AMMAN -- Land degradation in the Kingdom was the primary concern in a set of seven new environmental community project agreements signed yesterday through the Global Environment Facility/Small Grants Programme (GEF/SGP), administered by UNDP.
"It is very important because in Jordan less than five per cent of the total area is suitable for sustainable agriculture," said Munir Adgham, national coordinator of the GEF/SGP.
The roots of land degradation in the Kingdom include draught, which has plagued the country for 10 years, agricultural practices like the overexpansion in quality and quantity of produce and land use policies such as cutting trees and construction, according to Khawla Fayyad, programme assistant at the GEF/SGP.
In the past, land degradation was not judged to be a separate strategic objective of the programme but fell under biodiversity, but recently this has changed, Adgham explained.
The seven projects receiving funding, worth over $260,000, cover the country with several located in the north. Women's cooperatives in Dogara, Kharja, Ebeen and `Ebileen will implement projects seeking to control land degradation and soil erosion, improving productivity of agricultural land and preserving environmental resources. These cooperatives will also introduce soil conservation measures, water harvesting, and effective drip irrigation techniques among other activities.
The communities will also be aided in the project by the Poverty Alleviation through Community Development Programme run by the German Technical Cooperation Agency.
As part of a new phase, the GEF/SGP is now grouping communities so they can work together on projects and make more of an impact, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Jordan Christine McNabb said at the signing ceremony yesterday.
Another project, also in the north, is in Wadi Rajib, an area characterised by magnificent scenery and abundant water, which has created an ecosystem rich in biodiversity. The Wadi Rajib women's cooperative will grow species of fruit trees, which are indigenous to the area and important in terms of agrobiodiversity, such as figs, olives, pomegranates and grapes. They will also help improve agricultural productivity and irrigation efficiency.
Adgham noted the protection of agrobiodiversity, flora that is unique to a specific area, is an important goal of the programme.
Several priority regions have been selected to implement projects in order to support areas with unique features, he said. The Jordan Valley was selected as it is considered the "agricultural basket of the region," Aqaba, was chosen due to the limited amount of coastline in the country and the badia because of its importance as pastureland.
The other projects receiving funding are located in Al Eina, a green oasis in the middle of the desert, containing an integrated environmental agricultural ecosystem supporting the surrounding communities, due to the presence of freshwater springs. However, consecutive dry seasons, agricultural expansion and overuse of available spring water have degraded the land in the area, decreasing the quantity and quality of agricultural produce and negatively impacting farmers' income.
The projects will help farmers adopt procedures to upgrade the efficiency of irrigation through the establishment of reservoirs.
"These projects run at the village and community level and really do make a difference in lives," McNabb said.
The GEF/SGP began operations in 1992 and has funded 108 projects to date. The strategic objectives of the programme include achieving global environmental benefits in the areas of biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation and persistent organic pollutants, as well as the achievement of enhanced and improved livelihoods of the local communities and their capacities to manage their natural resources. It is expected that $600,000 will be allocated to the GEF/SGP during the coming year.
By Sarah Ryan
© Jordan Times 2005
