Farmers urged to fence off agricultural ponds

AMMAN — The Ministry of Agriculture on Monday called on farmers to fence off their ponds to prevent drowning incidents, which mostly involve children.

Thousands of agricultural ponds of different sizes and depths spread across the Jordan Valley for the irrigation of fruits trees and crops, the ministry’s spokesperson, Nimer Haddadin, said, noting that there are no laws or regulations that oblige farmers to fence off the ponds.

“Unfortunately, there is nothing that legally binds owners of farm ponds to install fences around them, therefore, we urge the farmers to cooperate and fence them off and to install warning signs to prevent more drowning incidents,” Haddadin told The Jordan Times.

Jordan Valley Authority Secretary General Saad Abu Hammour underscored that fencing off farm ponds is the responsibility of their owners.

“We have no jurisdiction over farmers inside their farms,” Abu Hammour told The Jordan Times.

Drowning incidents of people swimming in farm ponds recur in the Jordan Valley. 

On Sunday, authorities retrieved the bodies of two children who were reported missing since last Tuesday in Ghor Al Safi.

They were found dead in an agricultural pond in Ghor Al Safi, which includes 3,000-4,000 ponds, according to an area resident.

Col. Abdul Hadi Al Sarayreh, Karak Civil Defence Department director, said on Sunday that the area where the two children drowned is agricultural and 90 per cent of it is not fenced.

Sarayreh said that although the department has urged farm owners to install fences around their ponds to avoid drowning incidents, very few have heeded to the instructions.

Meanwhile, Haddadin underscored the importance of raising public awareness on the hazards of swimming in farm ponds.

“It is a shared responsibility to keep the children safe from drowning. It is shared among the authorities, parents and schools. Swimming in farm ponds involves the danger of drowning due to thick layers of mud that trap swimmers. In addition, the water of farm ponds could be contaminated with remnants of pesticides or fertilisers,” he highlighted.