APN | Amman

30 September 2025

In response to appeals from Jordanian farmers in Ghor as-Safi and Ghor Fifa in the Jordan Valley, APN, together with 30 civil society organizations, national institutions, and Jordanian associations, issued a position paper expressing deep concern over the decision issued by the Department of Lands and Survey on 21 September 2025. The decision involves submitting a request to the Council of Ministers to acquire approximately 3,499 dunums of land in Ghor as-Safi and Ghor Fifa in the Jordan Valley for the benefit of the Potash Company, to build a railway line connecting its factories in the Jordan Valley to the industrial port in Aqaba.

According to official data, around 62% of the expropriated land (approximately 2,179 dunums) belongs to 76 families, while the remaining areas are owned by institutional entities, including the Jordan Valley Authority, the Agricultural Credit Corporation, and the Jordan Ahli Bank.

The signatories highlighted that the project’s environmental assessment was not publicly discussed, and farmers, local communities, and civil society were neither consulted nor informed about the project and its potential impacts. The proposed railway route raises serious concerns among farmers regarding their sources of income, social security, and food security.

They called for the affected communities, relevant national institutions, and ministries—primarily the Ministry of Agriculture—to be involved in a comprehensive review of the environmental and social impact assessment. They also urged consideration of alternative routes to minimize damage to privately and publicly owned agricultural lands, which are limited in Jordan and serve as a key part of the country’s food basket.

Furthermore, the organizations emphasized the need for fair compensation for affected farmers to ensure the continuation of their agricultural activities, and called for an urgent meeting including representatives of the signatory organizations to develop a participatory roadmap that serves the national interest and protects food sovereignty.

Read the full position paper in Arabic here.