Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Turning on the tap for water is almost a reflex for many households, but for more than 4 billion people worldwide, that access is not always guaranteed as they face scarcity for at least one month each year.
The Mohamed Bin Zayed Water Initiative (MBZWI) has been working to refocus attention on these conditions as it pushes for lasting solutions to the crisis.
"Too often, conversations about water scarcity take place far away from the communities most affected by it, and a core part of our mission is to ensure that nobody is left out of the global dialogue on this important topic," Ayesha Al Ateeqi, Executive Director of the MBZWI, told Aletihad in an interview.
Indeed, water scarcity is one of the most urgent and defining challenges of this generation - and it is no longer a distant risk, Al Ateeqi said.
The urgency is difficult to ignore as global demand for freshwater is projected to outstrip supply by 40% by the end of the decade, dialing up pressure on food systems, economies, and already vulnerable populations, she added.
World Water Day, observed on March 22, casts a spotlight on the unequal weight of the crisis, especially on women, and emphasises the connection between water access and gender equality. While everyone is affected, the impact is far from uniform, the UN said.
On this occasion, MBZWI renewed its pledge to deliver water innovation that reaches all communities. "Life flows when water is protected," it said in a social media post.
The UAE has long recognised the value of water and the urgency of securing its future. Al Ateeqi highlighted that "the country's leadership understands that addressing water scarcity is essential not only for national resilience, but also for global stability and development".
Building on this vision, the MBZWI seeks "to make water more accessible, affordable, and sustainable for all" by driving innovation, raising water's profile on the global agenda, and fostering partnerships that deliver tangible, real-world solutions.
While the crisis has inspired many promising ideas, too often they remain trapped in research labs rather than reaching the communities that need them.
"High costs, energy demands, and limitations in materials or operating environments can slow adoption and prevent solutions from making an impact," she explained.
The MBZWI "directly targets this aspect of the water scarcity challenge", Al Ateeqi said. It aims to become the bridge, connecting innovation with implementation and ensuring breakthrough ideas move from concept to community.
Developing Solutions
In this mission, global competitions serve as a primary mechanism to unlock transformative ideas.
"Our first flagship initiative is the five-year, $119 million (Dh437 million) XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition - the largest XPRIZE in history - focused on developing reliable, sustainable, and affordable seawater desalination systems and materials," Al Ateeqi said.
An XPRIZE analysis has offered hope: It found that every dollar invested in a prize has historically generated an average of $60 in impact.
Building on this momentum, the recently launched Al Miyah Challenge for Agriculture seeks practical, ready-to-deploy technologies that reduce water consumption while maintaining or improving crop yields.
The challenge is designed not only to deliver solutions that can be implemented locally, but also to create innovations that can be scaled to other water-scarce regions around the world.
Desalination and agricultural technologies remain a focus in these efforts, Al Ateeqi said. "Desalination is one of the most promising pathways to expanding water supply," she said, while acknowledging challenges around cost, energy use, and environmental impact.
In agriculture, which accounts for nearly 70% of global freshwater use, she highlighted both the pressure on resources and the opportunities for transformative innovation.
"Taken together, XPRIZE Water Scarcity and Al Miyah Challenge for Agriculture are seeking to demonstrate how innovation can translate into real-world impact," Al Ateeqi said.
Clear targets were set and rigorous piloting and testing pathways were charted. At the same time, all necessary resources are provided to accelerate development.
Making a Difference in People's Lives
For the MBZWI, the primary goal is to deliver innovations where they can have the greatest impact.
"We prioritise solutions that can be deployed even in remote, arid, and resource-constrained environments," Al Ateeqi said, emphasising that affordability, energy efficiency, and ease of operation are essential.
She added that success is measured not just in numbers but in stories of impact. It can be felt when new jobs emerge, productivity rises, or communities discover better ways to sustain their livelihoods.
It is also visible in the environment, in reduced carbon emissions, more efficient water use, and greater resilience to the challenges posed by climate change.
Long-term impact, however, depends not only on innovation but on whether these solutions are adopted and sustained in practice. This is where inclusion - bringing in the perspectives of those directly affected by the crisis - becomes pivotal.
"When local knowledge and experience are embedded in the decision-making process, solutions are more likely to be effective, but they are also more likely to be adopted and sustained over the long term, delivering impact that lasts for generations," Al Ateeqi said.
Partnerships help ensure all other parts of the cause are moving in the right direction. "Impact ultimately depends on financing mechanisms and the systems that support implementation," she said.
The MBZWI collaborates with leading organisations, academic institutions, research centres, public and private sector partners, and NGOs to accelerate innovation, raise global awareness of water scarcity, and scale solutions.
With the UAE set to co-host the 2026 United Nations Water Conference alongside the Republic of Senegal, she added that the initiative aims to contribute to "a forward-looking global dialogue that highlights innovation, measurable impact, and international cooperation".
At the core of MBZWI is a commitment that mirrors UAE Vision 2050: "to build a more resilient, sustainable, and prosperous future for all", Al Ateeqi said.
