Amman, April 18 (Petra) – Jordanian scientist Dr. Eng. Theib Oweis was awarded the 2026 Khalifa International Award For Date Palm And Agricultural Innovation in the "Distinguished Personality" category for agricultural innovation, reaffirming the contribution of Jordanian expertise in addressing water and food security challenges.

Dr. Oweis, in remarks to "Petra,' said he received the award in recognition of his "outstanding achievements and global impact" on agricultural water management in arid and water-scarce environments.

For over four decades, he added that his scientific leadership, institutional management, and participation in policy formulation have had a "fundamental" impact on how limited water resources are understood, managed, and governed.

He noted this effort ensured sustainability of agricultural production in arid and semi-arid regions like Jordan, with particular emphasis on strategic crops and sustainable farming systems.

He said agriculture, in particular, faces an unprecedented water shortage, necessitating a re-evaluation of agricultural water management strategies to enhance efficiency and productivity.

As for the past 3 years, Dr. Oweis has ranked by the international scientific ranking organization Scholar-GPS among the top three scientists in the world in the water management field in agriculture, and secured the top five per 10,000 scientists worldwide across all categories.

His achievements are reflected in his prolific scientific output and the global recognition of his work.

To date, Oweis authored over 300 scientific publications, including 86 research papers in peer-reviewed journals and 47 books and book chapters that have significantly impacted education, research, and application in rainfed and irrigated agriculture.

His works made an exceptional and lasting impact on agricultural water management in arid environments.

Oweis pointed out that arid regions like Jordan face water scarcity, exacerbated by climate change and increasing demand for various purposes.

His influence is clearly demonstrated through his pioneering role in developing and widely integrating technologies that advance water practices for farmers, mainly supplemental irrigation, rainwater harvesting, and the concepts and principles of agricultural water productivity.

He transformed these concepts from experimental ideas into globally implemented practices.

//Petra//AG