WADI for Sustainable Ecosystems Development is a national NGO established in 2018, under the umbrella of the Jordan Ministry of Environment. WADI is working to promote best practices for aquifer recharge, healthy ecosystems and the production of healthy, high-quality native plants while actively engaging the local communities to ensure its activities’ long-term sustainability.
The vision of WADI is “healthy watersheds managed by resilient communities”. In order to achieve this vision, WADI has set its mission to “restore forests and rangelands for climate resilience, community livelihoods, and long-term water security”. WADI is proud to have Her Highness Sharifa Zein bint Nasser as the Honorary Chairperson. WADI is overseen by seven accomplished board members who are passionate about WADI’s vision and continue to provide advice and supervisory support to WADI.
90% of Jordan’s land is arid and threatened by desertification, Jordan is the world’s second most water poor country, and Jordan consumes its groundwater twice as quickly as it can be recharged. The core competencies are forests and rangeland restoration, set up of nurseries to produce high-quality seedlings used in rangelands and forests restoration, training, local community engagement and awareness, and gender and youth integration in activities.
The achievements of WADI since its inception include 38 long-term job opportunities created; 1,890 seasonal jobs created; six partner nurseries with total production of 571,800 seedlings; 75% survival rate across 2 reference sites; 1,160 school children and community members participated in awareness sessions; and 14,300 rangeland hectares restored with native seedlings across Jordan.
WADI has strong partnerships. Different partners include the donors USFS/IP and U.S. State Department. Mitsubishi Corporation, Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF), World Food Program (WFP) and Partners: Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), The Hashemite Fund for the Development of Jordan Badia (HF), International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), and Royal Botanic Garden (RBG).
WADI works in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the six governorates of Majjdiyya in Amman, Azraq in Zarqa, Sabha in Mafraq, Tal Al Rumman in Balqa, Sakeb, Nijdeh, & Nahleh in Jerash, Wadi Rum in Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (Aqaba).