Agricultural experts say Jordan is confronting a critically sensitive equation they describe as 'water for food' — one that forces decision-makers to ask not merely how much food the country produces, but how much water it consumes to produce it.
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Speaking to Al Ghad, the experts called for a fundamental shift away from the goal of increasing agricultural output at any water cost, toward a principle they termed 'more water-efficient production'. That means reassessing the national crop mix against climate conditions, available water resources, and the nutritional and economic value of each crop.
The argument, they were careful to stress, is not simply that Jordan should grow only the least water-intensive crops. That, they said, is too narrow a reading of a more complex problem. Any crop must be evaluated against a broad set of criteria: water productivity, economic value, market demand, food security importance, export potential, and the capacity to generate income and employment in rural communities.
A complex equation
Dr. Nael Al-Dhaher, an expert in rural development and food security, said Jordanian agriculture faces a highly complex equation: how to sustain food production and support food security and rural development under conditions of severe water scarcity.
The question, Al-Dhaher said, has therefore evolved beyond how much Jordan produces to something more precise: what it plants, where it plants it, how much water it uses, and what economic, nutritional, and social value it extracts from each cubic metre of water.
A crop that consumes more water may still deliver high economic or employment value, he said, while another may draw on scarce water resources without yielding a justifiable economic or nutritional return.
Al-Dhaher said the link between water and food security is direct and unavoidable. In a water-scarce country, food security cannot simply mean self-sufficiency across all food categories. It requires identifying products where Jordan holds a comparative advantage and can sustain production, while maintaining a measured level of domestic output for certain strategic commodities and meeting other needs through diversified imports, strategic reserves, and flexible supply chains.
'Efficient use of water therefore becomes an essential part of food security policy — not merely an agricultural or environmental matter,' he said.
Al-Dhaher also highlighted what he called an equally important social dimension. Agriculture in the Jordan Valley, the Badia, the highlands, and rural areas is a source of income, employment, and stability for rural communities — not just a mechanism for using water and land. Any reorientation of the national crop map must not come at the expense of small farmers.
He said any move toward more water-efficient crops and technologies must be accompanied by agricultural and marketing guidance, appropriate financing, contract farming arrangements, agricultural insurance, the organisation of producers into cooperatives, and links to food processing industries and both local and export markets.
Al-Dhaher called for the question of whether Jordan is cultivating crops suited to its limited water resources to become a permanent planning tool. Jordan needs, he said, a dynamic crop map that integrates water resources, climate data, markets, food security objectives, and farmers' incomes, and is continuously updated as economic and climatic conditions change.
Dr. Hassan Al-Asoufi, a researcher and expert in agricultural and developmental affairs, framed the challenge in similar terms, describing it as a highly sensitive 'water for food' equation. The agricultural sector is among the largest consumers of water, yet Jordan remains heavily dependent on imports of many food commodities.
Al-Asoufi said expanding the cultivation of water-intensive crops in irrigated areas may not be the most efficient option from a food and water security standpoint, even where it produces high agricultural yields.
He called for priority to be given to crops with lower water requirements — including early-maturing varieties and those tolerant of drought and heat — as well as crops that can be produced during periods of lower water demand, alongside a well-planned expansion of rainfed agriculture adapted to local climate conditions.
Some strategic crops, Al-Asoufi added, should not be evaluated solely on their water consumption but on their productivity per unit of water — meaning the quantity of food or economic value generated per cubic metre.
He said Jordan needs a national agricultural production map linked to its water resources, identifying the most suitable crops and varieties for each region based on water quantity and quality, soil conditions, temperature, rainfall, and economic and nutritional value. That map should be accompanied by expanded use of modern irrigation technologies, irrigation scheduling based on actual plant needs, sensor and climate data systems, and reduced losses in irrigation networks.
Al-Asoufi also called for greater investment in scientific research to develop varieties more tolerant of drought, heat, and salinity; for the expansion of protected agriculture and precision farming; for the use of treated non-conventional water within established safety regulations; and for economic incentives to encourage farmers to shift toward more water-efficient crops.
Food security in Jordan, he said, does not mean producing everything locally. It means producing what can be produced efficiently — in both water and economic terms — and importing crops whose local production would unnecessarily deplete water resources.
'Water in Jordan is not merely an input for production. It is a strategic resource that should define the very nature of agriculture,' Al-Asoufi said.
Dr. Nabil Bani Hani, a researcher and expert in agricultural and development affairs, said the agricultural sector faces exceptional challenges from severe water scarcity and climate change, making a fundamental reassessment of the relationship between food security and water resource use essential.
The traditional model of cultivating water-intensive crops in arid environments is no longer a sustainable option, Bani Hani said. A careful balance is needed between meeting basic food needs and preserving limited water resources for future generations.
He said expanding the adoption of modern technologies — including advanced drip irrigation systems, soil moisture sensors, and targeted fertilisation techniques known as fertigation — has become imperative. These innovations reduce water waste and increase the productivity of each cubic metre used.
Bani Hani also called for a focus on crops with low water requirements and high economic returns, citing olives and certain drought-resistant grain varieties. He advocated for greater use of tertiary-treated wastewater for restricted irrigation and fodder production, and for smart irrigation management to ensure efficient use of every available drop.
This article was originally written in Arabic by Abdullah Al-Rabihat for Al Ghad.
