AMMAN —
Farmers in the Wala Valley complained about a lack of irrigation water as ponds
dried up and they have been prevented from using water from the
Wala Dam for
their crops.
اضافة اعلان
Farmers who
spoke to
Jordan
News said that if their farms go
without irrigation for days, they will not be able to produce the different
types of fruits and vegetables that are widely consumed by citizens.
They asked the
ministries of water and of agriculture to help spare them the losses they are
likely to incur, estimated at thousands of dinars, if the situation remains as
it is for too long.
Ali Breizat, a
farmer in the Wala Valley area, told
Jordan
News that “there is confusion in
the management of the dams by the government”, and that “the government allowed
some farmers to farm on the banks of the dam, and that is illegal”.
“What is
happening now is that the old farmers who plant in the places designated for
them do not take their full share of the water. I have planted lemons and
olives, and I do not know what their fate will be after the water was cut off,”
he said.
One problem,
according to him, is that “the number of farmers in the region is much greater
than the water quotas available to them”. He added that “the unfair
distribution of water, threatens the livelihoods of farmers and damages their
crops”.
Anwar Hawajreh,
yet another farmer, told
Jordan
News that “the area of Wadi
Al-Wala is neglected and in need of greater attention from the government,
especially since all the crops are threatened”.
He added that
the
Jordan Valley Authority gave farmers some water on Monday, but “this ration
did not cover the needs of farmers and crops”, adding that “there is no justice
in the distribution of water to farmers”.
He also said
that water from the dams was channeled to Amman, which “contributed to reducing
the water level”.
According to
Hawajreh, “the government still does not feel the importance of farmers”.
“Basic and important
types of vegetables and fruit are grown in Al-Wala Valley, and if the crops are
damaged or stopped, this will contribute to an increase in their prices that
will affect consumers as well,” he said.
Secretary-General
of the Jordan Valley Authority
Manar Mahasneh told
Jordan News that the rate of rainfall in the area was low, and as a result, the water level
was not sufficient to cover the farmers’ needs.
“The amount of
water reached 3 million cubic meters of the 25 million cubic meters full
capacity,” she said, adding that, “it was agreed not to plant the entire
agricultural area, but rather a part of it, so that the quantities of water
would be sufficient for all farmers”.
“Sunday night, the
problem was solved and dam water was released for the farmers to continue
farming,” she added.
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