Terrain and Climate
Horizontal Expansion
Water Sources
Water Usage
The Peace Dividend and Future Prospects
Ministry of Agriculture

Overview

Jordan's limited Arab land depends on rain for irrigation, and seasonally fluctuating agricultural production create a heavy reliance on agricultural imports, though Jordan does manage to export some agricultural produce.

Most agricultural produce (over 60%) is grown in the Jordan Valley, located below sea level in a warm, temperate year-round climate offering ideal conditions for planting vegetables and fruit. The highlands also contribute to agricultural production, but more in cereals and field crops, and seasonally, to a lesser extent, in fruits and vegetables. The semi-arid region’s agricultural production is negligible.

The Jordanian government's policy is to encourage the private sector to invest, produce and trade according to principles of comparative advantage in agriculture.

Adoption of modern technology, tested under local conditions, can bring about the necessary shift in horticulture to boost production and diversify export markets beyond the Middle East. The sector offers good opportunities for investments, especially in key areas such as production and export of cut-flowers, agricultural inputs, vegetable seeds, advanced irrigation systems, and a variety of agro-industries. While some investment has been made in these areas, more is required to meet local and regional demand. The World Trade Organization mechanism and the establishment of the Single European Market have provided the impetus for increased intra-regional trade based on opening markets and adopting principles of comparative advantage. At the same time, the Middle East peace process has the potential of developing a competitive market that would enhance trade, production and investment within the countries of the region. It is expected that as both developments pave the way for fair competition, Jordan will be able to divert resources to increase agricultural production, based on its comparative advantage.

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Terrain and Climate

Jordan comprises three distinct physiographic regions, each with its own climate.

1. The highlands are mountainous and hilly regions whose altitude ranges from 600-1600 meters (1969-5249 feet) above sea level, and comprise the vast majority of Jordan's arable land. The climate in the highlands, although generally wet and cool, varies according to location and altitude. Average temperatures in Amman, for instance, range from 8.1 degrees Celsius (46.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in January to 25.1 degrees Celsius (77.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in July. Fruit trees, vegetables and cereals are planted in the rainfed highlands.

2. The Rift Valley (the Ghor), which runs down the entire length of Jordan west of the highlands, reaches over 400 meters (1312 feet) below sea level at the Dead Sea. The Rift Valley has fertile soil and is relatively rich in water resources. It is also endowed with warm weather all year round, which makes for ideal farming conditions. Temperatures average from 14.9 degrees Celsius (58.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in January to 31.3 degrees Celsius (88.3 degrees Fahrenheit) in July.

About half of the agricultural produce of the kingdom is grown there, and the government and private sector continue to work together to effectively employ capital-intensive, water-saving techniques such as drip irrigation, pivot irrigation and plastic hot-houses. Jordan produces an annual average of three crops in the Ghor, which is the source of most of Jordan's tomatoes, cucumbers, citrus fruits, melons, cabbage, bananas, aubergines, potatoes and onions.

3. The semi-arid region of east Jordan forms nearly two-thirds of the country. This steppe-like region of low rainfall is home to the bedou (nomadic bedouins) of Jordan, the traditional sheep and goat herders who provide meat for the rest of the country. The desert climate is extreme, reaching the 40s C. (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit) in the summer, while bitterly cold dry winds are the standard in winter.

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Horizontal Expansion

Improvements in agricultural techniques and the implementation of development projects have expanded Jordan's arable land area considerably. Since 1986, the government has provided state land for private sector development in the arid southeast. Underground aquifers are tapped via central pivot irrigation, adding over twenty thousand hectares (48,900 acres) of fertile land to the kingdom's agricultural base.

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Water Sources

Jordan ultimately depends largely on rainfall to meet most of its domestic, agricultural and industrial needs: rainfall increases surface water levels as well as feeds renewable underground sources. But recent climatic changes have reduced rainwater levels from 12,252 mcm in 1987/88 to 7,609 in 1989 /90. This drop had an adverse effect on surface water and renewable groundwater resources, thus adding to chronic shortages. Other sources of water come from non-renewable (fossil water) reservoirs--such as the Disi reservoir on the Jordanian-Saudi border--and treated waste water (a trickle of actual needs).

The Jordan and Yarmouk rivers are both major sources of surface water for Jordan, but both had become highly undependable due to upstream diversion and overpumping by Syria and Israel, leaving Jordan with the rest. Until the peace treaty Jordan had not been able to tap these sources fully because the three riparian states did not have a water-sharing agreement, due to the technical state of war that existed between Jordan and Israel.

The King Talal Dam is Jordan's largest above-ground water reservoir, but it faces two problems. Erratic surface water levels often reduce trapped levels to below the total capacity of 86 mcm. Pollution from factories that dump untreated waste into tributaries leading to the dam is raising salinity and chemical and metal levels.

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Water Usage

In 1995, the 983 mcm of water consumed was distributed among the three main sectors as follows: