Context
The provision of food, water and energy (FWE) is essential to human existence. In a context of continuing population growth, massive urbanization and ever-increasing consumption needs, finding ways to sustainably supply food, water and energy has never been more urgent.
Amman and its metropolitan region have experienced rapid growth in recent years. In 2004, 2 million people lived in Amman, by 2023 the population reaches 4 million. According to estimates by Riahi et al. (2017), 10 million people will live in the Amman governorate by 2050. With such growth comes a greater need for resources (food, water, energy).
Jordan is facing a freshwater crisis. Global warming and population growth are diminishing its natural water resources, in a country already affected by water stress. In 2016, its annual renewable resources per capita (145 m3) were well below the threshold defining a serious water shortage (500 m3). This situation threatens the country's food, energy and economic sovereignty.
In response, scientists, engineers, economists and experts have come together to create a 3-year (2018-2021) transdisciplinary research project to identify solutions for the long-term sustainability of the three spheres of the FWE nexus - food, water and energy - in Jordan, with a particular focus on the Greater Amman region.
The project
The FUSE non-profit research project is being launched in 2018. It draws on the expertise and knowledge of local stakeholders and experts: scientists, engineers, economists and stakeholder engagement experts from Stanford University in California, USA, IASA (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis) in Laxenburg, Austria, UFZ (Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research) in Leipzig, Germany,…
The project is a non-profit research effort and is part of the global sustainable urbanization initiative of JPI Urban Europe and the Belmont Forum. It also brings together several Jordanian institutions such as AgriJordan, the Agricultural Credit Corporation, the Jordan Climate Change and Environmental Protection Association (JOCCEPS), the Jordan Environmental Protection Association (JEPA) and many others.
Several workshops were organized over the course of the project to discuss and exchange views on current challenges and future adaptation strategies to meet them, in the form of "world cafés". The first workshop took place in Amman in March 2019. During this first workshop, exchanges raised 4 main issues:
- Water resources
- Urban and industrial development
- Rural development
- Energy
Focus group divisions were used to propose appropriate solutions in line with the issues raised and the expertise of each stakeholder. Several solutions were identified for each issue: intelligent water and flood management, improving water sharing with neighboring territories, improving the operation of water infrastructures, redesigning and renovating old buildings, improving the quality of public transport, restructuring agricultural institutions and strengthening cooperation between ministries, farmers and intermediaries, developing solar farming in certain very arid areas of southern Jordan, etc.
With and for whom?
The project is intended to be transdisciplinary, involving a wide range of players: scientists, economists, engineers, experts and players from the world of agriculture, etc., in areas linked to water, food and energy resources.
The results of the workshops and studies are necessary for Jordan to meet its future food, water and energy needs. The results of these analyses will be presented to Jordanian stakeholders in the FUSE project and to political experts in the form of study reports to guide the steps to be taken.
Means
As previously stated, the project has benefited from the contribution of numerous research, institutional and economic players: Stanford University (UFZ) (project leader), the Austrian Foundation for Research Development (OFSE), and the International Institute for Applied Analytical Systems (IIASA). The project has a core partner, MIRRA, Methods of Irrigation and Agriculture, which was the local coordinator of the FUSE project in Jordan. MIRRA is a research and development organization working locally in Jordan and regionally in the MENA region in the fields of research, development and innovation to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), local regional strategies and economic and social prosperity.
Finally, the project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 730254. The project budget is €1,850,645.
Results
Due to the recent closure of the research project, the results have not yet been released. In addition, COVID has delayed the actions carried out.
This initiative sheet was written by Nadja Camille, LF's project manager in February 2023.
Last modification : 30 Jan 2024.
FUSE
FUSE (Food-water-energy for Urban Sustainable Environments) is a 3-year (2018-2021) research program in Jordan that aims to find viable, long-term solutions to the sustainable development challenges faced by the food-water-energy nexus.