Ajloun, Nov. 16 (Petra) -- Recent rainfall across Ajloun is strengthening calls from agricultural experts and stakeholders to expand water harvesting initiatives, viewed as an essential tool for supporting water security and improving agricultural sustainability in a governorate where a significant part of the economy depends on farming and seasonal crops.
Engineer Muawiya Annab, head of the Ajloun Governorate Council Committee, said the council has allocated 70,000 dinars in next year’s budget to support the agricultural sector. The funding aims to implement projects that assist farmers and provide long-term solutions to increasing water challenges.
Ajloun Agriculture Director, Engineer Rami Al-Adwan, noted that water harvesting has become a strategic priority for improving water-use efficiency in farming. He reported that rainfall in the governorate has reached 84 millimeters since Thursday, a development that supports plans to expand rainwater collection efforts in the coming period.
Al-Adwan confirmed that the directorate has completed 210 water-harvesting wells this year and continues to educate farmers on the benefits of earthen ponds and storage tanks as reliable sources of supplementary irrigation.
In Kafranjah, Agriculture Director Dr. Mohammad Shafiq Al-Momani said rainfall there has reached 65 millimeters since the start of the current weather system, describing it as an important boost for ongoing water-related projects in the district.
Farmers in Ajloun also emphasized the importance of investing in water harvesting. Farmer Khaled Al-Asouli said the region’s geographic and climatic features offer valuable opportunities to make use of rainwater through the construction of ponds and storage facilities, practices that can enhance farm productivity and reduce dependence on costly external water sources.
Farmer Ali Al-Samadi added that adopting water harvesting techniques has become essential for dealing with water scarcity and ensuring adequate irrigation during dry periods. Another farmer, Mohammad Al-Ananzeh, noted that small on-farm ponds help store meaningful amounts of rainwater and called on relevant authorities to offer greater financial and technical support to expand such successful models across the governorate.
//Petra// RZ
