Amman, May 11 (Petra) -- Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abu Soud, accompanied by Netherlands Ambassador to Jordan Stella Kloth, on Monday launched the "Namaa" project aimed at enhancing water sustainability in the northern Jordan Valley.
The four-year project is funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands and implemented by Advance Consulting in the Northern Jordan Valley region.
Speaking at the ceremony, Abu Soud stressed the project’s importance in increasing water supply, preserving soil quality, reducing salinity and improving the efficiency and quality of agricultural production through an integrated approach involving relevant stakeholders and irrigation water users associations.
The project aims to improve river basin management for local communities through a comprehensive framework focused on infrastructure interventions, including subsurface drainage systems and system restoration works.
It also seeks to enhance water-use efficiency in agriculture, develop regulatory frameworks, build institutional capacities in the water sector and promote inclusive public dialogue.
Abu Soud expressed appreciation for the Netherlands’ continued support for Jordan, particularly in the water sector, saying the partnership reflects the deep and longstanding ties between the two countries.
He noted that the Namaa project is a strategic national priority due to its role in managing and sustainably utilizing subsurface drainage water as a non-conventional water source to help address water challenges in the northern Jordan Valley.
For her part, Ambassador Kloth reaffirmed the strength of Jordanian-Dutch relations, noting that the water sector is one of the Netherlands’ key priorities in supporting Jordan.
Namaa project, she said, promotes the exchange of Dutch expertise through infrastructure development, institutional capacity-building and stakeholder engagement.
Advance Consulting Regional Director Lamia Dabbas said the successful implementation of the project, the first of its kind in partnership with the Jordan Valley Authority, will significantly improve water-use efficiency, strengthen sustainable management of subsurface drainage water and enhance farmers’ awareness and adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices.
Namaa project marks a significant step toward strengthening sustainable water resource management, improving the resilience of the agricultural sector and supporting livelihoods in the northern Jordan Valley.
//Petra// NQ
