Amman, Jan 3 (Petra) – The Jordan Valley Authority (JVA) on Saturday signed agreements for transferring responsibilities with Water User Associations (WUAs), and launched a second campaign to conserve irrigation water, in cooperation with Advance Consulting firm.

The agreements, including six with 18 water users associations covering about 52 percent of the irrigated area in the Jordan Valley, are part of the authority's approach to promote participatory irrigation water management, said JVA Secretary-General Hisham Haisa.

These will contribute to raising the efficiency of water resource management and improving the level of services provided to farmers, he said during the signing ceremony.

The agreements are an extension of an institutional framework aimed at empowering WUAs as active partners in the management, operation, and maintenance of irrigation networks, thereby enhancing sustainability and reducing water loss, he pointed out.

The campaign targets about 450 farms across the Jordan Valley, with a focus on detecting and repairing leaks in irrigation systems, improving water use efficiency, and building the capacity of JVA staff and WUAs, as well as conducting awareness activities for farmers, said Lamia Dabbas of JVA.

The campaign includes training 20 participants in a specialized professional program, and is expected to contribute to reducing irrigation water loss by 15 to 20 percent, achieving water savings estimated at around 40,000 cubic meters, she added.

The campaign is part of the Dutch Agricultural Support Project for Jordan (Holland Horti Support II), funded by the Dutch embassy and implemented in partnership with Wageningen University, in cooperation with a number of national partners.

//Petra//SS