AMMAN -
Prime Minister Dr. Bisher Khasawneh on Thursday inaugurated the new building of the Ministry of Agriculture in Amman's Ta'barbour neigbourhood, according to Jordan News Agency, Petra.
اضافة اعلان
Touring the new ministry's headquarters, Khasawneh was briefed from Minister of Agriculture, Khaled Hneifat, on the building that was recently purchased according to a financial leasing deal, which saves about JD425,000 that was paid annually as a rent for the old head office since 1985.
The PM exchanged conversations with the ministry's workers and visitors, adding that the new headquarters were rehabilitated for the purposes of simplifying procedures and facilitating provision of services at a single location.
The duty of officials and workers in the public sector aim to provide the "best" services to citizens, he pointed out.
During his meeting with the ministry's senior officials, Khasawneh stressed that the agricultural sector is "vital and essential," adding that the government seeks to empower farmers, overcome the obstacles facing the sector, and enhance its contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP).
To mitiagte water-related deficit, Khasawneh stressed the need to rely on modern agricultural methods and means that rationalize water usage, which constitutes the "biggest" challenge for the agricultural sector.
He also called on integrating the best packaging and refrigeration techniques, which would contribute to increasing the harvest and added value of agricultural products.
The PM said His Majesty King Abdullah II's attention to focus investing in the agricultural sector would contribute to providing job opportunities for Jordanians.
The government, he noted, is "actively" seeking to overcome many difficulties and challenges facing farmers by providing export opportunities for their products and reducing production costs.
In addition, the PM expressed confidence that the introduction of the new electric tariff will contribute to reducing production costs on the agricultural sector and the rest of the important productive activities.
The PM indicated that the agricultural sector had made "remarkable" contributions to enabling Jordan to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic, as the production and supply chains had not been subjected to any hardships during the last period.
The PM also stressed the importance of the agricultural plan that was recently developed and approved, and its role in empowering the agricultural sector.
This scheme should be provided with modern technological means, and focus should go to achieving the largest feasibility for the farmer in a manner that also takes into account the legitimate interests of other stakeholders in the production process and chain, according to Khasawneh.
Khasawneh noted the King's interest in focusing on the concept of food security, adding that Jordan, in cooperation with Arab countries, would be a regional center for cooperation and integration in this field.
"Jordan is now talking about a tripartite mechanism that includes Jordan, Egypt and Iraq. There is an interest from the United Arab Emirates to achieve integration in the food security field and establish a regional nucleus for integration in this regard," he pointed out.
Repercussions of many international crises have direct effects on basic materials, he noted, adding that an example on this fact comes from current crisis in the Black Sea region and Europe and its impacts on wheat, barley and some vegetable oils.
Hneifat, for his part, said the new ministry's building, with an area of about 7,000 square meters, provides a suitable workplace environment and offers better services to citizens, visitors and investors in the agricultural sector.
The ministry, Hneifat added, is working to implement the agricultural plan that receives His Majesty's support, noting a periodic assessment is being conducted for implementation of the scheme's axes, according to performance indicators and clear timetables, which would contribute to advancing agricultural sector and enabling it to face challenges and enhance its economic and social role.
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