Former United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Ambassador Dr. Fadel Al-Zu’bi stated that climate change poses a significant challenge to Jordan's Economic Modernization Vision, particularly concerning the strategic vision for national security, as it directly affects water and agricultural resources, which form the solid foundation for food security, economic, and social stability in the Kingdom.

Climate Change: A Strategic Obstacle to Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision

In an exclusive statement to "Akhbar Al Jordan" news website, Dr. Al-Zu’bi explained that the impact of climate change in Jordan manifests through declining rainfall, rising temperatures, worsening water scarcity, and sudden off-season floods. These phenomena lead to the degradation of agricultural lands, reducing productivity and placing additional pressure on natural resources, especially water and soil, which are limited and vital for sustaining economic and social life.

Climate Imbalance in Jordan: Between Resource Scarcity and Growing Risks

Al-Zu’bi pointed out that Jordan is among the countries with the lowest per capita water availability globally, with only 62 cubic meters per year, significantly below the global minimum of 1,000 cubic meters. This alarming gap affects all vital sectors. Amidst this severe shortage, increased pressure on water resources negatively impacts agricultural production. The degradation of land and water scarcity lead to reduced food production. 

Water Scarcity and Land Degradation: A Threat to National and Food Security

He emphasized that the lack of water and food resources leads to higher living and food costs, resulting in social tensions and mass migration from rural areas to cities. These challenges negatively affect individual income and citizens' ability to provide healthy and balanced food, threatening social stability and widening the economic gap between different social classes.

From Drought to Flash Floods: New Features of Climate Change in the Kingdom

Al-Zu’bi noted that drought, which used to occur every four to five years, now happens almost annually. This intensifies climate challenges, posing a direct threat to food and community security, and, by extension, to national security overall. This frequency necessitates the adoption of effective strategies to adapt to these continuous climate changes.

Agriculture Under Climate Pressure: Declining Productivity and Growing Challenges

To confront these climate challenges, Al-Zu’bi called for proactive measures to enhance Jordan's ability to adapt to and counter climate change. These include improving water use efficiency, as agriculture consumes approximately 52% of the total available water resources annually, exceeding 500 million cubic meters. In light of a supply-demand gap of 300 million cubic meters, efforts must focus on increasing the productivity of each cubic meter of water through:

• Developing modern irrigation systems, such as drip irrigation and smart irrigation techniques, which help reduce water loss and improve usage efficiency.
• Upgrading water transport infrastructure, as current networks experience up to 52% water leakage, necessitating the renewal of pipes and transmission lines to ensure efficient delivery to beneficiaries.
• Enhancing the use of treated water, with 92% of treated water currently being utilized. Advanced treatment methods should be developed to make treated water suitable for direct agricultural use, reducing reliance on traditional water sources.

The National Water Carrier Project: A Step Towards Bridging Future Needs

Al-Zu’bi highlighted the importance of the "National Water Carrier Project" as a strategic step that will add 300 million cubic meters of water annually. However, this increase may suffice for only a short period due to population growth and rising consumption. Therefore, it is necessary to plan to increase the project’s capacity to 600 million cubic meters or more over the next decade, as well as to monitor and control groundwater extraction and use water harvesting techniques to boost available water supplies.

Integration of Water, Energy, Food, and Environment: A Key to National Economic Sustainability

Regarding food security, he stressed the need to enhance the resilience of local agricultural production by adopting drought-resistant and higher-yield seeds, expanding greenhouse farming, and encouraging climate-smart agriculture such as hydroponics and vertical farming, which consume less water and offer higher yields. Increasing storage capacities for wheat and barley through investments in building more silos—both concrete and non-concrete—and purchasing these commodities when global prices drop can also bolster Jordan’s resilience to price fluctuations.

Al-Zu’bi also noted that integrating food, water, energy, and environmental security requires expanding agricultural research and supporting innovation to develop crops resistant to harsh climate conditions with minimal pesticide and fertilizer use, while efficiently managing natural resources using modern techniques and advanced management tools.

Despite government efforts to establish comprehensive strategies, such as the Economic Modernization Vision and water and agriculture sector strategies, the gap between plans and practical implementation remains. Thus, investments in agricultural and water infrastructure must be directed, and small farmers supported through financial incentives and affordable agricultural technologies, as stated in his remarks to "Akhbar Al Jordan."

Al-Zu’bi added that the Jordanian government is working to enhance its capacity to confront climate changes through a comprehensive scientific approach reflected in the Economic Modernization Vision and various sectoral strategies. This includes conducting studies and assessments of climate change impacts, developing simulation models to estimate changes in rainfall and temperature patterns, and collaborating intensively with international organizations such as FAO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to develop risk-based climate action plans.

However, there remains a lack of investment in agricultural and water infrastructure, particularly in desalination projects and improving the efficiency of water transport networks. Additionally, the government faces challenges in enabling small farmers to use modern technologies due to their high costs, necessitating the establishment of sustainable agricultural financing funds to support farmers and investors in the water sectors.