Amman, Nov. 8 (Petra) -- The Ministry of Water and Irrigation, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the National Agricultural Research Center have discussed expanding cooperation on water harvesting and innovative technologies to address Jordan's water scarcity challenges.

The discussions brought together Water Ministry Secretary-General Jihad Mahameed, ICARDA Director General Nizar Haddad and National Agricultural Research Center Director General Zakaria Abdullah Muslim, focusing on unconventional projects to improve the Kingdom's water balance.

Mahameed said securing new water sources and expanding water harvesting projects remain national priorities, particularly as Jordan ranks as the world's second most water-scarce country.

He emphasized the need for integrated initiatives linking the water, energy, food and environmental sectors, alongside exploring the potential for cloud-seeding projects and developing major water basins, including the Yarmouk and Hammad basins.

Mahameed also called for stronger regional cooperation to support sustainable water resource management.

Haddad reaffirmed ICARDA's commitment to supporting Jordan's water sector and following up on the meeting's recommendations, stressing the urgency of identifying sustainable water sources.

He said the center would coordinate with water sector institutions to develop innovative proposals aimed at improving the efficiency of treated wastewater use, strengthening technical capacity and mobilizing international funding to implement the proposed projects.

//Petra// RZ