Farmers’ perceptions of water policies: a case study from the Jordanian Badia
This report reviews a case study of farmers’ perceptions of policies and regulations to improve water security in the Jordanian Badia. The aim is to improve water management and conservation by engaging all stakeholders, in particular farmers and rural communities, in this common goal. The research forms part of the Water Livelihood Initiative and will be of interest to policymakers, development agencies, NGOs, and water-management agencies operating in similarly water-stressed regions. As one of the most water-poor countries in the world, Jordan must address increasing demand for and decreasing supply of good quality water resources. This study considers the need to apply waterharvesting technologies to the region and identifies barriers to implementing this effectively. The subject is introduced with a general overview of regulatory bodies, coordinated by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, followed by a discussion of relevant policies and regulations. A case study directly investigates farmers’ awareness and acceptance of current water policies to assess the likely success of such policies in two areas of the Jordanian Badia.