Page 25 - AA 2024

Jordan

and demand of the precious resource. non-chemical fertilizer product which more quickly.
then feeds the plants. By using this
Around a quarter of Jordan’s poor Ibrahim Hani Harahsheh, a farmer in
byproduct from the fish, the use of
rely on agriculture for their income. Qafqafa Town in the Jerash Governorate
Although primary agriculture chemical fertilizers on vegetables is said the water harvesting elements
contributes only 5.6 percent of GDP, averted. provided by the project had helped
when related value chain activities are Another engineering graduate from to transform his land. “The water
included, the broader agri-food sector the same university, Lina Madlboh, harvesting has allowed us to cultivate
contributes about 20–25 percent of is also working on hydroponic and the land and now it has become green.
GDP. aeroponic farming, which cultivates Previously, the land was almost semi-
One priority is boosting skills and plants in a mist environment, desert,” he said.
training a new generation of farmers eliminating the need for soil. Muflih Al-Shurafat (Abu Ayed), a
and agricultural specialists to use Alongside her family, she is growing herder in Azraq, Zarqa Governorate,
techniques that require less water and the pricy saffron spice, using a closed also benefited from the construction
plant crops that are more resistant to incubator to preserve saffron bulbs of a new, remote water reservoir from
drought and other climate-related which are cultivated indoors and not
threats. Fatima Abu Akleek, a 22-year- subject to extreme weather or soil- which rain is harvested. Prior to the
old graduate of the Jordan University borne diseases. Such farming results reservoir being built, he had to travel
of Science and Technology, has been in higher yields but requires intensive long distances by car to get water for
trained in hydroponics and fish daily care and Madlboh’s family have his sheep. Water conservation is critical
farming. hired local youth to help tend the in the Zarqa Governorate, which is part
saffron. of the vast Jordanian Eastern Desert.
She is currently working at the Faisal
Plant nursery in Jarash, a mountainous Under ARDI, the program supports “Now they can easily drink water,”
area northwest of Amman. Akleek is the refurbishment of nurseries like he said of the sheep. “It has brought
putting her new skills into practice. Al-Faisal and offers field schools to us a lot of relief in terms of our daily
At the plant, fish grow in one tank and farmers to boost their skills in climate- routines and travel by car. We used to
plants in another, with the nutrients smart techniques and digital solutions endure a lot of hardship when going on
produced by the fish converted into a to help farmers get products to market long trips to bring water.
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