AMMAN — Head of the Royal Hashemite Court
and head of the Committee for Monitoring the Implementation of His Majesty King
Abdullah’s Initiatives, Yousef Al-Issawi, sponsored the launch of the Royal
Initiative to activate the cooperative sector’s role in the process of
development, Al-Mamlaka TV reported.
اضافة اعلان
Five productive projects will be implemented within
phase I of the initiative, which will target the Northern Badia in the Mafraq
governorate. The five projects, which are yet to be carried out, will be in the
field of agricultural production.
Feasibility studies have been conducted, with a
focus on the criteria for the comparative and competitive advantages of these
projects, consistent with the needs and comparative advantages of the northern
Badia region.
The ceremony, held at the Hashemite Royal Court, saw
the signing of five agreements for the implementation of the initiative’s
projects, four of which are between the Hashemite Fund for the Development of
Jordan’s Badia and four cooperative associations.
The fifth was signed between the Jordan River
Foundation and the cooperative association Aabak Al-Sahraa.
The projects will provide 30 new job opportunities,
generate income for the 290 families of the employees who will be working in
the projects, and support five needy families in the local community.
The plans envisage an agricultural project using
modern technology and hydroponics to grow high value-added crops for producing
sun-dried tomatoes, grow fodder and deficit crops, and manufacture dairy
products. One of the projects will be for beekeeping and honey production.
HRH Princess Basma Bint Ali, chairperson of the
board of trustees of the Hashemite Fund for the Development of Jordan’s Badia,
expressed hope that the partnership between the Hashemite Royal Court,
represented by the royal initiatives, the fund and the cooperative sector, will
attain the visions and aspirations of His Majesty King Abdullah for inclusive
and sustainable development.
In a separate report, Al-Mamlaka said Minister of
Agriculture Khaled Al-Hanaifat presented a review of the national plan for
sustainable agriculture to officials from the UN Economic and Social Council
(ESC).
In Tuesday’s meeting with ESC President Musa Shteiwi
and several council members, Hanaifat outlined the plan, saying there were
several achievements since it was put into force earlier this year.
Hanaifat said work continues on the plan, which
seeks to improve the agricultural sector’s infrastructure through food
manufacturing, partnership with the private sector, financing projects,
training cadres, and marketing products through exhibitions. It also seeks to
find new markets through the Jordanian-Palestinian Agricultural Marketing
Company.
The minister pointed to establishing a number of
forests in the southern region through the exploitation of treated water from
the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company, in addition to wells which are not suitable
for drinking, in addition to plantations in Ajloun, Jerash, and Koura.
In a related development, the Directorate of
Agriculture in Karak launched the farmers field schools project in the
southwestern governorate.
The project is expected to enhance agricultural and
environmental development, with the participation of engineers in the
governorate and Head of the Extension Programs Department Waroud Al-Abbadi,
according to a local news outlet.
The event was attended by the head of an agricultural
center in the village of Karak Valley Wael Shamayleh, Head of the Shehabeya
Charitable Society Maan Al-Shamayleh, and several other organizations.
The Assistant Secretary-General for Agricultural
Extension at the Ministry of Agriculture Bakr Al-Balawna said the project aims
to raise the awareness of farmers on several water techniques.
He said the field schools will help farmers exchange
experience, advance their capabilities in managing agricultural operations, and
improve the quality and quantity of their crops.
Director of the Karak Agriculture Directorate Misbah
Al-Tarawneh reviewed the project’s activities in the governorate, pointing to
the importance of field schools in raising the efficiency of farmers and
developing their capabilities.
Head of the Agricultural Extension Department Nancy
Al-Maaytah gave an explanation about the field schools, outlining their
objectives and the methods of implementing their techniques.
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