As a deputy to the Minister of Agriculture, Eng. Khaled Al Henefat, Dr. Khaled Abu Hammour, Director General of the National Agricultural Research Center, sponsored the opening ceremony of a workshop aimed at building capacities in the circular economy within the agriculture and water sectors. This workshop was organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in cooperation with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), the Arab League, and the Expertise France association. The workshop will extend over two days.
Abu Hammour stated that the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture, under Minister Eng. Khaled Al-Henefat, seeks to employ modern technologies in the agricultural sector. He pointed out that the country is facing numerous environmental, political, and economic challenges regarding its natural resources. Thus, adapting to a circular economy is a strategic necessity to ensure resource stability, protect the environment, and enhance the ability to cope with rapid changes.
He emphasized that agricultural and water resources are the main pillars sustaining life and the economy. Today, we face water shortages and declining farmland due to climate change and unsustainable consumption. This highlights the importance of the circular economy as a model that redefines consumption and production, shifting from extraction, production, and waste to renewal, reuse, and recycling. He expressed hope that this workshop would enhance participants' understanding of circular economy principles and provide a platform to share knowledge about the latest innovations that can improve the efficacy of the agricultural and water sectors.
Abu Hammour added that adopting the circular economy in these sectors is not just about changing how we manage resources; it is a game changer in our vision for sustainable development, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to clean water availability, sustainable agricultural systems, and mitigating the effects of climate change.
Dr. Maha Al Zoubi, a regional researcher at the IWMI, discussed the institute’s focus on the circular economy over the last four decades and its inclusion in the strategy for 2024-2030. Based on its extensive experience in wastewater reuse and recycling, the institute aims to develop circular economy applications that reduce water consumption in farming. This includes focusing on the feasibility and acceptance of solutions such as safe reuse, water desalination using renewable energy, and water exchange to create sustainable water basin systems.
Eng. Ra’ed Hattar, Director General of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, praised the Ministry of Agriculture's pioneering role in adopting the circular economy in the agricultural sector through modern technologies and optimal resource use.
Ms. Reem Najdawi, an official with the ESCWA Food Policy and Environment Group, noted that the workshop aims to raise awareness about improving the efficiency of natural resource use, addressing environmental degradation, fostering development, and finding solutions to climate change and the transition to a circular economy. This transition requires genuine systemic change and the development of mechanisms to promote technology, thereby building an economy that sustains the planet. She emphasized the need to replace legacy systems and deepen dialogues on addressing environmental and climate challenges.
Najdawi asserted that there is no alternative to transforming the circular economy by replacing outdated systems and moving beyond minor adjustments to business as usual, which may yield only marginal progress for some segments of society.