Javier Mateo-Sagasta
Senior Researcher and Coordinator-Water Quality
Areas of expertise
Pollution Agriculture Water quality Sustainability Integrated Water Resources ManagementJavier has worked for research centers in Jordan and the Netherlands; the private sector in Spain; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), where he coordinated the water quality program of the Land and Water division for 4 years; and in multidisciplinary teams mainly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Latin America, Europe and South Asia.
Current projects
Latest news for Javier Mateo-Sagasta
In MENA water reuse holds immense potential, yet remains largely untapped
In one of the world’s most water-stressed regions, water reuse is constrained by scarce data. A gap technology is ready to close ...
A One Health approach to fight waterborne antimicrobial resistance in India
With projections of up to 1.4 million deaths related to antimicrobial resistance a year by 2030, India needs to take immediate and intensified action ...
In Ethiopia’s capital, One Health solutions power the fight against drug resistance
As river pollution in Addis Ababa heightens antimicrobial resistance, experts are turning to integrated health solutions to protect people, animals and ecosystems ...
Researchers at Cairo Water Week urge stakeholders to link nature, data and people for a water-secure MENA
At the annual event in Egypt, IWMI and partners explored how to turn climate research into real-world water resilience across the Middle East and North Africa ...
Recycling every drop
IWMI's Javier Mateo-Sagasta discusses the social perceptions, economic constraints and policy challenges that hinder water reuse in the MENA region ...
IWMI and partners tackle water security challenges in Mexico through cutting-edge technology
Mexican water officials and IWMI’s experts explore challenges related to water security in Mexico and work to identify solutions that can be accelerated using AI, Earth Observation data and advanced ...
Water quality matters for water securityÂ
To ensure a safe and sufficient water supply for all, water quality issues must be addressed globally ...
Explainer: Microplastics
Microplastics have infiltrated what people breathe, eat and drink. What does this mean for water? ...
Water at the forefront of One Health in Ethiopia
Ethiopia's Water Champions are helping to drive discussions on the complex interplay between water and health, including at the national level ...
Pioneering water reuse: Lebanon’s first national standards and their impact on agriculture
The success of these standards will depend on support from government agencies, international organizations, and the farming community. It will also require ongoing efforts to improve the country's wastewater infrastructure ...
What the attempts to clean the Seine reveal about water pollution worldwide
Paris’s efforts highlight the difficulty cities face in cleaning waterways to preserve human, animal and ecosystem health ...
Coping with water scarcity in Addis Ababa’s slaughterhouses
Ethiopia’s livestock sector is vibrant and has a huge potential to furnish human nutrition and trade targets in East Africa and beyond, according to experts. Nevertheless, the sector is under ...
Latest publications by Javier Mateo-Sagasta
Journal Article
Exploring microbial diversity, antibiotic resistance, and their environmental drivers in urban and peri-urban riverbed sediments of sub-tropical river basins
January, 2026
Report
A practical framework for engaging water champions in the One Health approach: lessons from the Akaki Catchment, Ethiopia
International Water Management Institute; CGIAR Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods Program | December 24th, 2025
Report
Guideline for developing a water pollution prevention and control plan for the Akaki Catchment, Ethiopia
International Water Management Institute; CGIAR Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods Program | December 24th, 2025
