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Shifting waters: the challenges of transitioning from freshwater to treated wastewater irrigation in the northern Jordan Valley

Author

Listed:
  • Tawfik, Mohamed Hassan

    (International Water Management Institute)

  • Al-Zawaidah, Hadeel

    (International Water Management Institute)

  • Hoogesteger, J.
  • Al-Zu'bi, Maha

    (International Water Management Institute)

  • Hellegers, Petra

    (International Water Management Institute)

  • Mateo-Sagasta, Javier

    (International Water Management Institute)

  • Elmahdi, A.

Abstract

Jordan’s water scarcity prompted a national plan whereby treated wastewater is utilized to amend agricultural irrigation water so as to reallocate freshwater to urban/domestic uses. The policy, however, has engendered farmers’ resistance in the Northern Jordan Valley (NJV), causing a stalemate in putting new infrastructure into operation. This research investigated the socio-economic causes of farmer resistance and contestation, and examined the government’s institutional approach to overcome the challenges. We found that the perceived risks of wastewater reuse such as salinization and restrictions from international markets figure prominently in the farmers resistance. As yet, farmers have managed to avoid the shift to treated wastewater use by using the political agency of elite farmers who control the Water Users Associations. These same farmers have adopted informal water access practices to overcome freshwater shortages. At the same time, small producers who don’t have possibilities to access extra water and with less political clout seem more willing to irrigate with treated wastewater. We conclude that understanding the heterogeneous context in which the envisioned wastewater users operate is key to predicting and solving conflicts that arise in treated wastewater reuse projects.

Suggested Citation

  • Tawfik, Mohamed Hassan & Al-Zawaidah, Hadeel & Hoogesteger, J. & Al-Zu'bi, Maha & Hellegers, Petra & Mateo-Sagasta, Javier & Elmahdi, A., 2023. "Shifting waters: the challenges of transitioning from freshwater to treated wastewater irrigation in the northern Jordan Valley," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 15(7):1315..
    • Handle: RePEc:iwt:jounls:h051830
    DOI: 10.3390/w15071315
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Drechsel, Pay & Qadir, M. & Baumann, J., 2022. "Water reuse to free up freshwater for higher-value use and increase climate resilience and water productivity," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-10.().
    2. Manzoor Qadir & Pay Drechsel & Blanca Jiménez Cisneros & Younggy Kim & Amit Pramanik & Praem Mehta & Oluwabusola Olaniyan, 2020. "Global and regional potential of wastewater as a water, nutrient and energy source," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 44(1), pages 40-51, February.
    3. Qadir, M. & Drechsel, Pay & Cisneros, B. J. & Kim, Y. & Pramanik, A. & Mehta, P. & Olaniyan, O., 2020. "Global and regional potential of wastewater as a water, nutrient and energy source," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 44(1):40-51.
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