BAQAA – HortiFuture Project recently
signed a three-year project that will be funded by the ministry of foreign affairs
of the Netherlands and implemented by Mercy Corps in collaboration with Advance
Consulting and Wageningen University & Research (WUR) at the National
Agricultural Research Center. Attending the signing ceremony were Minister of
Agriculture Khaled Hneifat and Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to
Jordan Harry Verweij.
اضافة اعلان
Hneifat expressed satisfaction
with the networking and cooperation between the three arms of the ministry that
specialize in research, credit and cooperatives in order to advance the
agricultural sector and promote sustainable development and support smallholder
farmers by adopting sustainable pilot projects, through good agricultural
practices and the introduction of modern technologies.
Verweij said that “the
Netherlands, believes that true development can only be achieved with input
from all four stakeholders. This project will focus mainly on addressing the
root causes and challenges of Jordanian smallholder farmers but will also
contribute to the agricultural sector as a whole”.
Director-General of
the National Agricultural Research Center Nizar Haddad said that “these
projects will be based on research studies from experts through consumer demand
in the market and the creation of high value products that will reduce
marketing challenges”.
According to Mercy
Corps Country Director Darius Radcliffe, “Jordan HortiFuture aims to increase
the productivity and quality of smallholder farm horticulture activities by
helping farmers integrate best practices for cultivation and post-harvest,
introducing small farm-appropriate technologies in the form of asset transfers,
and providing training on Good Agricultural Practices”.
Three memoranda of understanding
were signed by Radcliffe with: the National Agricultural Research Center; the
Agriculture Credit Corporation; the Jordan Cooperative Corporation.
Jordan HortiFuture
Project aims to create a horticulture sector in Jordan that is inclusive,
entrepreneurial, sustainable, and resilient for smallholder farmers, and work
on helping farmers integrate best practices in cultivation and post-harvest, while
also working on enhancing smallholder farmers' skills to use improved business
practices by providing training courses in marketing, business development, and
links to mentors. The project will provide four cost-sharing grants, increased
access to finance, in partnership with other agriculture stakeholders, and 0%
interest loans to smallholder farmers.
Read more Business
Jordan News
.jpg)
.jpg)
