An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

The Social Dimension of Water Deficit: Case Study – East Jordan ‎Valley

Article info

2005-02-28
2005-07-16
2005-07-16
1359 - 1380

Keywords

Abstract

Jordan suffers a continuous water Deficit due to its climate features, since 90% of the its total area (90.000 km2) lies within either arid or semi-arid climate and receives less than 200 mm rain per anum. Therefore, surface and ground water resources are limited. Water shortage escalated further due to high increase of population, high rate of urbanization and development of the economic sectors such as agriculture, industry …etc. Most solutions of the water problem were redirected to the supply side. This study focuses on the social dimension of water shortage in the Jordan Valley. In order to determine the farmers’ adaptively of water shortage, and to evaluate the role of the Jordan Valley Authority regarding this issue, a stratified, systematic random sample of 171 farmers has been chosen from 12 villages at the southern Jordan Valley. The study has concluded that vast majority of the farmers (96%) consider water deficit as a severe problem, while 54% of them consider water quality a problem of similar importance. Farmers have used nine methods to overcome water shortage; most important are: cutting down cultivated area, changing crop pattern and irrigation techniques. While the Jordan valley AJordan suffers a continuous water Deficit due to its climate features, since 90% of the its total area (90.000 km2) lies within either arid or semi-arid climate and receives less than 200 mm rain per anum. Therefore, surface and ground water resources are limited. Water shortage escalated further due to high increase of population, high rate of urbanization and development of the economic sectors such as agriculture, industry …etc. Most solutions of the water problem were redirected to the supply side. This study focuses on the social dimension of water shortage in the Jordan Valley. In order to determine the farmers’ adaptively of water shortage, and to evaluate the role of the Jordan Valley Authority regarding this issue, a stratified, systematic random sample of 171 farmers has been chosen from 12 villages at the southern Jordan Valley. The study has concluded that vast majority of the farmers (96%) consider water deficit as a severe problem, while 54% of them consider water quality a problem of similar importance. Farmers have used nine methods to overcome water shortage; most important are: cutting down cultivated area, changing crop pattern and irrigation techniques. While the Jordan valley Authority faces the problem through: prohibiting summer cultivation, shortening irrigation period and renting farmers lands and leave it fallow. authority faces the problem through: prohibiting summer cultivation, shortening irrigation period and renting farmers lands and leave it fallow.

Recommended Citation

Barham, N., & Anbar, A. (2005). The Social Dimension of Water Deficit: Case Study – East Jordan Valley. An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities), 19(4), 1359–1380. https://doi.org/10.35552/0247-019-004-010
[1]N. Barham and A. Anbar, “The Social Dimension of Water Deficit: Case Study – East Jordan Valley,” An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities), vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 1359–1380, Jul. 2005, doi: 10.35552/0247-019-004-010.
Barham, Naseem, and Ali Anbar. “The Social Dimension of Water Deficit: Case Study – East Jordan Valley.” An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities), vol. 19, no. 4, July 2005, pp. 1359–80. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.35552/0247-019-004-010.
1.Barham N, Anbar A. The Social Dimension of Water Deficit: Case Study – East Jordan Valley. An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities) [Internet]. 2005 Jul;19(4):1359–80. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.35552/0247-019-004-010
Barham, Naseem, and Ali Anbar. “The Social Dimension of Water Deficit: Case Study – East Jordan Valley.” An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities) 19, no. 4 (July 2005): 1359–80. https://doi.org/10.35552/0247-019-004-010.

البعد الاجتماعي لمشكلة المياة: حالة دراسية وادي الأردن الشرقي‏

معلومات المقال

2005-02-28
2005-07-16
2005-07-16
1359 - 1380

الكلمات الإفتتاحية

الملخص

يعاني الأردن من عجز مضطرد في كميات المياه المتاحة للاستخدامات المختلفة بسبب وقوع. 9% من مساحته البالغة حوالي.... 9 كم2 ضمن المناخات الجافة وشبه الجافة التي يسقط عليها أقل من 200ملم سنويا. وقد أدى ذلك إلى محدودية الموارد المائية السطحية منها والجوفية. يضاف إلى ذلك الزيادة السكانية والتوسع في استخدامات المياه في القطاعات الاقتصادية كالزراعة والصناعة.... الخ. وقد نجم عن ذلك استنزاف معظم مصادر المياه في الأردن. وهكذا أصبح اللجوء إلى عامل الطلب ملحاً. فتغيير سلوك الأفراد للتكيُف مع مشكلة المياه عامةً، ومعرفة الكيفية التي يتعامل بها مزارعو وادي الأردن مع مشكلة نقص المياه للزراعة خاصة وسبل التكيّف معها، وتقييم نظرتهم لمؤسسات السلطة العاملة في هذا المجال هي من أهم القضايا التي يتعرض لها البحث. وهذا يعني أن الدراسة ستلقي الضوء على البعد الاجتماعي لمشكلة نقص المياه في الأردن. ولتحقيق هذه الأهداف فقد صممت عينة طبقية عشوائية منتظمة مؤلفة من (171) مفردة توزعت على اثنتي عشرة قرية في الجزء الجنوبي من وادي الأردن. وخلصت الدراسة إلى أن غالبية المزارعين (96%) يعتبرون نقص المياه مشكلة كبيرة في حين اعتبر أكثر من نصفهم بقليل (54%) أن نوعية المياه هي مشكلة أيضا. وأورد المزارعون تسع وسائل للتغلب على مشكلة نقص المياه كان أبرزها تقليص المساحة المزروعة، وتغيير نوع المحاصيل، وتغيير أسلوب الري المستخدم. وقد واجهت سلطة وادي الأردن تلك المشكلة من خلال منع الزراعات الصيفية، وتقليص طول فترة الري، واستئجار الأراضي من المزارعين وتركها بوراً.

Recommended Citation

Barham, N., & Anbar, A. (2005). The Social Dimension of Water Deficit: Case Study – East Jordan Valley. An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities), 19(4), 1359–1380. https://doi.org/10.35552/0247-019-004-010
[1]N. Barham and A. Anbar, “The Social Dimension of Water Deficit: Case Study – East Jordan Valley,” An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities), vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 1359–1380, Jul. 2005, doi: 10.35552/0247-019-004-010.
Barham, Naseem, and Ali Anbar. “The Social Dimension of Water Deficit: Case Study – East Jordan Valley.” An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities), vol. 19, no. 4, July 2005, pp. 1359–80. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.35552/0247-019-004-010.
1.Barham N, Anbar A. The Social Dimension of Water Deficit: Case Study – East Jordan Valley. An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities) [Internet]. 2005 Jul;19(4):1359–80. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.35552/0247-019-004-010
Barham, Naseem, and Ali Anbar. “The Social Dimension of Water Deficit: Case Study – East Jordan Valley.” An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities) 19, no. 4 (July 2005): 1359–80. https://doi.org/10.35552/0247-019-004-010.

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