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As exceptionally hot weather sweeps across Jordan this week, many farmers say they are expecting the worst, according to recent articles in the Jordan Times. Jordan, already among the world’s top 10 water-poor countries, is the only country in the Middle East to ration water year round.

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Jordan is a chronically water-scarce country, and less than five per cent of the land is arable. For farmers, little or no rainfall means severely reduced cultivation and production – and increased hunger and poverty. Those who find other ways to supplement their incomes generally earn very little. To address these challenges, an IFAD-supported project provided farmers with technical and financial assistance to promote soil and water conservation and boost agricultural production. It also helped more than 800 women develop small-scale business enterprises to increase family incomes.

In Jordan the challenge is to stop the entire Kingdom from turning to desert – a growing problem due to persistent drought and a population swollen by refugees from Middle East conflicts. Competition for water is so severe that even the legendary Dead Sea could disappear. TV presenter Rula Amin travels the length of Jordan and discovers that an IFAD-supported project working on the front lines of the crisis in the country’s driest southern governates provides innovative solutions as well as lessons for other countries.

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While many people in the desert country of Jordan have emigrated to city centres, some, like Janet, have chosen to stay in the traditional life, rearing livestock and moving according to the seasons and the available pasturelands.

But Jordan's natural resources are very limited, especially when it comes to water, making a traditional Jordanian lifestyle increasingly difficult

Zeinab Momani’s high school scores did not allow her to fulfill her life’s desire of attending university - but she did not stop seeking other options. 25-year-old Zeinab heard from her brother about a short business-management training program that teaches participants how to start their own business.

This opportunity was a beacon of hope for Zeinab. Poverty and unemployment rates were rising fast in the impoverished areas of Jordan. Entrepreneurship became a practical solution to boost employment and increase income. Zeinab quickly enrolled in USAID’s “Simplified Start and Improve Your Business” training program. By the end of the program, she realized that she could start her own business and began to rethink her future.