02-07-2025
Jordan-EU climate adaptation project to enhance water security in Jordan Valley
AMMAN — Secretary-General of the Jordan Valley Authority (JVA) Hisham Heisa and EU Ambassador to Jordan Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas on Tuesday checked on the "Adaptation to Climate Change in the Jordan Valley" project.
Heisa stressed that the project comes within the framework of the Kingdom's efforts to address the climate change repercussions and enhance resilience of agricultural communities, especially amid the country's water scarcity and increasing droughts, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
He added that the project is a "strategic" step to enhance water security in the Jordan Valley, as the Kingdom seeks to improve water use efficiency and ensure sustainability of water resources for farmers, who constitute a "fundamental" pillar of the national economy.
The secretary-general noted that the project's implementation is expected to begin after completing the tender and technical and financial qualification procedures in the first quarter of 2026.
Chatzisavas expressed his pride in supporting the venture, which reflects the European Union's "commitment" to partnering with Jordan to address climate change challenges and achieve "sustainable" development by enhancing water security and improving farmers' livelihoods.
The scheme aims to improve "stability" of irrigation water supplies by expanding use of treated water, which contributes to reduce pressure on freshwater resources and direct quantities to domestic uses, increase "efficiency" of water use, and enhance the "sustainability" of agriculture in the Jordan Valley.
The project's activities will benefit 257,800 people, including 4,453 farmers and their families, under rehabilitation of 44,000 dunums of the agricultural water network in the northern, northeastern, central and southern Jordan Valley areas.
The project is also expected to provide additional water for these areas by reducing losses and increasing efficiency of network distribution.
The project, funded by the European Union, the German Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the government, is implemented with a total value of 87.13 million euros.
The venture also includes constructing a reclaimed water reservoir and providing advisory services to farmers on water-saving agriculture.
