Jordanian aeroponics farm saves 90% of water

With cherry tomatoes and green leaf vegetables grown in vertical rows and irrigated through water saving technologies, manager of the farm Bahjat Sawalmeh considers it a prototype for the future of agriculture in the arid kingdom.

The use of aeroponics and hydroponics is amongst the country’s most viable options to develop its agricultural sector, he says, as they could save up to 90 percent of water in contrast to traditional farming methods.

Pushed by a combination of climate change, population growth, and creaking infrastructure, Jordan is considered as one of the poorest countries in terms of water resources.

The agriculture sector consumes 52% of Jordan’s water resources, yet the sector’s contribution to GDP is only 4%, the government’s green growth national action plan 2021-2025 reveals. Water consumption in the sector is especially pronounced compared to the economic value that is generated from its use, it adds.

This has urged water experts to call for tougher regulations on the types of crops grown in the kingdom and for widened use of water conservation systems within the sector.