Nael Abdel Kader Al Edwan lives in Al Kafren, Al Shuna Al Junibyeh (Jordan Valley), Al Balqa - Jordan. He is 74 years old and is a farmer.
What has climate change done here?
The weather was not as hot as it is now. We used to hear about this hot weather in the Gulf States and Iraq. That the temperature would reach 60, 70 degrees Celsius. And now the temperature here reaches 60 and 70 degrees Celsius.
The heat waves has affected 70% of the crops. Trees have burnt from the heat. Banana’s were affected. When the temperature rises, you need more water and water is not available. We are given water for 4 hours, you need to deal with it. If the farmer can’t take care of his land, fertilize, plant it and give it plenty of water, it will become a desert. The land will increase in salinity.
Salt levels have increased in water resources. Some wells have a percentage of 10,000 million cubic meters of salt. The water needs desalination, which is costly. It needs equipment and electricity is expensive.
Years ago, we had plenty of water. Water was not salty. We used to plant and harvest and export to the Gulf States, Syria, Turkey and Europe. In the 2000’s, we started facing challenges. The Gulf States stopped importing produce from us. Farmers suffered losses. Farmers lose every year.
What do you think world leaders have to do now to stop things from getting worse and to help us adapt?
The solution is political. Our water rights with Israel, established in the Wadi Araba peace agreement, have not been fully realized.
In regards to Al Wehda Dam, that supplies Al Yarmouk river, which supplied both Jordan and Israel, our brothers in Syria have dug wells along the dam and built dams above the Wehda Dam, which has affected its capacity. It was supposed to hold 110 million cubic meters of water, now, per year it's about 15 million cubic meters. Why did this happen? Our water is being taken from us.
Looking ahead, I expect that agriculture in Jordan will not be sustainable—unless something changes. Only if God blesses us with rainfall could this shift, and this is something we cannot tell. But that is beyond our control.
May God help future generations face these challenges.
Life expectancy 2023
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