Manaseer Group hosted diplomats, international organizations, researchers and farmers at its Qatraneh complex to present a rice farming experiment in a desert environment using MNG natural fertilizers — proving crops can grow with limited water and saline soil.
Qatraneh, Jordan — Manaseer Group hosted a delegation of ambassadors and representatives of embassies, international organizations, official, academic and agricultural bodies at its industrial complex in Qatraneh, to present a new achievement: a successful rice farming experiment in a desert environment using innovative natural MNG fertilizers.
The trial set out to prove the Group's natural solutions can support crop growth in highly challenging environments — limited water, saline soil, hot climate, and without reliance on traditional flood irrigation.
The event was chaired by the Chairman of the Board of Manaseer Group, Engineer Ziad Al-Manaseer, attended by a number of senior officials in the Group, and included representatives of:
- National Center for Agricultural Research: Dr. Zakaria Muslim (Director General), Dr. Mohamed Al-Rifai (Deputy Director General for Research Center Affairs), Eng. Yahya Bani Khalaf, Dr. Sharif Al-Rawashdeh, Eng. Yancy Al-Khasawneh and Eng. Wissam Al-Nawayseh.
- Diplomatic corps: the embassies of Pakistan, Turkey, the Philippines, Indonesia, Spain and Japan, including His Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr. Adi Badmo Sarwono, and the Head of the Economic and Commercial Office of Spain, Mr. Victor Suanthes.
- Regional and international organizations: the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD), and Advance Consulting.
- Official entities: Ministry of Agriculture (Soil and Irrigation Directorate), Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Ministry of Environment, Jordan Valley Authority and the Qatraneh Agriculture Directorate.
- Academic and scientific entities: Mutah University, Al-Balqa Applied University and the Royal Scientific Society.
- Agricultural sector and civil society: Jordan Engineers Association, General Union of Jordanian Farmers, Union of Farmers, Entrepreneurship Association, and several leading farmers.
The rice experiment: a test for farming under the most difficult conditions
Manaseer Group chose rice as a test crop because of its high sensitivity to salinity and its heavy water consumption — intending to demonstrate the effectiveness of its natural agricultural solutions under the harshest conditions. If it succeeds here, it proves capable of succeeding elsewhere.
The experiment used locally manufactured MNG natural products, including AquaSave, a natural soil water management system: chemical-free and biodegradable, it stores water and nutrients in the root zone, enhancing absorption efficiency and increasing plant tolerance to stress, and contributing to reduced irrigation water consumption.
The experiment was carried out under challenging agricultural conditions, including:
- A hot and dry climate with minimal rainfall.
- Saline soil reaching 5.3 deciSiemens per meter, above the threshold at which rice usually starts to lose yield.
- Irrigation with saline well water using drip lines instead of traditional flood irrigation.
Results of the experiment
Despite these conditions, the rice reached flowering and panicle formation stages on time. Compared directly with plants grown in the same soil and irrigated with the same water, the treated plants showed stronger and denser growth, with more numerous and longer panicles.
The trial recorded a decrease in irrigation water consumption of about 67% compared with traditional farming, highlighting the potential to improve water use efficiency in rice cultivation without relying on traditional flood irrigation.
Natural solutions and Jordanian innovation
This achievement comes within the framework of Manaseer Group's vision to develop natural solutions that contribute to a more sustainable future for agriculture, by using Jordan's natural resources and turning them into innovative products with added value. MNG products are based on natural minerals from the Group's quarries, processed with precision technologies down to approximately 3 microns.
This story was reported by Khaberni — read the original coverage.
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