3E-Center for climate, smart saline land, water management and natural capital accounting (NCA) in Jordan

Short general project overview

Saline Farming is the renewed name of Salt Farm Texel (www.saltfarmtexel.com). Saline Farming focuses on innovating agriculture under increasingly saline conditions. Four factors are important here:

1. choice of crop and variety;
2. method of tillage;
3. fertilization and
4. irrigation.

Saline Farming validated and partly enhanced the knowledge developed on Texel in several countries. The same is currently being done in Jordan.

The consortium consists of 3 organisations. Saline Farming will act as the secretary.
Nectearra (www.nectearra.com) provides various services related to water and groundwater, specifically focused on research and advice in matters such as exploration, extraction and management of groundwater, smart water management and 3R (recharge, retention, reuse) and agroforestry. Nectaerra operates from a wide network in the water sector. Delphy (www.delphy.com) provides various research, advice and training services for flower, fruit and vegetable cultivation at home and abroad.

The three partners operate as partners under a largely shared project management.
The National Agricultural Research Center NARC has a very strong network in the country and ample knowledge of the local conditions and local agricultural practice. In addition, NARC also has a huge outreach to the farmers. After all, they must operate under the salty conditions.

This consortium aims to introduce the pioneering innovations in crops and cultivation techniques under salinizing conditions in Jordan. Saline Farming introduces new cultivation techniques. Nectaerra contributes to knowledge development of water availability, efficiency and management and agroforestry. Delphy supports this development with agricultural and commercial knowledge. The local knowledge and network of NARC provides fast upscaling options.

The salt farming approach supervises the testing of the technical and commercial feasibility of the combined agro-water solutions in saline cultivation, water management and agroforestry. The possibility of scaling will be determined. In the short term, the feasibility will be tested at two locations, one NARC farm and one NARC research centre. Furthermore, the locations will be used to scale up the approach through training, capacity building and demonstration. Knowledge validation and expansion under local circumstances is of course an important part of this. The long-term goal is to develop a system in which the effective transfer of innovative knowledge of farming solutions to the agricultural sector is possible. Meanwhile effective partnerships will be built to give farmers access to attractive forms of financing to make the necessary improvements under the guidance of the consortium. In the long term, the consortium strives to create a revenue model that, in addition to training and advice, also generates income from farm inputs.
 

Initial activities and results of the project

The work includes 5 main activities:

• WP1: Data collection, exploratory analysis and kick-off mission (the Netherlands / Jordan);
• WP2: Design & realization of climate smart saline land and water management on 2 farms (the Netherlands / Jordan);
• WP3: Natural capacity accounting (NCA) & food-water-energy analysis (the Netherlands);
• WP4: Commercial research and preparation 3E-Center (the Netherlands / Jordan);
• WP5: Final report, conclusions, recommendations and follow-up (the Netherlands).

Bulk of the work takes place in WP2, 3 and 4. In WP2 the feasibility of the solution under local agricultural conditions is proven on 2 saline farms during one harvest period, in WP3 the effects of this are compared to normal cultivation by natural (land and water) capital accounting, and in WP4 the operating model and implementation of a 3E-Center are tested for feasibility.

Cooperation with the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture (National Agricultural Research Center; NARC) is decisive in all activities. They provide in-kind facilities for this and support with commercial preparations and partnership formation for a broad roll-out. The facilities include 2 farms: one in the Jordan Valley (Northwest of Amman) which is commercially run, and one farm at Al Mafraq (Northeast of Amman) used as a research site.