Amman:The Ministry of Water and Irrigation, together with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the National Agricultural Research Center, have engaged in discussions aimed at expanding cooperation on water harvesting and innovative technologies to address the pressing issue of water scarcity in Jordan.
According to Jordan News Agency, the discussions involved key figures such as Water Ministry Secretary-General Jihad Mahameed, ICARDA Director General Nizar Haddad, and National Agricultural Research Center Director General Zakaria Abdullah Muslim. The focus was on unconventional projects designed to enhance the Kingdom's water balance.
Mahameed emphasized the importance of securing new water sources and expanding water harvesting projects, given Jordan's status as the second most water-scarce country globally. He highlighted the necessity of integrated initiatives that connect the water, energy, food, and environmental sectors, including potential cloud-seeding projects and the development of major water basins like the Yarmouk and Hammad basins. Additionally, he called for enhanced regional cooperation to support sustainable water resource management.
Haddad expressed ICARDA's commitment to supporting Jordan's water sector, promising to follow up on the meeting's recommendations. He underscored the urgency of identifying sustainable water sources and mentioned that ICARDA would work with water sector institutions to develop innovative proposals. These proposals aim to improve the efficiency of treated wastewater use, enhance technical capacity, and mobilize international funding for implementing the proposed projects.