President of the Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) Khalil Hajj Tawfiq has affirmed that attaining food security is a paramount national priority, underscoring the imperative of aligning the endeavors of various entities to accomplish this objective, relying on self-sufficiency, in adherence to royal directives. During a meeting with the head and members of the Jordan AgriBusiness Association’s (JABA) Board of Directors, Hajj Tawfiq highlighted the support provided by the Chamber to employers’ unions and associations, serving as a secure platform for traders, emphasizing the mutually beneficial relationship between the two parties, given that the agricultural sector plays a crucial role in ensuring food security. According to a statement issued by the ACC on Thursday, Hajj Tawfiq emphasized the significance of agricultural and cooperative associations as pivotal platforms for discovering inventive solutions to the sector’s challenges, noting that the meeting epitomized the principle of fostering cooperation and partnership between the Chamber and the agricultural sector. Furthermore, he highlighted the imperative of focusing on the food security issue and recognizing the importance of ensuring food safety, seamless consumer access, and striving for sustainable production and ample availability, considering the global challenges related to food security. In turn, JABA head Samir Owais stated that the association, established in 2021 and officially declared in February 2023, aims to foster a sustainable agricultural sector that plays a significant role in the development and the achievement of food security, in addition to the need to unify all agricultural business sector institutions. He presented the association’s vision, goals, and objectives, which encompass elevating the status of the agricultural business sector, enhancing its competitiveness, increasing its contribution to the national economy, establishing sector-specific databases, and bolstering collaboration with local and international chambers of commerce, industry, and agriculture, as well as trade unions and federations. In response, the JABA’s Board of Directors emphasized the crucial need for a meeting among relevant unions and associations to tackle the obstacles encountered in their work. They also indicated the significance of the agricultural sector’s size and its potential contribution to achieving food security. The aim is to identify these challenges, present them to stakeholders, and collectively overcome them. Concluding the gathering, both parties agreed to organize a workshop featuring working papers and brainstorming sessions dedicated to discussing the challenges faced by the agricultural sector and the pursuit of food security. The workshop will bring together specialists from the private sector, including importers and producers.
Source: Jordan News Agency