Nairobi, 25 August 2011 - A new Joint Programme to strengthen to the impacts of climate change on scarce water resources and to improve food security and health in Jordan is the focus of a workshop at the World Water Week in Stockholm today.
The Jordan Joint Programme - a collaborative effort between the Government of Jordan and several United Nations agencies and carried out under the Spain-funded Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund (MDG-F) - aims to improve access to drinking water, promote the sustainable use of water supply sources and strengthen resilience to climate change in a country that is faced with serious water supply challenges.
The UN Human Development Report for Jordan 2011 shows that the country ranks among those facing the greatest shortages in terms of water resources and availability worldwide.
Jordan's water supplies are indeed precarious. According to the report, it has a shortfall of one third of its requirements in drinking water and approximately 50% in irrigation needs. This has a direct bearing on the country's food security, human health and environmental sustainability.
In an attempt to meet the country's increasing demand for water, there has been extensive drilling for under-ground water sources. This in turn has resulted in rising levels of salinity in underground water reserves, as well as diminishing water levels and growing pumping costs.
Approximately two thirds of Jordan's water supplies go towards agriculture, even though agriculture is responsible for less than 4% of the country's GDP. More >>>
