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First Arab Forum on Water Scarcity | Amman, Jordan

7 - 8 Feb 2024 | ALECSO and The University of Jordan

The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALESCO) together with the School of Agriculture at the University of Jordan organized the First Arab Forum on Water Scarcity Management in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions.

Hosted by the University, the Forum addressed the topic ‘Innovation for Sustainable Water Management’, and the most pressing challenges and mechanisms presented by the scientific community, decision-makers and end users.

About the Organizers

The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) is a Tunis-based specialized institution working under the umbrella of the League of Arab States. It is essentially concerned with the development and coordination of the activities related to education, culture and sciences in the Arab World. It was established by virtue of Article 3 of the Arab Cultural Unity Charter, and was officially announced in Cairo on July 25, 1970.As stated in Article One of its Constitution, ALECSO was established with the aim of promoting Arab intellectual unity through education, culture and sciences, and enhancing the educational, cultural and scientific level in the Arab World so that it can positively contribute to universal civilization.

The University of Jordan (UJ) was founded in 1962 and has grown to become Jordan’s largest university. In fact, it is the first university in Jordan, established in the capital city of Amman by a Royal Decree in 1962. It has evolved into a comprehensive university with a second branch in the port city of Aqaba. UJ has been rated five QS Stars and it has been ranked among the best 591-600 universities in the world according to the QS World University Rankings 2023. It offers a wide range of programmes with eight international accredited schools (24 Academic programmes). The University is located in the heart of Amman and is surrounded by shopping centers, accommodation, restaurants, entertainment and public transportation links. The official currency is Jordanian Dinar. The official language is Arabic, and English is the first foreign language. 

The vision of the School of Agriculture of the University of Jordan is to actively participate in securing agricultural needs, food production and environment protection and prepare students to become future leaders in agriculture and society through excellence in the services provided, modernization and continual improvement. The Faculty aims to provide quality education research and services to promote production in agricultural and food sectors through improved and advanced practices and sustained management of natural resources in an atmosphere that promotes student personality, innovation and excellence.

Background

Arab nations, through their research and academic centers, together with other countries around the world, have been aiming at openness to the regional and international environment, and within the scope of global policies and strategies for water management and conservation emanating from the Arab and international countries and as a contribution to achieving the sustainable development goals 2030 related to water, environment, climate change and energy.

The Forum

The forum aims to enhance the participation of Arab and international experiences in the field of water management under conditions of water scarcity to achieve the goals of sustainable development, more specifically Goal 6 “Clean water and sanitation” by increasing the efficiency of water use and maintaining its supply in a sustainable manner to overcome the problem of water scarcity and reduce the degree of this problem by 2030. According to World Bank reports, water scarcity affects more than 40% of the world's population, and water-related disasters account for 70% of all deaths related to natural disasters, with most countries today putting unprecedented pressure on water resources.

It is estimated that if current practices continue, the world will face a 40% shortfall between expected demand and available water supply by 2030. Furthermore, non-renewable water sources, climate change and resulting disasters (such as floods and droughts) are seen as one of the greatest threats to sustainable development. The expected frequent and successive droughts will increase water scarcity and water resources deterioration, which in turn will lead to increased competition on water. Therefore, the increased water scarcity is expected to have negative impacts on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) related to eliminating hunger (SDG2) and clean water and sanitation (SDG6), which in turn affects all aspects of sustainable development of cities and communities (SDG11). Water management which forms part of environmental conservation is also linked to clean energy (SDG7) and food production for zero hunger (SDG2).

​To enhance water security, it has become necessary to develop innovative mechanisms and methods for managing water resources and mitigating the negative impact of climate change on water resources (climate action or SDG13), and to invest in technology and innovative applications for enhancing productivity and efficiency and preserving and protecting water resources in the Arab region, which faces accumulated challenges in the field of water as a result of population growth, migration, changing consumption patterns, regional conflicts, climate changes and water management systems.

In this context, ALESCO and The University of Jordan seek to shed light on the issue of managing water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions and its implications by presenting modern methods in monitoring and managing water and using modern technologies, artificial intelligence technology, and various applications in the field of data processing and governance. The forum will also identify information and data sources that are necessary for water management in arid and semi-arid regions, by linking the scientific community, decision makers and end users.

The Forum Goals

•       Enhancing the role of scientific research and innovation in finding solutions to water issues and raising awareness in the field of water resources management, and contributing to the development of research and technology used in building capacity in the field of water by discussing modern concepts and methods in managing water scarcity,

•       Enhancing cooperation between academic scientists and researchers, exchanging experiences and results of research related to water scarcity management, and contributing to the formulation of strategic policies and enhancing Arab and international cooperation in this field,

•       Stimulating economic and social development through the use of modern technologies and optimal water management,

•       Highlighting the scientific challenges and practical solutions adopted in the field of water scarcity and sustainable water management,

•       Identifying appropriate methods for building and activating water information and data, while demonstrating the role of open data and innovation platforms in water management.

The Forum Themes

§  Theme 1: Innovation and technology to confront the challenges of water scarcity
-       Smart networks and artificial intelligence for water management.
-      Modern applications in processing water data and benefiting from water information databases.
-       Using renewable energy and raising the efficiency of supply networks to alleviate water poverty.

§  Theme 2: Ways and mechanisms for developing and diffusing innovation for sustainable water management
-       Water policies and strategies, the role of women, youth and community participation.
-       Financing and innovative models for implementing water scarcity projects.
-       Capacity building and institutional development to increase resilience, the role of media and public awareness.

§  Theme 3: Good governance and integrated management of water resource
-       Integrated management of water resource management, and coordination of action plans for sectors related to water scarcity.
-       Adapting to climate change and environmental degradation, especially in areas of water stress.
-       Available information platforms and their role in managing disasters affecting the water sector. 

§  Theme 4: Modern concepts in water management
-       Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystem Nexus (WEFE Nexus).
-       Water accounting, water auditing, the role of remote sensing and geomatics.
-       Green economy, city planning, land use, and their role in water management.

“Water Scarcity in Jordan:
Engaging our Youth for New Perspectives and a Vision for the Future”

INTRODUCTION

ACTIVATE was conceived with the understanding that a perspective of the world through both the arts and the sciences can serve to connect and communicate ideas that engage with today’s pressing issues and our planet’s most urgent challenges. This understanding is based on the principle that the combined energy of scientific research and broader creative and cultural endeavors generate special ‘contact zones’ to link innovative actions and to also unite voices of people from different disciplines and backgrounds. The organization’s work involves the creation of, and participation in, projects and events that share similar objectives.

Today, greater efforts are needed to overcome the increasingly interlinked issues of the accelerating climate crisis, food insecurity, energy insufficiency, and of water scarcity. These challenges have made a wider discussion and an understanding of the connections between these crises - most particularly for the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean and MENA region, where the need for more integrated research, planning and management for water, energy and food systems, and for climate action is most critical.

One of the groups whose views on these issues must be encouraged is that of the youth of this region, whose future is already being shaped by decisions being made today. Today’s younger generation - more specifically students of university age who will be transitioning into the real world - qualify not only to have their opinions and their ideas acknowledged, but also to have the important role they can play in advancing knowledge and generating new ideas, be it on the ground or on an institutional level, more actively supported.

In the many important present-day professions, such as those related to sustainability, climate change, to issues of water- energy-food, the young researchers who will soon be the next specialists in numerous important sectors - from land use and agriculture, water management, food sciences, human and animal health, engineering to green economy - should go out in to the world not only equipped with a strong educational background and with 21st century skills required for tackling our shared regional challenges - but also with a confidence in their human capabilities. It is their unique talents, emotional intelligence, and their capacity to offer to the world the strengths of their personal characteristics as individuals which must be equally valued and nurtured; as it is through a combination of access to information and digital technologies, alongside strong collaborative abilities for the exchange of personal ideas and opinions, through which they will best excel and lead in the future.

In embarking on the challenging step into the professional world, we must support our youth to fully recognize their so essential role, their potential influence, and even responsibility to contribute to society at large, and to regional progress. For this, the importance of colleges, universities, training centers, or any educational body in providing the guidance to create each sector’s future leaders - individuals capable of undertaking change-making actions and decisions - is more important than ever. For this, students must be encouraged to cooperate with peers from dissimilar sectors, with stake-holders from diverse backgrounds, and those currently in decision-making positions - and to do so by utilizing the entire range of their abilities, and with the conviction of their accumulated experiences and beliefs.

YOUTH SESSION BACKGROUND

The proposal to organize a Youth Session within ALECSO’s Water Scarcity Forum with students from the School of Agriculture came from the certainty that the inclusion of the voice of the youth into the University of Jordan event was as vitally important as the invited expert speakers. Moreover, it was to highlight the fact that the water scarcity challenge in the Arab world needs to be addressed through an effective and intergenerational cross-pollination of knowledge around the interdependencies of the many development sectors related to the water sector itself. Since the availability of this natural resource equally affects numerous issues - from food security, energy use, human health, socio-economic conditions, population movements, to gender and human rights - it was essential that students be encouraged to focus on the diverse approaches needed to resolve an issue as complex as our current water resource challenges.

Hence, through the planned youth Workshop and Session, it was necessary to ascertain that the students consider not only the realities of their own sector of focus, but also think about integrating both intellectual and potential practical intersections when dealing with the parallel issues of water insufficiency and water management in Jordan. As this scarce resource is so fundamental to its social, economic, and political security as an arid and semi-arid country whose low precipitation is further impacted by additional pressures - including climate change, growing domestic and agricultural demand, shared resources - the importance of students thinking beyond the boundaries of the water sector and integrating the needs of the multiple relevant nexuses was paramount.

YOUTH WORKSHOP: Current Challenges and Future Opportunities for Water

The concept of this initiative was conceived through a collaboration with Prof. Dr. Luma Al Banna, Department of Plant Protection & Dean Assistant for Alumni Affairs; and with Assistant Professor, Dr. Asma’a Albakri, Department of Nutritional Sciences & Dean Assistant for Students Affairs, prior to the pre-forum Workshop held at the University of Jordan.

The understanding was to bring together a group of students from the School of Agriculture to discuss their ideas and thoughts around the topic of water scarcity from a previously proposed set of guidelines, which would be presented at the closing session of the Forum. The concept behind the collaboration was firstly inspired by the varied subjects studied by students within the School of Agriculture’s six departments. The agreed upon approach was to put together six teams of two students, cross paired between these six different departments (Horticulture and Crop Science; Land, Water and Environment; Nutrition and Food Technology; Animal Production; Agricultural Economics; Plant Protection) but moreover, to pair a current student (3rd or 4th year) with a newly graduated student.

This format provided each team with the possibility to merge two water-related themes and to look at them from various perspectives. Moreover, to co-develop a joint idea as an intended project which integrated their different sets of accumulated knowledge and approaches, and to explore the interconnections - or roadblocks - that they might identify within their pairing of viewpoints. The hope was that working together on a common objective would create a shared and unique consideration or solution, but also might uncover unanticipated linkages between water and other issues. Finally, to think about how these issues relate to what they observed in the real world around them i.e., to explore how learning and knowledge acquired beyond academic textbooks and governmental sources - within on-the-ground practice, through one’s peers experiences, and through everyday observation - is of equal importance.

For the Workshop therefore, it was essential to have an informal and interactive approach, in which the students could investigate beyond the parameters of their syllabus and topics of study and bring a more personal viewpoint about the issues that concerned them most. In this way, we could have a discussion that would encourage open critical thinking, and a valuing of each student’s individuality, unique talents and creativity. Finally, it would give current students the opportunity to hear the perspectives of the recently graduated students regarding the professional and vocational world, and the issues that they may have faced adapting to new work environments, intersectoral dialogue, collaborative and practical work.

SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES

The Workshop meeting brought an extraordinary and deep discussion between the students on diverse water-related topics and new propositions on issues from food nutrition, better animal health, food gardens, AI-related solutions for urban water leakage, to more human-centered strategies for communicating top-down water recommendations. Equally meaningful were the voiced personal concerns, childhood memories related to water, and the revelation of an evident and palpable need to be heard as educated and strong individuals desiring to integrate their personalities and intuitions within their formal studies. The forum’s Youth Session itself brought to participants and invited speakers an overview of these personal discussions, of the intended and envisioned projects, and once again, of the essential hope of the students to be more acknowledged and validated by those in decision-making positions.

The Workshop and Session also revealed the importance and strength of adding more independent and non-academic thinking to educational practices, of finding existing cultural connecting points, and more personal facets of communication - all of which create deeper understanding between individuals. Our conclusion is that it is these more human and subjective understandings that generate new dialogues, good citizenship, and positive pathways for change; and such efforts should be the basis for cultivating the best in our communities, for learning to live together, work together, and participate together for a better world.

NEXT STEPS

It was appropriate and greatly fulfilling that the final initiative and outcome of the Water Forum was a pledge by ALECSO to launch a “Youth Water Network” that would serve to connect students, young researchers and young professionals engaged in the regional water scarcity challenge and its multiple nexus fields across the Arab world. Moreover, to provide a solid and dependable platform for: exchange of knowledge and experiences, the organization of youth-led events, all of which might ultimately create a collective ‘water culture’ to facilitate the formation of more complex undertakings around this most vital natural resource - from the discussion of future technical partnerships or ‘nexus-sensitive’ policies, creative and cultural cooperation through water, cross-border diplomacy, and even bonds of friendship - all of which will have a transformational impact on the water action in the years ahead.

In conclusion, within the MENA countries we must continue to explore new and effective ways to cultivate all the energy, creative thinking and passion of our youth to contribute and to play a role in the world around them. The purpose of this commitment is to guide and enable them to both envision and to put into practice definitive pathways for collaborative interdisciplinarity and stronger regional collective action. This will likewise serve to further unite our efforts in addressing our increasing interconnected challenges.

WITH THANKS

Finally, my personal thanks to ALECSO for the vision and for the kind invitation, to the School of Agriculture for the enthusiastic collaboration, but above all to the present and former students of the University of Jordan for adding your authentic and powerful voices to the discussion of water by openly vocalizing thoughtfully and passionately presented thoughts and observations, and innovative ideas that came from your concerns and frustrations about the scarcity of this resource. More so though, thank you for the courage of your personal beliefs, in sharing moments of your life experiences, your strengths and fears, and capacity for empathy – as these are the things which made this collective exchange a most meaningful and memorable experience.

Going forward now, may our collective vision be to see a world in which we are all just a little bit more involved in defining both the decisions and the positive actions that will shape the future of our region.

Melina Nicolaides
February 2024