Agriculture ministry signs 75 financial grant agreements for small farmers

Minister of Agriculture, Khaled Hneifat, signed 75 financial grant agreements with small farmers in the governorates of Balqa, Ajloun and Irbid, worth JD2,500 each. The grants aim to enable target farmers to integrate "innovative" agricultural technologies to address climate change and contribute to water conservation, which enhances their ability to adapt and sustain their agricultural resources, according to a Ministry of Agriculture statement. Speaking the signing ceremony, Hneifat said the ministry, through partnerships with international and regional bodies, seeks to support and develop the Kingdom's agricultural sector by supporting small farmers and agricultural alliances and achieving a path of food security, by focusing on the production stages of cultivating shortage and pioneering crops, while emphasizing agricultural food industries. Furthermore, he pointed out that the support reduces unemployment rates by providing direct and indirect job opportunities and creating sources of income for rural families, while reducing poverty levels by promoting production values ??through rehabilitation, financing and empowerment processes. The agreements came within the framework of Jordan HortiFuture Project, implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and other Jordanian stakeholders, and are funded by the Embassy the Netherlands in Jordan, under an alliance that includes Mercy Corps, Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and Advance Consulting. The statement added that the project aims to improve the income opportunities of small farmers and their capability to adapt to challenges, improve the services provided to the beneficiaries, and empower them on "adequate" agricultural practices. The project also provides its services to 5,000 small farmers in the governorates of Balqa, Irbid and Ajloun, and works to provide 500 interest-free loans and 100 grants to small farmers in the targeted areas. Source: Jordan News Agency