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Introduction

          Class-A soil is deep and level and has good permeability, low salinity, and no clay (Marl). This type of soil is suitable for all types of crop. Class-B soil is similar to Class A but is shallower, less permeable, and slightly more saline. Class-C and class-D soils are shallow and have high salinity and low permeability, as a result of the impediment offered by its clay layers (Abu-Sharar 1995).
          The agricultural pattern in the 1950s was as follows: 75% of the agricultural land for field crops, 19% for vegetables, and 6% for fruit trees. This pattern took into consideration the limited water resources and their seasonal fluctuation. Parallel to the development projects in the valley between 1953 and 1986, the government proposed various agricultural patterns without the farmers’ cooperation. Consequently, the farmers grew crops with the highest commercial value, regardless of their impact on water resources or the soil. The noncooperation of the farmers in the various zones has created problems of water shortage, marketing, and soil depletion. Currently, the fruit trees range from 55% in zone 1 to 34% in zone 3 (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Farm-crop percentages in each area, 1998. Source: Harza JRV Group (1996).           This study examined the use of integrated agricultural and water management, using the telescopic-refinement approach, to optimize land use with maximum water-value return. Using this approach one divides the Jordan Valley into two scales, the local and regional. The local scale comprises each zone with agricultural practices for analysis and major problems. This approach identifies solutions on the local scale to enhance productivity and minimize water consumption. On the regional scale, which comprises the whole Jordan Valley, an integrated approach tackles the problems common to all four zones to make the agricultural sector of the valley more efficient. The core of this scheme is to establish sound agricultural practices in each zone, with a view to integrating the various agricultural zones. Description of Jordan Valley sectoral zones Zone 1 (North Shouna) Zone 1 has a semi-arid climate. Class-A and class-B soils constitute about 84% of the total area. Production in zone 1 constitutes about 44% of the total for the whole valley (Table 2).   Table 2. Crop distribution and percentage of land suitable for agriculture in each zone. Characteristics  Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Land suitable for agriculture (donum) 132 000 123 300 142 600 83 700 Actual agricultural area (donum) 128 838.2 89 303.6 33 734 41 503.8 Present agricultural area (%) 98 72 48 50 Fruit trees (%) 55 18 34 15 Field crops (%) 16 20 18  3 Vegetables (%) 29 62 48 82       Source: MOA (1998).       Note: 1 donum = 0.1 ha.           The semi-arid climate, fertile soil, and the abundance of good water quality of the King Abdullah Canal enable this zone to support any agricultural crop. Nevertheless, for the following reasons, farmers tend to enlarge the area devoted to fruit trees at the expense of vegetables and field crops: (1) fruit prices are always higher and more stable than those of vegetables; (2) the risk of changing agricultural policies, especially in drought seasons, is less with fruit trees; and (3) growing fruit trees always occupies a higher social rank in the minds of farmers, who see it as a sign of wealth and power.           The expansion of fruit trees (55% in 1998) has exhausted most of the water supply available in summer, causing water shortages in zones 2 and 3. In zone 1, 49% of the farmers are owners-managers running and financing their own farms (Table 3). This type of management is considered the most efficient type, where the owners use advanced technologies to increase production efficiency, and tend to be better able to obtain loans and government grants.   Table 3. Owner and management type in the Jordan Valley. Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Agricultural units managed directly by owners (%) 49 39 46 43 Agricultural units managed by others (%) 51 61 54 57       Source: GSD (1990–98).             Advancements in farming fruit trees include new types more tolerant and resistant to insects and diseases. Also, farmers are implementing new fundamental fertilization methods. The major drawback is the farmers’ typical use of open canals for irrigation and very limited use of drip irrigation and other water-saving devices (5–10%). Wheat, tomato, and potato constitute the major vegetable and field crops.           In crops other than fruit trees, irrigation methods have improved dramatically. About 80–90% of the vegetables and field crops are irrigated using drip irrigation and mulch. Zone 1 had few greenhouses at the time of the study, as they are inefficient at protecting the vegetables from the winter cold. Drip-irrigation efficiency failed to exceed 60–70%. Major problems have been mainly the expansion of the fruit-tree area at the expense of vegetables and field crops, the use of open-canal methods to irrigate the fruit trees, and farming of crops with low economic return. Zone 2 (Deir Ala’a) Class-A and class-B soils in zone 2 constitute only 50% of the total area but make the soil more suitable for growing vegetables. Vegetables and field crops are grown on 78% of agricultural land, which is a very good percentage and meets the goals of the initial development plans for this zone. Nevertheless, agricultural land makes up about 78% of the area of zone 2. This is due mainly to shortages of water and lower water quality, as a result of the partial use of low-quality treated wastewater. Another problem lies in the agricultural pattern. Typical vegetable crops, mainly tomato, constitute the highest percentage of farmed vegetables. The low economic return for tomatoes, plus the marketing problems each year from excess tomatoes are clear indications of the contrast between farmers’ typical agricultural practices and the changing market demand for their crops. Zone 3 (South Shouna) Class-C and class-D soils make up about 65% of the total agricultural area. Water shortages and low-quality water from King Talal Dam, supplies 60–80% of total water, add to the problem and decrease crops productivity.           Another noticeable aspect is the increase in fruit trees, especially banana trees, at the expense of vegetables. In contrast to Zone 1, which has fairly abundant water of good quality and fertile soil, making fruit farming feasible, zone 3 has no such conditions, and irrigating fruit trees there depends mainly on private wells with highly saline groundwater. Major problems with vegetables stem from typical farming practices, excess production, and marketing difficulties. Zone 4 (Safi) Class-C and class-D soils constitute 75% of total area. Al-Hasa, Al-karak, and Ibn Hamad side wades are the main sources of water. The good water quality (total dissolved solids: 400–650 mg/L) minimizes the effects of the low-quality soil, but shallow soil cover still limits fruit farming. Vegetables and field crops are grown on 85% of agricultural land. Farmers increase or decrease the size of the vegetable-crop areas each season, based on the available water supply, and therefore have more flexibility than the fruit-tree growers, who cannot minimize the irrigated-tree areas when there is water-shortage problem. The main problems are similar to those in zone 3. Local-scale management Zone 1 The fertile soil and abundance of water in zone 1 make it too difficult to control the expansion of fruit trees. The region should take two major actions. First, it should make water prices reflect its real cost. This will force the farmers to stop the expansion of farming fruits and force them to look for other crops with higher economic value. Second, the region should improve irrigation techniques and make them suitable for both trees and vegetables. With efficient use of drip irrigation, water consumption would fall by more than 50%. The region could make other uses of this water. Zone 2 Zone 2 seems a real vegetable basket. However, it has a real need to improve the efficiency of drip irrigation. The farmers need training courses and educational programs on economic agricultural crops and ways to promote them, using a more dynamic demand-information feedback system. Zone 3 Zone 3 should have restrictions on fruit farming, especially farming of bananas. This crop has low export demand because of its quality and storage problems and consumes too much water. Fruit trees in this area are generally not economically feasible and put pressure on the already limited water resources and exhausted soil. Farmers in zone 3 should use new techniques to improve the efficiency of the drip irrigation for vegetables, as in zone 2. They should shift to new types of crops with higher economic value. With this type of soil and water problems, greenhouses would be the best alternative. Using appropriate technologies in greenhouses would enhance efficiency dramatically and allow farmers to grow new types of crop, such as flowers and strawberry. Zone 4 Zone 4 seems promising but still needs to improve its crop diversity, marketing, and irrigation system. Regional-scale management (Jordan Valley) Control of the agricultural pattern Figures 2, 3, and 4 show the agricultural pattern in each zone.

Figure 2. Fruit-tree distribution in the Jordan Valley, 1994–98. Source: MOA (1998).

Figure 3. Vegetable-crop distribution in the Jordan Valley, 1994–98. Source: MOA (1998).

Figure 4. Field-crop distribution in the Jordan Valley, 1994–98. Source: MOA (1998).           Government should allow farmers to grow fruit trees only in zone 1 and keep the percentage of fruit trees at the current level. The agricultural pattern in zone 2 is optimal. The shallowness of the soil and the lower water supplies make this zone ideal for vegetables and field crops. The vegetables and field crops constitute about 78% of total area. Zone 2 should maintain its current agricultural pattern and level of production. The agricultural pattern in zone 3 suffers from major problems and a real need to take corrective measures. Fruit trees, mostly banana, are grown on 34% of total agricultural land, which is an inadequate percentage that this zone should reduce. Farmers in this area should use greenhouses and put special emphasis on crops with high economic return. Growers should use zone 4 for vegetables and field crops. Management of crop types Among fruit trees, citrus and banana are the major crops. Although the farmers were introducing new types, such as avocado, mangoes, and palm trees, these crops did not succeed in all zones. The region needs more studies to find fruit trees with economic value, capable of growing in the Jordan Valley. Among vegetables, the main crops are tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants. Farmers in Jordan have a real need to shift to more economic crops, such as strawberry, which have low water requirements, a big market, and good economical returns (Al-Qasem 1995). Improving irrigation Farmers in Jordan need to adapt irrigation techniques, especially to fruit trees. Currently, growers irrigate more than 90% of the fruit trees, using open canals. Drip irrigation has been unsuccessful. The region needs more studies to adopt or invent new drip-irrigation systems suitable for its soil. Farmers are using new methods, such as special sprinklers and potentiometers, but still on a small scale, as a result of their high costs. The study found the greenhouse efficiency for vegetables was low, as 42% in winter; and 61%, in summer. This was due to technical problems, such as humidity and soil moisture, which farmers can easily handle by modifying the ventilation systems. Integrated pesticide management In 1994, the cost of chemical pesticides reached about 24% of operating costs. Farmers’ not knowing how to use chemical pesticides causes major damage to soil, crops, and groundwater. The current trend is to shift to integrated pesticide management, with the help of the Agricultural Research and Technology Transfer Centre. However, this program is expanding and is expected to increase its role in the Jordan Valley. Pricing The cost of water has risen from 6 to 15 Jordanian dinars (JOD)/1000 m3 (in 2002, 0.71660 JOD = 1 United States dollar [USD]). The new tariff is proportional to consumption. The more water consumed, the higher the tariff. The country needs to gradually lift subsidies and allow water prices to reflect its real cost, as a step toward liberalization. The economic return from lifting subsidies would then go to developing the water-supply infrastructure and improving irrigation efficiency. Marketing Marketing is the weakest point in the system. Jordan has no real forecasting system or marketing policy, and political problems also play a great role in blocking agricultural production. The farmers also refuse to trust government statements and insist on farming the typical crops, with a great risk of financial losses. Jordan needs to organize the market processes and monitor the domestic and export markets. A dynamic early feedback system for farmers on supply and demand information would be very important to make the farmers aware of what crops are in demand and help avoid overproduction. Research and development Research and development (R&D) is very weak and inefficient. The country needs to do a lot of work on its R&D. It needs research to improve irrigation and greenhouse efficiency, pesticide control, and new, tolerant crops that consume less water and have a higher economic return. Some partial cooperation has occurred between the Agricultural Research and Technology Transfer Centre and the Jordan Valley Authority, but not to the expected level. Water allocation Jordan allocates around 340 × 106 m3/year of water to irrigation. This comes from several sources (Table 4).   Table 4. Water-resource allocations in the Jordan Valley. Years Surface water Groundwater Treated wastewater 1990–94 (avg) (%) 74.5 8.5 17.0       Source: Shatanawi and Jaiosi (1995).           The country allocates more than 30% of its water resources to irrigation in the Jordan Valley, and 80% of the water is of good quality. Using a new, modified drip-irrigation system, specially for fruit trees, farmers would save at least 30 × 106 m3/year (Table 5).   Table 5. Percentage of water consumed by crop. Years Fruit trees Vegetables Field crops 1990–94 (avg) (× 106 m3) 200 110   30       Source: Shatanawi and Jaiosi (1995).           They would achieve more water savings if they grew crops with low water requirements. References Abu-Sharar, T. 1995. Land and soil resources in the Jordan Valley. Earth Sciences and Environment Department, Al-Hashmaiah University, Zarqa, Jordan. Al-Qasem, S. 1995. Future corrective measures for the agricultural production systems in the Rift Valley. Integrated Agricultural Office, Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit, Amman, Jordan. GSD (General Statistical Department). 1990–98. Annual agricultural statistics. GSD, Amman, Jordan. Harza JRV Group. 1996. Jordan rift valley: sector profile (agriculture). Jordan Valley Authority, Amman, Jordan.  JVA (Jordan Valley Authority). 1998. Jordan Valley Authority Open Files. JVA, Amman, Jordan. MOA (Ministry of Agriculture). 1998. Ministry of Agriculture Open Files. MOA, Amman, Jordan. Shatnawi, M.; Jaiosi, O. 1995. Supply and demand system in the Jordan Valley. Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University, Amman, Jordan.

Document(s) 6 de 12