In an interview conducted by “Al-Anbat” with the head of the Administrative Commission for the Arab Nature Conservation, Eng. Razan Zuaiter, about the solution to the food problem in Jordan through hydroponics in Bint Zuaiter, and through the hydroponics technique, the majority of crops are leaves, in addition to that we have a surplus in the production of these leafy crops sometimes Which does not provide enough calories for humans, so its introduction in the priority list of supporting the agricultural sector is considered a luxury, but the real problem lies elsewhere and requires every moral and material effort to overcome the deteriorating situation of this sector by using smart and real technologies with great effectiveness, which has led to its marginalization and distraction worldwide, which led to an increase in the number of hungry people.
Zaiter pointed out that the crops that are considered a solution to the problem of food security in Jordan are not originally grown using the hydroponics technique, and specifically we are talking about field crops such as wheat, barley and other grains.
She explained that the hydroponics technique may give a greater amount per unit area compared to traditional cultivation in the soil, but those who are enthusiastic about this technique avoid going into, intentionally or unintentionally, its details and the difficulty of its application, and their focus is on saving the quantities of water used in this cultivation, indicating that water.
The used ones cannot alone feed the plants, but rather they need special fertilizers that are manufactured in the form of liquid packages in order to compensate for what the soil provides “for free”, and many of them are not available in the local market what necessitates their import, and their high costs are added to the costs of the expensive infrastructure, along with the costs of equipment.
Others to adjust the special internal environment, building techniques and special tools with the need sometimes for artificial lighting because this type of agriculture does not need sunlight, which hinders most farmers from investing in it meaningfully, as it also needs high technical knowledge and experience that requires the presence of qualified technicians.
With high salaries for daily supervision, especially since any defect in the internal environment of the farm, such as power outages, will cause a vital shock to the plants and thus damage them. She pointed out that hydroponics mainly needs areas covered with glass or a special type of thick plastic in the cultivation area, and the farmer needs specific ponds whose sizes differ according to the type of plants, in addition to special devices for measuring pH, water purity, temperature control, humidity, salinity, and water pumps. And irrigation lines prepared technically and others, indicating that the products of this technology perish faster and have a lower nutritional value compared to those grown in the soil.
Zuaiter emphasized the role of the Arab Organization for the Protection of Nature in supporting and empowering farmers, especially young farmers, with production inputs and assisting them with advice and practical and scientific experience that we possess. Also, the Arab Organization for the Protection of Nature does not exaggerate in its advice, as we focused on the importance of soil and its exceptional role as the “miracle” incubator for plants, which until now Scientists are still trying to understand its living and non-living components in the agricultural process. Rather, we go beyond this aspect of its moral and essential role in man’s connection with his land, his adherence to it, and not abandoning it.
Zuaiter asked why there is no talk about water waste from hydroponics? It is salty water that needs to be renewed every once in a while, and it requires special and expensive technologies to treat it, and not through the traditional purification plants that treat gray water and turn it into arable water, but it needs a water system in these farms with special extensions that ensure that solid water residues that are harmful to the soil and groundwater do not leak out, causing harming the surrounding environment.
Zaiter warned against agricultural pests caused by hydroponics, because the resulting moisture constitutes a vital medium in which pathogens multiply, which means other expenses for medicines and prevention techniques, and the difficulty of applying clean organic farming through them.
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