Amman, Dec. 2 (Petra) – The Secretary-General of the Jordan Valley Authority, Hisham Hayseh, announced on Tuesday that the Authority will integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into agricultural land management starting next year.

The announcement was made during a meeting with media representatives at a dialogue session held as part of the Government Communication Forum. The session focused on sustainable development through water resource management.

Hayseh said the AI initiative will be implemented on 100,000 dunams of land in North Shuna, allowing farmers to monitor their fields, determine water requirements, calculate evaporation rates, and identify suitable crops through specialized system analyses.

He emphasized that the Authority is prioritizing the efficient use of water resources, particularly for high-value crops such as Medjool dates, noting that one million date palms have already been planted in the Jordan Valley.

The Secretary-General highlighted key initiatives, including water harvesting and collection projects across 16 main dams with a combined design capacity of 370 million cubic meters, and 630 agricultural reservoirs and ponds storing 135 million cubic meters to support livestock breeders and improve the climate.

Hayseh explained that the Authority aims to develop the Jordan Valley economically and socially, optimize water resources for agriculture, domestic use, industry, and electricity generation, and ensure their protection and sustainability. The Jordan Valley comprises approximately 390,000 dunams of agricultural land, managed in cooperation with 22 water user associations.

He also mentioned legislative amendments and the opening of an investment window offering 99 opportunities across sectors, particularly in Wadi Araba, to attract investors, streamline procedures, and facilitate large-scale agricultural projects such as livestock breeding and saline well drilling.

Hayseh called for tourism investment in the Jordan Valley, highlighting areas suitable for recreational and tourism projects.

Secretary-General of the Ministry of Government Communication, Zaid Nawaisah, stressed that achieving water security is a shared responsibility and emphasized government efforts to conserve water amid recent scarcity. He highlighted the importance of collaboration with public and private sector partners and civil society organizations, as well as the role of media in raising awareness to ensure sustainable water and agricultural management.

//Petra// AJ