‘Gov’t has no intention to reconsider decision on Disi farming investors’

The government will not reconsider its decision to end the contractual relationship with three private companies investing in agricultural land near the southern Disi aquifer basin. Officials have cited violations of the contract on the part of the four companies as the drive behind the decision, but local residents reportedly protested the decision, claiming that the investors were important to support the lifestyle of residents in this south desert community. Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Abdullah Abu Rumman said “the decision was partly made in response to calls by several residents and environmentalists who have been long pressing for terminating contracts with the investment companies”. On Sunday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, quoted several area residents from the Mudawarah and Disi regions in Maan Governorate as saying that the Cabinet decision not to renew contracts with the farming companies would lead to job losses and other consequences. They argued that the firms have long been creating job opportunities for local inhabitants and offering them free-of-charge drinking water. However, a total of 40 community leaders and tribal leaders from the Southern Badia were quoted by a Ministry of Agriculture statement as describing the Cabinet decision as “daring and a step in the right direction”. They argued it will contribute to keeping the underground water storage of the non-renewable Disi aquifer. Also yesterday, Minister of State and Minister of Agriculture Samir Habashneh discussed with people from Mudawarah and Disi a request to renew contracts with the investment companies. According to a Ministry of Agriculture statement sent to The Jordan Times yesterday, Habashneh promised to examine the request with the concerned parties. Also during the meeting, Habashneh noted that the government will work on distributing a total of 40,000 dunums of land in the southern region among area inhabitants with the aim of helping them start agricultural projects of their own, the statement said. On July 20, the Cabinet decided to end the contractual relationship with three private companies investing in agricultural land near the southern Disi aquifer. A contract with a fourth investor will expire next year. At the time, in remarks to The Jordan Times, Habashneh said the decision was taken because the companies have violated some of the terms of the agreements and failed to implement development projects in the area, a major component of the deal. He added that the companies have not met the government’s condition to cultivate “strategic crops” such as wheat and barley and raise livestock, opting, instead, for other crops, mainly vegetables.