AMMAN — Farmers in Madaba are witnessing their fields flourish thanks to treated wastewater from the Madaba Wastewater Treatment Plant, a significant project advancing sustainable agriculture in Jordan.

For farmer Ibrahim Abu Saleem, the water represents more than just irrigation. “I was among the first to sign an agreement with the Madaba Treatment Plant to use treated water for field crops,” he said. “The experience has been very successful. The water is almost free and sufficient for our needs. We only hope to improve the pipelines to ensure a more reliable flow,” Abu Saleem added.

Established in 1986 and expanded several times since, the Madaba Wastewater Treatment Plant is one of three main facilities in southern Jordan, alongside Ma’an and Mu’tah, facing challenges in storing reclaimed water, according to a joint statement.

To address these challenges, the Green Climate Fund (GCF)–financed project “Building Resilience to Cope with Climate Change in Jordan through Improving Water Use Efficiency in the Agriculture Sector (BRCCJ)” is increasing storage capacity through the construction of ponds and reservoirs totalling around 50,000 cubic metres.

The project was implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in cooperation with the ministries of water and irrigation, agriculture, and environment, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Director of the Madaba Treatment Plant Idris Azaida said the reclaimed water produced meets Jordanian standards for field crop irrigation. He added that the expansion “will increase the area of farmland irrigated with treated water to about 2,000 dunums, reduce the discharge of treated water into valleys and help protect nearby drinking water sources such as the Zarqa–Ma’in valley.” The project highlights Jordan’s ongoing efforts to address water scarcity while promoting sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture, offering hope to farmers and communities across the region, according to the statement.

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