(MENAFN- Jordan Times) AMMAN — Minister of Agriculture and Environment Ibrahim Shahahdeh on Wednesday outlined the ministry's efforts to develop Jordan's agricultural sector and protect farmers.
In a statement made during a ceremony organised by the Fuheis Youth Club and sponsored by the minister, Shehadeh said his ministry was 'fulfilling its duties in protecting local produce, in partnership with key stakeholders which include producers, consumers and merchants', the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
Shahahdeh said the ministry's measures to protect the agricultural sector include reducing the price of barley for livestock and halting the importing of any produce that can be farmed locally. He added that the ministry in November and December of 2018 saved JD25 million by not having to import produce such as onions, potatoes and bananas, and is continuing its effort to diversify local farming.
In addition, the minister said that plans for ecological parks have been introduced in partnership with citizens, pointing to the development of three major forestry projects encompassing 3,000 dunums, which will be replanted systematically. The ministry also aims to build an ecological park in each of the Kingdom's governorates, Shahahdeh said.
Balqa Governorate Director of Agriculture Yousef Arabiyat added that the area of forested land in Balqa is estimated at 227,000 dunums, and the first carob forest in the governorate was recently planted over an area of 100 dunums. Due to the use of advanced agricultural and irrigation methods, the survival rate of the carob trees planted was 95 per cent, Arabiyat said.
Mahes and Fuheis Director of Agriculture Maj. Gen. Osama Hiyari said the department had worked on the reforestation of two sites last year, in addition to devoting JD30,000 for maintenance to irrigation channels in Mahes' orchards, JD15,000 for a pine forest project and JD16,000 to build 15 rainwater wells in Fuheis. The director said the initiatives were part of a greater plan for land reclamation.
The president of the Fuheis Youth Club Ayman Samawi called for the conservation of forests, adding that in recent years the club has proactively organised forest-protection initiatives and events.
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