AMMAN — The Dutch embassy in Amman on Sunday signed a five million euro
agreement with the
Inter-Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management (INWRDAM) to implement a three-year rainwater harvesting project in
the Jordan Valley in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and
the Jordan Valley Authority.
اضافة اعلان
According to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the project is comprised of four
main components, including starting a national dialogue on water harvesting
policy to devise proper legislation and the setup of rainwater harvesting
catchment areas as well as smart farms.
The third component is related to building the capacities of water ministry
staff and other key stakeholders on water harvesting techniques and groundwater
replenishment.
The fourth and final component centers around key learnings and success stories
from water harvesting efforts and ensure that such endeavors are commensurate
with the national water management policy and adaptation to climate change.
In a statement, the secretary-general of the
water ministry, Jihad Mahamid,
stressed that Jordan is a global "trailblazer” in rainwater harvesting
projects, indicating that the water sector always seeks to come up with the
best solutions for water scarcity amidst growing challenges exacerbated by
climate change.
Secretary-General of the Jordan Valley Authority Manar Mahasneh underlined the
need for further investment in rainwater harvesting, especially in the Jordan
Valley region from which comes the majority of the Kingdom's agro produce.
Dutch ambassador Harry Verweij said that integrated management of water
resources is vital for enabling Jordan to address climate change and the
depletion of groundwater resources, stressing that rainwater harvesting is
crucial for easing current pressures on the water sector.
The ambassador described the project as a "real" Jordanian-Dutch
partnership bringing together government parties, academia, and private sector
stakeholders. "We have no doubts that it (the project) will yield fruitful
results,” Verweij added.
INWRDAM Director Marwan Raggad said climate change has made precipitation
duration in Jordan shorter but more intense, which leads to higher flood risks
and loss of freshwater.
Raggad underlined the need for a recharge-retain-reuse water management
approach to address the repercussions of climate change and enable local
communities.
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