FAO and Jordanian government sign agreement to address water scarcity in the Near East and North Africa region

Minister of Water and Irrigation Eng. Raed Abu Saud and Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Eng. Nabil Assaf signed an agreement today, Sunday, to launch the Water Scarcity Initiative (WSI) in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region , the signing ceremony was attended by the Secretary-General of the Jordan Valley Authority Eng. Hisham Al-Haisa and Secretary-General of the Water Authority Eng. Wael Al-Duwairi and a number of officials.

Abu Al- Saud reviewed the water challenges facing Jordan and the Jordanian efforts to ensure the sustainability of the available water by searching for strategic solutions, indicating that the Water Scarcity Initiative project is a great opportunity to enhance planning and management of water resources, enhance knowledge, develop capabilities, raise awareness, exchange experiences, and promote the sustainable use of water in agriculture.

The minister Abu Al-Saud stressed that the Ministry of Water and Irrigation seeks, through the initiative, to achieve the best integrated water management, enhance its governance, and ensure the flexibility of water services to enhance water security and access modern technologies in irrigation and agriculture with the aim of achieving food security and confronting the effects of climate change, while continuing to expand the horizons of regional cooperation to ensure the sustainability of water resources and exchange experiences. He expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its representative in Amman and the work team, stressing the support and readiness of the ministry to fully cooperate to achieve its goals.

The representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Jordan, Eng. Nabil Assaf, stressed the importance of this partnership in addressing the challenges of water scarcity in the region. He said: "By working together, we can create a more sustainable and resilient future for the people of Jordan."

The region faces severe water scarcity and deteriorating water quality due to increasing demand and the effects of climate change, which poses major risks to food security, nutrition and the well-being of the region. To address these challenges, FAO established the Water Scarcity Initiative as a regional partnership platform that brings together regional and national partners committed to strengthening cooperation on water and food issues in the region. It aims to support strategic planning, improve water management planning, and support and develop the use of non-conventional water. The initiative includes 17 outputs from which 17 activities emerged, and Jordan participates in 15 of them. The total value of the initiative is $31.5 million. Jordan has made great strides at the regional and global levels in reducing water scarcity, as it has succeeded in reducing agricultural water consumption to 51%, while countries around the world record 85% of available water resources.

 The NENA region, facing severe water scarcity and deteriorating water quality, driven by growing demand and climate change impacts, poses significant risks to food security, nutrition, and the well-being of the region. To address these challenges, FAO established the Water Scarcity Initiative (WSI) as a Regional Partnership Platform, bringing together regional and national partners committed to strengthening collaboration on water and food issues in the region. 

With generous contribution from the Government of Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), FAO developed the project in the form of partnership as a larger multi-donor and multi-partner programme modality, which aligns well, not only with the vision, scope, and objectives of the WSI and priorities of the region, but also with SDG-17 (Partnerships for the Goals) of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

The agreement outlines the key objectives of the WSI, including strengthening governance of agricultural water, enhancing resilience of food systems and water services to climate change, and disseminating knowledge and experience through enhanced regional cooperation.

The WSI is expected to have a significant impact on the NENA region by improving water use efficiency, enhancing food security, and promoting sustainable development.