Agriculture Ministry, IUCN Partner To Push Afforestation Drive In Wadi Musa, Shobak Areas

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, January 18 (Petra) – Minister of Agriculture Dr. Saeb Abdul-Halim Khraisat and Regional Director of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in West Asia, Dr. Hany El Shaer, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at rehabilitating the Shobak Forest Nursery and implementing afforestation and forest restoration projects in the southern Wadi Musa and Shobak areas.
This initiative falls under the project: "Enhancing Climate Resilience of Biodiversity Hotspots in Jordan".
The project is implemented in partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture and the IUCN, with support and funding from Global Affairs Canada, as part of national and global efforts to protect ecosystems and enhance their sustainability in highly-affected areas by climate change.
During the signing ceremony, Khraisat said this project aligns with the Ministry of Agriculture's strategic vision and plans aimed at restoring degraded ecosystems, expanding forested areas, and enhancing green cover using native and endemic trees and plants, which would preserve biodiversity and improve the resilience of ecosystems to climate change.
Khraisat added that the afforestation efforts will feature planting native species suited to the region's nature and climatic conditions, such as juniper and terebinth trees, and other endemic plants.
These plants play a vital role in protecting the soil, reducing erosion, and supporting wildlife, as well as their environmental and heritage value, he pointed out.
Khraisat noted the memo also seeks to develop Shobak Forest Nursery and increase its production capacity, which would enable it to produce a "larger and more diverse" number of forest trees.
As for its role, Khraisat said the Ministry of Agriculture will distribute these trees to entities engaged in afforestation programs to expand forest areas, both nationwide and specifically in the southern regions.
El Shaer, in turn, commended the partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, noting this project reflects the IUCN's commitment to support Jordanian national efforts in biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.
He indicated that this effort will be achieved by implementing nature-based solutions and promoting local community participation in natural resource protection.
On its goals, he added that the project would contribute to building capacity of local institutions and improving management of environmentally important natural sites, ensuring the long-term sustainability of its outcomes.
This project is projected to serve as a "successful model" for cooperation of national institutions with global organizations, which will "positively" impact the local environment, forest cover, and the ecological economy in the Wadi Musa and Shobak regions that contribute to Jordan's sustainable development goals.

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