and agricultural policy and legislation. Expected results: The project’s expected results will include the following: Development and implementation of water management adaptation strategies by the three participating farmer organisations, following consultation with key stakeholders; Increased water efficiency in agriculture, aiming to achieve water savings of at least 30% per farm through the implementation of the proposed agricultural practices; Maintaining or increasing productivity while applying water minimisation practices; Proven environmental and socioeconomic benefits for the selected sub-basins and the participating farmer organisations; Informing and attracting more farmer organisations to implement the project’s methodology; Spain and Cyprus will be targeted and eight additional farer organisations; Evaluation of the project’s results by national competent authorities in order to be incorporated in national climate and agricultural policy; and Transferability of the project’s results to other Mediterranean areas.