The Jordan River, also referred to as Nahr Al Sharieat in Arabic, is a long river in the Middle East that flows from north to south through the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. The Jordan River is bordered by the Golan...The Jordan River, also referred to as Nahr Al Sharieat in Arabic, is a long river in the Middle East that flows from north to south through the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. The Jordan River is bordered by the Golan Heights and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the east and by Israel and the Palestinian West Bank (Judea and Samaria) in the west. Soil tunnels, including those in the Jordan River watershed and on the Israel, Syria, and Lebanon borders, have a long history of use for warfare, as invasion pathways, smuggling, and storage of rockets, missiles and ordnance and are causes of serious political tension between the countries. Soil tunnel construction and destruction often has adverse environmental and human health impacts in the Jordan River landscape. Due to agricultural wastes, the discharge of untreated sewage, and diversion of saline springs into the river water there has been serious deterioration in the water quality in the lower courses of the Jordan River. The primary objective of this research is to encourage the development of a multi-country clean-up, mitigation, and protection plan for the Jordan River.展开更多
Geode, boudinage, and undulation structures are widely distributed in the siliceous beds of the Upper Cretaceous/Tertiary rocks in Jordan. Their formation was attributed to tectonic forces, syngenetic processes, organ...Geode, boudinage, and undulation structures are widely distributed in the siliceous beds of the Upper Cretaceous/Tertiary rocks in Jordan. Their formation was attributed to tectonic forces, syngenetic processes, organic disintegration processes, subaquatic gliding, compaction and settlement, and meteoritic impacts. In this work, the structural features in the siliceous beds of Jordan are attributed to an interplay of load and directed pressures, and mineralogical transformation processes (opal-A to opal-CT to quartz), governed by pH changes. Tectonic directed pressure was acting in an ESE-WSW direction and is common in the silicified limestone of Upper Cretaceous.展开更多
Evaluation of assessment of the metal processes governing the metals distribution in soil and dust samples is very significant and protects the health of human and ecological system. Recently, special attention has gi...Evaluation of assessment of the metal processes governing the metals distribution in soil and dust samples is very significant and protects the health of human and ecological system. Recently, special attention has given to the assessment of metals pollution impact on soil and dust within industrial areas. This study aims to assess the metal contamination levels in the topsoil and street dust around the cement factory in Qadissiya area, southern Jordan. The levels of seven metals (namely Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Mn) were analyzed using Flame Atomic Absorption Spec-trophotometer (FAAS) to monitor, evaluate, and to compare topsoil and road dust pollution values of metals of the different types of urban area. The physicochemical parameters which believed to affect the mobility of metals in the soil of the study area were determined such as pH, EC, TOM, CaCO3 and CEC. The levels of metal in soil samples are greater on the surface but decrease in the lower part as a result of the basic nature of soil. The mean values of the metals in soil can be arranged in the following order: Zn > Pb > Mn > Fe > Cu > Cr > Cd. The relatively high concentration of metals in the soil sample was attributed to anthropogenic activities such as traffic emissions, cement factory and agricultural activities. Correlation coefficient analysis and the spatial distribution of indices and the results of statistical analysis indicate three groups of metals: Fe and Mn result by natural origin, Zn, Pb, Cu and Zn result by anthropogenic origin (mainly motor vehicle traffic and abrasion of tires) while Cd is mixed origin. The higher content level values of metals of anthropogenic source in soil samples indicate that it is a source of contamination of air in the studied area. .展开更多
BACKGROUND Organ donation is a critical issue that is receiving greater attention worldwide.In Jordan,the public’s knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation play a significant role in the availability of or...BACKGROUND Organ donation is a critical issue that is receiving greater attention worldwide.In Jordan,the public’s knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation play a significant role in the availability of organs for transplantation.AIM To assess the public knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation in Jordan.METHODS A cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 396 Jordanian citizens via an online self-reported questionnaire.RESULTS Overall,396 participants were recruited.Of the entire sample,93.9%of the participants had heard about and had sufficient knowledge about organ donation but they had limited knowledge about brain death.The most common source of information about organ donation was social media networks.Females were found to score significantly higher than males for attitude.Those who had thought about organ donation or registered their names to donate scored signi-ficantly higher in terms of attitudes to donation than their counterparts who had not.The most common reasons for limited organ donation practices in Jordan were a lack of awareness programs and insufficient knowledge in society.CONCLUSION Greater public understanding of organ donation appears to be associated with more positive attitudes toward organ donation.Most participants responded positively regarding their attitude toward organ donation as they believed that this action could give another person a chance to live.Moreover,most agreed that they would donate their organs after their death.Otherwise,the participants had limited general knowledge about brain death,and most had not registered their names to donate their organs.These findings indicate the need for public awareness campaigns and educational programs to encourage more people to become organ donors.展开更多
Jordan is one of many countries that intends to reform its public sector by adopting accrual accounting,which is primarily carried out through the International Public Sector Accounting Standards(IPSAS)implementation ...Jordan is one of many countries that intends to reform its public sector by adopting accrual accounting,which is primarily carried out through the International Public Sector Accounting Standards(IPSAS)implementation plan,scheduled to be completed by 2021.Considering the difficulties of adoption,this process cannot be completed without an appropriate Information Technology(IT)system capable of providing the accounting information required for this reform.Therefore,this study aims to examine the influence of IT on accrual accounting adoption in the Jordanian public sector.The study employed the quantitative survey approach.Based on 331 usable questionnaires,the descriptive findings showed that the use of IT in the Jordanian public sector is relevant to daily accounting transactions in general and to accrual accounting in particular.The regression analysis showed a positive,significant relationship between IT use and accrual accounting practice.The IT specialist should be able to understand the needs of public sector in adopting accrual-based accounting.In line with today’s digitalization age,which integrates advanced technologies and numerous techniques,this study suggests that a combination of accounting and IT experts is a value added to sharpen the competitiveness of public sector reform.This study contributes to the extant literature in public sector,concerning the relationship between IT and accrual accounting adoption in the context of Jordan.展开更多
IPSAS was accepted by Jordan’s government in accordance with worldwide trends.The Jordanian Ministry of Finance launched cash-basis IPSAS in 2015 and planned to implement accrual accounting by January 1,2021.However,...IPSAS was accepted by Jordan’s government in accordance with worldwide trends.The Jordanian Ministry of Finance launched cash-basis IPSAS in 2015 and planned to implement accrual accounting by January 1,2021.However,the commitment to change remains uneven,hindering the full shift.Moving from old accounting processes to new ones is tough.Even then,it hasn’t been implemented,creating a gap due to the difficulty in committing to new accounting standards throughout implementation due to obstacles.Thus,knowing government accountants’issues is essential to applying IPSAS in government accounting.This study examines how transformational leadership affects government accountants’commitment to IPSAS adoption in Jordan’s public sector.This study used a quantitative approach to survey Jordanian Ministry of Finance accountants.The 384-person study had a 78%response rate.Additionally,PLS-SEM was used to confirm variable relationships.Transformational leadership positively predicted IPSAS implementation,according to the study.展开更多
Erosion as a natural process produces soils, which are very important natural resources for the fest land plant- and animal kingdoms. Loss of the soil cover reduces agricultural production, biodiversity, and the role ...Erosion as a natural process produces soils, which are very important natural resources for the fest land plant- and animal kingdoms. Loss of the soil cover reduces agricultural production, biodiversity, and the role of soil as a filter for infiltrating water to replenish the groundwater. It also threatens the food supplies. The knowledge of erosion rates of rocks and terrains is important for developing proactive measures to protect soils from erosion and loss. In this study, erosion rates of catchment areas were calculated based on dams’ catchment extensions and the sediment loads transported by flood flows into dams’ lakes. The study results show that the chemically, via floodwater, transported quantities of materials are negligible compared to the solid materials transported by the water. It calculates erosion rates ranging from 0.013 to 0.212 mm/yr (13 - 212 m/10<sup>6</sup> yr) for the different catchment areas. Erosion rates in Jordan are, generally, higher than those calculated for the different parts of the world ranging from 2.5 to 60 m/10<sup>6</sup> yr. This fact can be explained by the very steep topography, calcareous rock cover of the catchment areas and the barren rock exposures.展开更多
Objective To understand the perceptions of pregnant Jordanian women who received antenatal care via mobile clinic,and to contribute new insights into the experiences of these mothers and how they evaluated the service...Objective To understand the perceptions of pregnant Jordanian women who received antenatal care via mobile clinic,and to contribute new insights into the experiences of these mothers and how they evaluated the services that were available.Methods Ten Jordanian mothers who had received antenatal care at a mobile clinic discussed their experiences in semi-structured,audiotaped interviews in a study that adopted a qualitative research design.The analysis was done using interpretative phenomenological analysis.Results Three main themes were identified:Being informed about the medical campaign or missing the opportunity of being informed;The experience of receiving antenatal care was wonderful,although there was only one thing lacking;and they safeguard our life and take any opportunity to educate us.Conclusion Data indicate that the mothers were largely satisfied with most facets of the antenatal care services they had received at the mobile clinics.However,while services are generally well received,there are clear opportunities for ameliorating the quality of services provided.For mothers living in remote,deprived areas,outreach is not just an‘optional extra’but rather an essential service.展开更多
Globally,groundwater contamination by nitrate is one of the most widespread environmental problems,particularly in arid and semiarid areas,which are characterized by low amounts of rainfall and groundwater recharge.Th...Globally,groundwater contamination by nitrate is one of the most widespread environmental problems,particularly in arid and semiarid areas,which are characterized by low amounts of rainfall and groundwater recharge.The stable isotope composition of groundwater(δ2H-H2O andδ18O-H2O)and dissolved nitrate(δ15N-NO3–andδ18O-NO3–)and factor analysis(FA)were applied to explore groundwater provenance,pollution,and chemistry evolution in the northwestern part of the Amman-Al Zarqa Basin,Jordan.In this study,we collected 23 samples from the Lower Ajloun aquifer in 2021,including 1 sample from a groundwater well and 22 samples from springs.These samples were tested for electrical conductivity,total dissolved solids,pH,temperature,dissolved oxygen,the concentration of major ions(Ca2+,Mg2+,Na+,K+,HCO3–,Cl–,SO42–,and NO3–),and the stable isotope composition of groundwater and dissolved nitrate.The results revealed that groundwater in the study area is mainly Ca–Mg–HCO3 type and can be classified as fresh water,hard water,and very hard water.The range and average concentration of NO3–were 3.5–230.8 and 50.9 mg/L,respectively.Approximately 33%of the sampling points showed NO3–levels above the maximum allowable concentration of 50.0 mg/L set by the World Health Organization(WHO)guidelines for drinking water quality.The values ofδ18O-H2O andδ2H-H2O showed that groundwater in the study area is part of the current water cycle,originating in the Mediterranean Sea,with significant evaporation,orographic,and amount effects.The values of the stable isotope composition of NO3–corresponded toδ15N-NO3–andδ18O-NO3–values produced by the nitrification process of manure or septic waste and soil NH4+.The FA performed on the hydrochemical parameters and isotope data resulted in three main factors,with Factor 1,Factor 2,and Factor 3,accounting for 50%,21%,and 11%of the total variance,respectively.Factor 1 was considered human-induced factor,named"pollution factor",whereas Factor 2,named"conservative fingerprint factor",and Factor 3,named"hardness factor",were considered natural factors.This study will help local researchers manage groundwater sustainably in the study area and other similar arid and semiarid areas in the world.展开更多
This study aims to assess the small ruminant value chain in Al-Ruwaished District,Jordan,to identify the potential intervention areas that could improve the production efficiency and guarantee the sustainability of th...This study aims to assess the small ruminant value chain in Al-Ruwaished District,Jordan,to identify the potential intervention areas that could improve the production efficiency and guarantee the sustainability of the small ruminant sector in this area.Sheep breeding is the source of livelihood for most of the people in Al-Ruwaished District,which is characterized by the large number of sheep and goats.We surveyed 5.0% of the small ruminant holders in the study area and conducted individual interviews and surveys with the potential actors in the value chain to undertake a small ruminant value chain analysis.From the survey,we found that the small ruminant value chain consists of five core functions,namely,input supply,production management,marketing,processing,and consumption.Despite the stable impression given by the large number of holdings in the small ruminant sector,the surveyed results show a clear fragility in the value chain of small ruminants in this area.The small ruminant production system is negatively impacted by climate change,especially continuous drought.In addition,the high prices of feed that the farmer cannot afford with clear and real absence of the governmental and non-governmental support activities also impact the development of the value chain.The results of strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)analysis reveal that the major constraints faced by this value chain could be divided into external and internal threats.Specifically,the most prominent external threats are the nature of the desert land and continuous drought,while the major internal threats are the absence of appropriate infrastructure,shortage of inputs,and weakness in the production management and marketing.We proposed solutions to these challenges to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the sector,such as the formulation of emergency response plans to severe weather,qualifying farmers’skills,and establishment of agricultural cooperative societies.展开更多
This study discussed the water sector as a critical infrastructural element in Jordan where the sector is exposed to the extreme events. The exposure of the country to extreme events has initiated this study. Such eve...This study discussed the water sector as a critical infrastructural element in Jordan where the sector is exposed to the extreme events. The exposure of the country to extreme events has initiated this study. Such events are Pollution accidents, flooding, draughts, overexploitation, failure in electricity supply, climate changes, earthquakes, landslides, failure of dams, failure of wastewater treatment plants, failure of desalination plants, sabotage, fire, water theft, migration and demographic changes (immigration and urban migration), relations to neighboring countries, epidemics, and others. These extreme events are discussed in this article and the results show that failures in the water infrastructure and water supply, in Jordan, with its water sector situation have rigorous percussions on the country’s health, food supply, economy, societal stability, the built environment, and on other water-related issues. The study concludes that developing national programs to protect the water infrastructure in the water-fragile country has become very crucial to reach a robust and resilient water sector which not only means providing the inhabitants with quantitatively sufficient and qualitatively healthy water but also aims to incorporate guaranteeing social, economic and political stability.展开更多
文摘The Jordan River, also referred to as Nahr Al Sharieat in Arabic, is a long river in the Middle East that flows from north to south through the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. The Jordan River is bordered by the Golan Heights and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the east and by Israel and the Palestinian West Bank (Judea and Samaria) in the west. Soil tunnels, including those in the Jordan River watershed and on the Israel, Syria, and Lebanon borders, have a long history of use for warfare, as invasion pathways, smuggling, and storage of rockets, missiles and ordnance and are causes of serious political tension between the countries. Soil tunnel construction and destruction often has adverse environmental and human health impacts in the Jordan River landscape. Due to agricultural wastes, the discharge of untreated sewage, and diversion of saline springs into the river water there has been serious deterioration in the water quality in the lower courses of the Jordan River. The primary objective of this research is to encourage the development of a multi-country clean-up, mitigation, and protection plan for the Jordan River.
文摘Geode, boudinage, and undulation structures are widely distributed in the siliceous beds of the Upper Cretaceous/Tertiary rocks in Jordan. Their formation was attributed to tectonic forces, syngenetic processes, organic disintegration processes, subaquatic gliding, compaction and settlement, and meteoritic impacts. In this work, the structural features in the siliceous beds of Jordan are attributed to an interplay of load and directed pressures, and mineralogical transformation processes (opal-A to opal-CT to quartz), governed by pH changes. Tectonic directed pressure was acting in an ESE-WSW direction and is common in the silicified limestone of Upper Cretaceous.
文摘Evaluation of assessment of the metal processes governing the metals distribution in soil and dust samples is very significant and protects the health of human and ecological system. Recently, special attention has given to the assessment of metals pollution impact on soil and dust within industrial areas. This study aims to assess the metal contamination levels in the topsoil and street dust around the cement factory in Qadissiya area, southern Jordan. The levels of seven metals (namely Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Mn) were analyzed using Flame Atomic Absorption Spec-trophotometer (FAAS) to monitor, evaluate, and to compare topsoil and road dust pollution values of metals of the different types of urban area. The physicochemical parameters which believed to affect the mobility of metals in the soil of the study area were determined such as pH, EC, TOM, CaCO3 and CEC. The levels of metal in soil samples are greater on the surface but decrease in the lower part as a result of the basic nature of soil. The mean values of the metals in soil can be arranged in the following order: Zn > Pb > Mn > Fe > Cu > Cr > Cd. The relatively high concentration of metals in the soil sample was attributed to anthropogenic activities such as traffic emissions, cement factory and agricultural activities. Correlation coefficient analysis and the spatial distribution of indices and the results of statistical analysis indicate three groups of metals: Fe and Mn result by natural origin, Zn, Pb, Cu and Zn result by anthropogenic origin (mainly motor vehicle traffic and abrasion of tires) while Cd is mixed origin. The higher content level values of metals of anthropogenic source in soil samples indicate that it is a source of contamination of air in the studied area. .
文摘BACKGROUND Organ donation is a critical issue that is receiving greater attention worldwide.In Jordan,the public’s knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation play a significant role in the availability of organs for transplantation.AIM To assess the public knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation in Jordan.METHODS A cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 396 Jordanian citizens via an online self-reported questionnaire.RESULTS Overall,396 participants were recruited.Of the entire sample,93.9%of the participants had heard about and had sufficient knowledge about organ donation but they had limited knowledge about brain death.The most common source of information about organ donation was social media networks.Females were found to score significantly higher than males for attitude.Those who had thought about organ donation or registered their names to donate scored signi-ficantly higher in terms of attitudes to donation than their counterparts who had not.The most common reasons for limited organ donation practices in Jordan were a lack of awareness programs and insufficient knowledge in society.CONCLUSION Greater public understanding of organ donation appears to be associated with more positive attitudes toward organ donation.Most participants responded positively regarding their attitude toward organ donation as they believed that this action could give another person a chance to live.Moreover,most agreed that they would donate their organs after their death.Otherwise,the participants had limited general knowledge about brain death,and most had not registered their names to donate their organs.These findings indicate the need for public awareness campaigns and educational programs to encourage more people to become organ donors.
文摘Jordan is one of many countries that intends to reform its public sector by adopting accrual accounting,which is primarily carried out through the International Public Sector Accounting Standards(IPSAS)implementation plan,scheduled to be completed by 2021.Considering the difficulties of adoption,this process cannot be completed without an appropriate Information Technology(IT)system capable of providing the accounting information required for this reform.Therefore,this study aims to examine the influence of IT on accrual accounting adoption in the Jordanian public sector.The study employed the quantitative survey approach.Based on 331 usable questionnaires,the descriptive findings showed that the use of IT in the Jordanian public sector is relevant to daily accounting transactions in general and to accrual accounting in particular.The regression analysis showed a positive,significant relationship between IT use and accrual accounting practice.The IT specialist should be able to understand the needs of public sector in adopting accrual-based accounting.In line with today’s digitalization age,which integrates advanced technologies and numerous techniques,this study suggests that a combination of accounting and IT experts is a value added to sharpen the competitiveness of public sector reform.This study contributes to the extant literature in public sector,concerning the relationship between IT and accrual accounting adoption in the context of Jordan.
文摘IPSAS was accepted by Jordan’s government in accordance with worldwide trends.The Jordanian Ministry of Finance launched cash-basis IPSAS in 2015 and planned to implement accrual accounting by January 1,2021.However,the commitment to change remains uneven,hindering the full shift.Moving from old accounting processes to new ones is tough.Even then,it hasn’t been implemented,creating a gap due to the difficulty in committing to new accounting standards throughout implementation due to obstacles.Thus,knowing government accountants’issues is essential to applying IPSAS in government accounting.This study examines how transformational leadership affects government accountants’commitment to IPSAS adoption in Jordan’s public sector.This study used a quantitative approach to survey Jordanian Ministry of Finance accountants.The 384-person study had a 78%response rate.Additionally,PLS-SEM was used to confirm variable relationships.Transformational leadership positively predicted IPSAS implementation,according to the study.
文摘Erosion as a natural process produces soils, which are very important natural resources for the fest land plant- and animal kingdoms. Loss of the soil cover reduces agricultural production, biodiversity, and the role of soil as a filter for infiltrating water to replenish the groundwater. It also threatens the food supplies. The knowledge of erosion rates of rocks and terrains is important for developing proactive measures to protect soils from erosion and loss. In this study, erosion rates of catchment areas were calculated based on dams’ catchment extensions and the sediment loads transported by flood flows into dams’ lakes. The study results show that the chemically, via floodwater, transported quantities of materials are negligible compared to the solid materials transported by the water. It calculates erosion rates ranging from 0.013 to 0.212 mm/yr (13 - 212 m/10<sup>6</sup> yr) for the different catchment areas. Erosion rates in Jordan are, generally, higher than those calculated for the different parts of the world ranging from 2.5 to 60 m/10<sup>6</sup> yr. This fact can be explained by the very steep topography, calcareous rock cover of the catchment areas and the barren rock exposures.
文摘Objective To understand the perceptions of pregnant Jordanian women who received antenatal care via mobile clinic,and to contribute new insights into the experiences of these mothers and how they evaluated the services that were available.Methods Ten Jordanian mothers who had received antenatal care at a mobile clinic discussed their experiences in semi-structured,audiotaped interviews in a study that adopted a qualitative research design.The analysis was done using interpretative phenomenological analysis.Results Three main themes were identified:Being informed about the medical campaign or missing the opportunity of being informed;The experience of receiving antenatal care was wonderful,although there was only one thing lacking;and they safeguard our life and take any opportunity to educate us.Conclusion Data indicate that the mothers were largely satisfied with most facets of the antenatal care services they had received at the mobile clinics.However,while services are generally well received,there are clear opportunities for ameliorating the quality of services provided.For mothers living in remote,deprived areas,outreach is not just an‘optional extra’but rather an essential service.
基金funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research,Jordan University of Science and Technology(20210159).
文摘Globally,groundwater contamination by nitrate is one of the most widespread environmental problems,particularly in arid and semiarid areas,which are characterized by low amounts of rainfall and groundwater recharge.The stable isotope composition of groundwater(δ2H-H2O andδ18O-H2O)and dissolved nitrate(δ15N-NO3–andδ18O-NO3–)and factor analysis(FA)were applied to explore groundwater provenance,pollution,and chemistry evolution in the northwestern part of the Amman-Al Zarqa Basin,Jordan.In this study,we collected 23 samples from the Lower Ajloun aquifer in 2021,including 1 sample from a groundwater well and 22 samples from springs.These samples were tested for electrical conductivity,total dissolved solids,pH,temperature,dissolved oxygen,the concentration of major ions(Ca2+,Mg2+,Na+,K+,HCO3–,Cl–,SO42–,and NO3–),and the stable isotope composition of groundwater and dissolved nitrate.The results revealed that groundwater in the study area is mainly Ca–Mg–HCO3 type and can be classified as fresh water,hard water,and very hard water.The range and average concentration of NO3–were 3.5–230.8 and 50.9 mg/L,respectively.Approximately 33%of the sampling points showed NO3–levels above the maximum allowable concentration of 50.0 mg/L set by the World Health Organization(WHO)guidelines for drinking water quality.The values ofδ18O-H2O andδ2H-H2O showed that groundwater in the study area is part of the current water cycle,originating in the Mediterranean Sea,with significant evaporation,orographic,and amount effects.The values of the stable isotope composition of NO3–corresponded toδ15N-NO3–andδ18O-NO3–values produced by the nitrification process of manure or septic waste and soil NH4+.The FA performed on the hydrochemical parameters and isotope data resulted in three main factors,with Factor 1,Factor 2,and Factor 3,accounting for 50%,21%,and 11%of the total variance,respectively.Factor 1 was considered human-induced factor,named"pollution factor",whereas Factor 2,named"conservative fingerprint factor",and Factor 3,named"hardness factor",were considered natural factors.This study will help local researchers manage groundwater sustainably in the study area and other similar arid and semiarid areas in the world.
文摘This study aims to assess the small ruminant value chain in Al-Ruwaished District,Jordan,to identify the potential intervention areas that could improve the production efficiency and guarantee the sustainability of the small ruminant sector in this area.Sheep breeding is the source of livelihood for most of the people in Al-Ruwaished District,which is characterized by the large number of sheep and goats.We surveyed 5.0% of the small ruminant holders in the study area and conducted individual interviews and surveys with the potential actors in the value chain to undertake a small ruminant value chain analysis.From the survey,we found that the small ruminant value chain consists of five core functions,namely,input supply,production management,marketing,processing,and consumption.Despite the stable impression given by the large number of holdings in the small ruminant sector,the surveyed results show a clear fragility in the value chain of small ruminants in this area.The small ruminant production system is negatively impacted by climate change,especially continuous drought.In addition,the high prices of feed that the farmer cannot afford with clear and real absence of the governmental and non-governmental support activities also impact the development of the value chain.The results of strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)analysis reveal that the major constraints faced by this value chain could be divided into external and internal threats.Specifically,the most prominent external threats are the nature of the desert land and continuous drought,while the major internal threats are the absence of appropriate infrastructure,shortage of inputs,and weakness in the production management and marketing.We proposed solutions to these challenges to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the sector,such as the formulation of emergency response plans to severe weather,qualifying farmers’skills,and establishment of agricultural cooperative societies.
文摘This study discussed the water sector as a critical infrastructural element in Jordan where the sector is exposed to the extreme events. The exposure of the country to extreme events has initiated this study. Such events are Pollution accidents, flooding, draughts, overexploitation, failure in electricity supply, climate changes, earthquakes, landslides, failure of dams, failure of wastewater treatment plants, failure of desalination plants, sabotage, fire, water theft, migration and demographic changes (immigration and urban migration), relations to neighboring countries, epidemics, and others. These extreme events are discussed in this article and the results show that failures in the water infrastructure and water supply, in Jordan, with its water sector situation have rigorous percussions on the country’s health, food supply, economy, societal stability, the built environment, and on other water-related issues. The study concludes that developing national programs to protect the water infrastructure in the water-fragile country has become very crucial to reach a robust and resilient water sector which not only means providing the inhabitants with quantitatively sufficient and qualitatively healthy water but also aims to incorporate guaranteeing social, economic and political stability.