Water crisis in Jordan: An assessment of the blue water footprint in vegetable production
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Mechanical Engineering Department, Tafila Technical University, Tafila, Jordan
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Department of Natural Resources and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tafila Technical University, Tafila, Jordan
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Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Liwa College, Abu Dhabi, UAE
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Department of Civil Engineering, American International University, Aljahra, Kuwait
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Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan
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Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA
Corresponding author
Sameh Alsaqoor
Mechanical Engineering Department, Tafila Technical University, Tafila, Jordan
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ABSTRACT
Several countries are classified as water-scarce based on the threshold of 500 m³ per person per year. Jordan is among the most water-scarce nations, with renewable water resources of less than 100 m³ per capita. The agricultural sector accounts for over 50% of Jordan’s sustainable water supply, using approximately 500 million m³ (MCM) of freshwater annually to produce about 1.8 million tons of vegetables. Given this significant demand, evaluating and minimizing the Blue Water Footprint (BWF) is essential for sustainable water management. This study assesses the potential for freshwater savings in Jordan’s vegetable production by applying the BWF framework as a comparative and evaluative tool. Statistical data from multiple sources were analyzed to calculate the BWF of the major vegetables cultivated in Jordan. Results indicate that the BWF for most crops exceeds international averages. Further analysis revealed that over 70% of the cultivated areas rely on open-field irrigation systems located in regions with high water absorption and evaporation rates, contributing to the elevated BWF values. The findings suggest that adopting advanced irrigation technologies and controlled-environment agriculture could significantly reduce the BWF, improving irrigation efficiency and promoting long-term water sustainability. Moreover, tomato cultivation for export purposes was found to consume a disproportionately large share of freshwater; aligning its BWF with global benchmarks could save approximately 52 MCM of freshwater annually.