(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) In an effort to reduce the use of fresh water for irrigation purposes, Jordan Valley farmers will be allowed to drill wells to extract brackish water, according to a senior government official.
"Farmers with two or more agricultural units will be allowed to drill a well and extract 60,000 cubic metres annually for free," Jordan Valley Authority (JVA) Secretary General Saad Abu Hammour said on Saturday.
Any farm over 25 dunums in area is considered one agricultural unit, according to the Ministry of Water and Irrigation.
The decision also seeks to encourage the use of alternative water resources and provide farmers in the Jordan Valley with much needed water.
Under the decision, farmers who pump more than 60,000 cubic metres annually will pay 5 fils for each cubic metre and 10 fils per cubic metre if they extract more than 100,000 cubic metres per year.
"The Jordan Valley Authority council has referred the new decision to the Cabinet for approval, which is expected within a few weeks," Abu Hammour underscored.
Developing and exploring new water resources is one of the water ministry's goals, including the desalination of brackish water.
Saltier than fresh water, but not as salty as seawater, brackish water can be produced by diluting saline water, and can also be found in some wells in several parts of the country.
With agriculture accounting for more than 64 per cent of total water use in Jordan while contributing only 3 per cent to the gross domestic product, experts and officials have called for exploring new resources for irrigation purposes, such as brackish water and treated water for certain crops.
Last week, Abu Hammour announced that the tariff for irrigation water would be raised in the future, underscoring that the hike will be accompanied by improvements, mainly raising farmers' water shares.
He said that any future rise in irrigation water tariffs will not affect small farmers who cultivate only one or two agricultural units.
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