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26<br />
Analysis of <strong>the</strong> agricultural situation <strong>in</strong> Azraq Bas<strong>in</strong><br />
German-Jordanian Programme “Management of Water Resources”<br />
Average efficiency of irrigation is<br />
estimated to reach 63% <strong>in</strong> Azraq<br />
area 38 .<br />
The development of localised<br />
irrigation systems started <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
1980s and early 1990s when modern<br />
irrigation was <strong>in</strong>troduced, start<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jordan Valley and <strong>the</strong>n<br />
transferred to <strong>the</strong> Highlands dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> “Super Green Revolution” 39 .<br />
“The Super Green Revolution” is a<br />
term developed by El Musa (1994)<br />
to describe <strong>the</strong> fast growth of<br />
agricultural sector based on <strong>the</strong><br />
adoption of <strong>in</strong>novations such as<br />
localised irrigation systems <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
1980s. Modern irrigation was <strong>in</strong>deed<br />
quickly adopted <strong>in</strong> vegetables and<br />
stone fruit trees farms, but many<br />
olive orchards rema<strong>in</strong>ed with<br />
surface irrigation until 2004, when<br />
<strong>the</strong> motive for switch<strong>in</strong>g to localised<br />
irrigation was triggered by WAJ<br />
distribut<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> first water bills.<br />
Irrigation systems <strong>in</strong> Azraq Bas<strong>in</strong><br />
% of total irrigated area surveyed<br />
4%<br />
8%<br />
43%<br />
3%<br />
Virojet<br />
Spr<strong>in</strong>kler<br />
GR<br />
39%<br />
3%<br />
Open Tube<br />
Surface<br />
Pivot<br />
3290<br />
65%<br />
1850<br />
56%<br />
420<br />
6%<br />
496<br />
8%<br />
1327<br />
20%<br />
1750<br />
35%<br />
1452<br />
44%<br />
2675<br />
41%<br />
430<br />
7%<br />
North<br />
Badia<br />
(du)<br />
Jiza<br />
area<br />
(du)<br />
Azraq<br />
area<br />
(du)<br />
Figure 8. Repartition of irrigation systems <strong>in</strong> Azraq Bas<strong>in</strong> accord<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
<strong>the</strong> data collected <strong>in</strong> 59 field surveys.<br />
Despite widespread use of localised<br />
irrigation, most farmers do not use<br />
<strong>the</strong> full potential of <strong>the</strong>ir modern<br />
irrigation techniques (with <strong>the</strong><br />
exception of <strong>the</strong> stone fruits farms<br />
with high technology <strong>in</strong> North Badia).<br />
Efficiency of irrigation networks<br />
is not maximal; as design is not<br />
optimal (efficiency of irrigation<br />
application is very low). In addition,<br />
knowledge of workers on <strong>the</strong> farms<br />
about irrigation is limited: pressure<br />
and flow, as well as irrigation<br />
uniformity, are notions that are not<br />
mastered. Irrigation is monitored<br />
by eye (full bas<strong>in</strong> under <strong>the</strong> tree,<br />
colour of <strong>the</strong> soil when it is wet...).<br />
Filtration systems are often <strong>in</strong> bad<br />
conditions (rusted screens filters),<br />
when not absent. For small farms,<br />
irrigation material is of poor quality,<br />
as <strong>the</strong>y cannot afford buy<strong>in</strong>g high<br />
quality brands. There is <strong>in</strong>deed no<br />
agricultural extension, and farmers<br />
are will<strong>in</strong>g to be better <strong>in</strong>formed<br />
about good irrigation practices and<br />
conservation methods.<br />
The choice of irrigation system is<br />
more <strong>the</strong> result of <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>fluence of<br />
<strong>the</strong> neighbour<strong>in</strong>g farmers than <strong>the</strong><br />
result of an educated choice.<br />
Figure 9. Olive tree irrigated with Open Tube:<br />
water application with this management is<br />
similar to surface irrigation.<br />
38 Accord<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> percentage of <strong>the</strong> different irrigation systems and <strong>the</strong> assumed irrigation efficiency for each,<br />
as <strong>in</strong>dicated p.4.<br />
39 El Musa, 1994.