Jordan strengthens the country's resilience to climate change
Jordan is in the front line in the fight against climate change. On 13 July, Mr. Imad Fakhoury, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, inaugurated a project to increase the resilience of poor and vulnerable communities to climate change impacts. This will be achieved through implementing innovative projects in water and agriculture. Around 300,000 cubic metres of rainwater will be collected. A total of 48 farms will benefit from integrated agricultural technologies, while more than 50 cooperative societies and water user associations will undergo capacity building to ensure safe use of treated wastewater (TWW) in agriculture.
The project is funded through a $9.226 million grant, extended by the Adaptation Fund of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It will secure additional quantities of water for farmers through the efficient use of treated wastewater for irrigation and by preserving harvested rainwater in sand dams. The project will contribute to improving the efficiency of TWW plants in Irbid, Shallala, Dogara, Tal Al Mantah, North Shuna and Wadi Musa and increase the income of more than 600 households in the areas targeted, including northern, central and southern Jordan Valley and Wadi Musa..
Within the southern region, Jordan is also planning to expand investment and growth in the renewable energy sector, attracting foreign capital and adding about 700 megawatts of power to the national electricity grid. The projects are in line with the Jordan 2025 economic blueprint, the Water Sector Strategy and the National Strategy for Agricultural Development, and its success will be replicated in other regions of the country.