Location: Mujib Basin, Jordan
Funded By: The PRIMA Program (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area)
Implemented By: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Seven Demonstration Projects (DPs) have been established across Jordan, Morocco, Italy, Portugal, Lebanon, Spain, and Tunisia to pilot and validate the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus Framework (WEFeF). These pilots aim to refine the framework for replicability, bridge gaps between governance and practical implementation, and develop nexus bridging plans with ranked solution strategies.
In Jordan, IUCN-ROWA partnered with the German Jordanian University to implement a DP in the Dhiban area within the Wadi Mujib watershed (central Jordan). Wadi Mujib covers 6,727 km² and receives an average annual rainfall of 135 mm, with significant variation depending on location and topography (ranging from 50 mm to 600 mm). The main crops in the region are vegetables and olive trees.
The DP introduces soilless substrate culture (hydroponics) combined with solar-powered drip irrigation and fertigation systems, designed to conserve water and improve adoption in a rural Mediterranean context. These smart agricultural techniques aim to enhance market uptake and policy integration of the WEFE Nexus in a region characterised by scarce water resources, acute land degradation, high poverty rates, and limited technological development.
The initiative is managed by a youth cooperative of 23 unemployed young men and women, emphasising community empowerment and local ownership.
Beyond the pilot, the BONEX project promotes awareness and dialogue on sustainable value chains, advocates for integrating rural contexts into Jordan’s national energy strategy and anticipated electricity market reforms and facilitates the introduction of water-saving technologies in agriculture.
Achievements:
Established two fully operational closed-loop hydroponic greenhouses using volcanic tuff as a soilless substrate.
Achieved significant water savings (25–38%) compared to traditional greenhouses.
Increased crop productivity by 25%–106% across cucumber, peas, and cabbage cycles.
Demonstrated strong climate resilience, maintaining production even during extreme heatwaves.
Achieved full energy neutrality through off grid solar PV systems producing daily surplus energy.
Operated by the Dhiban Youth Cooperative (23 young members, including 43% women), creating fair employment and income opportunities.
Enabled gender-inclusive participation through technology that reduces physical labour and offers skilled roles.
Strengthened local capacities through continuous training on hydroponics and crop management.
Improved livelihood prospects in a rural poverty hotspot with high youth unemployment.
Increased community awareness and acceptance of smart agriculture and water-saving technologies.
Applied the full WEFE Nexus Bridging Framework, including participatory workshops, interviews, and causal loop analysis.
Strengthened collaboration among key national stakeholders (agriculture, water, cooperatives, local communities).
Successfully completed multiple crop cycles under varying climate conditions to test system performance.
Demonstrated scalability of hydroponics through scenario modelling, showing increased food production and reduced water stress.
