Adaptation and Profitability in Treated Wastewater Irrigation—Shifting Cropping Patterns in the Meadow of Ben Amer, Jenin Governorate-Palestine

In Palestine, climate change (CC), mainly frequent droughts, adversely impacts crop production and water availability for agriculture. Palestine National Adaptation Plan of CC considers the agriculture sector highly vulnerable to CC. The national CC Adaptation Strategy and Programme of Action suggests reuse of treated wastewater (TWW) for irrigated agriculture, also called agricultural wastewater reuse (WWR), as one of No-Regrets Priority Adaptation Measure. Agricultural WWR, however, necessitates shifting to cropping patterns that comply with the Palestinian WWR standards and robustify farmers’ adaptation to CC while enhancing their livelihood. This study targets an agricultural WWR pilot project in the meadow of Ben Amer (MBA) in Jenin, Palestine. It aims to (i) characterize current crop patterns in the study area; (ii) identify and assess, in the view of farmers, crops that are economically most profitable and agriculturally suitable for WWR in MBA; and (iii) develop a decision-making model for crop selection for WWR. Data was collected in 2021 using four qualitative and quantitative methods: scoping interviews, participatory focus group discussions (FGDs), structured questionnaire, and semi-structured on-farm observations. Twelve agriculture experts, researchers, and extension service providers were targeted to set selection criteria of ‘profitable’ and ‘suitable’ crops for WWR, and thirty farmers participated to express perceptions and rank crops according to the set criteria. Eleven types of fruit trees and fodders were ranked including almonds with GF rootstock, table olive, kiwi, mango, apple, guava, grapes, pears, and palm, in addition to Alfa Alfa and Panicum. Alfa Alfa and Panicum are found to be the most agriculturally suitable (AS) and economically profitable (EP) crops if irrigated with TWW in MBA, followed by guava, table olive, and grapes, with medium AS and EP (ASEP) levels.