Down to the Jordan Valley

I was in a four-day media training in Amman, Jordan during the last week of November. The trip was a scholarship grant from the United Nations University - International Leadership Institute in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. I must say this experience had been one of the most fulfilling and life-changing experiences I have been privileged to be part of. Interacting with one of the brightest, most sensible and humurous bunch of individuals from about 12 countries, it was a celebration of ideas, of learning and fun.

But more than that, I have realised from the training that there is nothing more grand in today's journalism than being able to cover and communicate the complexity of climate change in the simplest terms possible, without being simplistic, nor oversimplifying its impact.

As part of our training requirements, we were tasked to write a reportage of our trip to the Jordan Valley. I am posting here my piece, which I submitted to my office for publication. It's just sad that it is being completely ignored. Nevertheless, I'll have it posted here, afterall I won a travel book about Jordan for this piece. It ought to be read, even in the remotest way possible:

Down to the valley of climate change:

Jordan braces fewer rainfalls

'I FEEL it. I feel the change in climate.' For Shafiq Habash, his years of experience at the Jordan Valley clearly tells him that the precious water passing the Jordan Valley for a long time is vanishing into thin air, denying any signs of when or how often it will come back in the form of rainfall. He said, about one-third of its water resources has been reduced from the last eight years.

Shafiq is a technical expert at the Control Center of the Jordan Valley Authority, operating on a daily basis a computer system that allows the opening and closing of gates along the 110-kilometre King Abdullah Canal.

The canal irrigates a variety of agriculture produce along the Jordan Valley, from vegetables to citrus, as well as bananas. When I got down the bus in front of the Control Center, together with a team composed of an environmental expert, students and journalists participating on a United Nations University (UNU) leadership course, the 13 degrees Celsius chill from the capital was absent in the air. Over an hour trip down to the valley, 250 metres below the sea level, the Jordan Valley is the country's major agriculture region, contributing about 3% to the country's Gross Domestic Product. In economic terms, policy planners see this to be too less to take up more than 60% of the country's water resources.

'Dividing' the Water

From the valley, one could see its borders with neighboring Israel and Palestine. While tension on border controls has always been the primary issue in this part of the Middle East, the valley's more pressing concern is being felt from Amman and its increasing industrial demand, putting high pressure to its already precarious water situation, not to mention that Jordan is considered one of the ten most water-stressed countries in the world.

The continuous receding of water level from its river sources would require a more rigorous management of the water system for Shafiq to avoid chaos, and in his terms, 'injustice' to farmers whose demand for water has always never been met. With less and less water resource, these small farms of an average 3.2 hectares, mostly heritage farms, have been suffering from unmet demands, recently further reduced to only 40% from the previous 50%. He believes that prioritizing of which crops or farms would touch a very political question.

'I can answer your question in April,' expressing hopes despite uncertainties that this year's rainfall will come to fill the tub of the Yarmouk River, north of the valley, so that he could provide more freshwater to farmers.

'Holding' the Water

In search of options to quench its thirst, farmers on the other hand have been taking measures in their own hands, feeling the need for autonomy over the management of their water needs. Our team has proceeded to the Pump Station 55 of the valley where we met a group of farmers led by Engineer Yosf Barakat, the head of the Water Users Association at Development Area 21. The area is considered to have one of the biggest economic activities in terms of production, exported to European countries as well as the neighboring Gulf region.

'We are suffering from the water shortage. Not only that, but also for the change of quality of water,' Engr. Yosf told the team, as our expert resource person Jochen Regner from the GTZ Management of Water Resources Program translates his statement from Arabic to English. With about 270 farm units, the area is lined up with greenhouse vegetables such as peppers, lettuce, and cucumber. However, these produce has now switched sourcing its water from Yarmouk to the King Talal dam, which releases treated wastewater into the stream.

Thoughts of masticating green leafy salads in my fatoush entered my mind. Does this mean the crunchy taste in my salad has its heavy metal effluent? But Mr. Regner was quick to allay my fears. He said the blended treated wastewater comes from household and is safe to use in plants.

But with industrializing Amman, this water source would have to deal with new ways of using treated wastewater. Furthermore, Engr Yosf has mentioned that six farms have received licenses from the Euro-GAP and the GLOBALGAP or the Global Partnership for Good Agriculture Practice. It is a partnership among agricultural producers and retailers who wish to establish efficient certification standards and procedures. These licenses require stringent rules, including high quality source of water in its products. Thus, these farms have resorted to desalination options to meet the standard. But with this system, ensuring profit is difficult, and the farmer has to engage their produce in contract farming.

The association also wants to increase its clout in water management from the Jordan Valley Authority and other farmers mull on investing in desalination plants, added EngrYosf. While farmers have not resorted to violence to meet their water demands, other farms have closed down and decided to sell their lands, which was only approved by the government in 2001.

Walking on 'Drying' Valley

As water issues continue to dry up lands in the valley, foreseen changes of temperature in the region is seen to aggravate the situation. As we walk along the greenhouses at Area 21, my sweating was evidence enough that there was no use for a thermal wear, but rather should be enjoyed as a pleasant condition.

However, how long will it be pleasant? In a study presented by Dr. Fayez Abdullah from the Jordan University of Science and Technology to the UNU leadership course participants, the increase in temperature is seen as the major factor that will affect water and agriculture in Jordan. Trends in rainfall and temperature were determined using detailed analysis of climate data from 1961 to 2005.

The results of the study showed, 'warming was the most likely change in the future with variations in rainfall amounts and a decreasing trend of the number of rainy days.' But for Shafiq Habash, he has been feeling these observations from years ago. As our bus climbs its way back to Amman, I feel a sudden shift from the warmth of the valley back to the chilling temperature in Amman. Such a short trip was enough to make me feel what it means by this sudden change. #### -- Medilyn M. Singh