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JORDAN: Farmers get
respite from drought
Source: IRIN
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AMMAN, 9 March 2009 (IRIN) - Officials at Jordan's
Ministry Of Water and Mineral Resources have rescinded a recent order banning the cultivation of summer crops after 10 days of heavy rain replenished reservoirs and reduced the threat of a severe
drought. However, they are warning farmers not to expect the same amount of water they used to get in the past. Water and Irrigation Minister Raed Abu Saud said farmers in the Northern Ghor
area will receive 45 percent of their total irrigation needs, while those in the Central Ghor will receive 55 percent. "If water storage increases these figures will be revisited - to increase the
supply of water to farmers," the minister said. Farmers in the Jordan Valley, the kingdom's fruit and vegetable basket, are concerned their industry is in grave danger and want to be allowed to
dig wells for irrigation. According to Salem Falahat, president of Jordan's Agricultural Engineers Association (JAEA), a long-term strategy to protect farmers is needed. Otherwise, he said,
farmers will go out of business due to lack of water in the next few years. "This country has to rely on itself to feed the population and not rely on vegetable imports, but… farmers are
disappearing slowly," said Falahat. The Jordan Federation of Farmers has said the future of farming is precarious, and has called for an easing of the restrictions on well construction. "The
condition of farmers and the agricultural sector was very bad, but after the recent rains there are encouraging water levels and farmers are [now] allowed to plant summer crops," Minister Abu Saud
said. Recent heavy rain has meant the country's nine main reservoirs are now about 48 percent full, he said. At the start of 2009, officials became concerned that by summer the kingdom would
be facing a serious water crisis and decided to ban agriculture to preserve water for domestic use [see: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=82844]. mbh/ar/cb© IRIN. All rights
reserved. More humanitarian news and analysis: http://www.IRINnews.org
