The international expert in the field of food security, Dr. Fadel ELZUBI, affirms that Jordan has witnessed abundant rainy seasons in recent years, which raises fundamental questions about the extent to which we have benefited from this abundance.
ELZUBI added that water harvesting is based on collecting rainwater and storing it in earthen dams, ponds, and reservoirs, with the aim of using it later for supplementary irrigation of crops and trees, especially in rain-fed areas that rely mainly on rainfall.
He asked: “Despite the clarity of the idea, the most important question remains: are these collected waters actually being used? If the primary goal is to provide drinking water for livestock, studies indicate that only 5% of the harvested water is sufficient for this purpose. So what is the fate of the remaining percentage? Is it employed in serving agriculture and irrigation, or does a large part of it evaporate under the scorching summer sun?”
ELZUBI explained that official figures indicate that Jordan has established more than 400 water harvesting facilities with a storage capacity exceeding 100 million cubic meters. Nevertheless, challenges remain, most notably the high evaporation rates in uncovered dams, the limited connection of harvested water to organized irrigation networks, as well as gaps in maintenance that reduce the efficiency of some small facilities.
Absence of integration between harvesting and other sources ELZUBI adds: “Here an essential point arises: is water harvesting viewed as part of the comprehensive plan for water resources management in Jordan, or is it merely scattered projects? The comprehensive plan includes groundwater, the ‘National Carrier,’ reuse of treated water, desalination, alongside water harvesting. If there is no clear integration, the benefit remains limited.”
He said that strategically, water harvesting can constitute an important lever to reduce pressure on groundwater, strengthen farmers’ resilience against drought waves, and improve the productivity of rain-fed crops such as olives and grains. But it requires an integrated vision that ensures the collected water is not only stored, but effectively used in serving agriculture and the rural economy, thereby enhancing Jordan’s water and food independence in the long term.
He pointed out that diplomacy dictates saying that water harvesting is not merely an additional option, but a national necessity in a country considered among the most water-poor in the world. However, maximum benefit requires more integrated policies that place water harvesting in its proper place within the comprehensive plan for water resources, and prevent these facilities from turning into mere reservoirs whose contents mostly evaporate over time