Agricultural Engineers Association, FAO launch 3rd agricultural scientific conference in Irbid

AMMAN — The Jordan Agricultural Engineers Association in Irbid organised the third agricultural scientific conference, titled “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in Jordan: Challenges and Opportunities”, in addition to an exhibition of rural products and food industries.

The event was held at the Professional Syndicates Complex in Irbid on June 19 and 20.

Organised by the Jordan Agricultural Engineers Association in Irbid, the conference was held under the patronage of HRH Princess Basma Bint Ali with funding from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) through the “Transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems” project, funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, a statement from FAO said.

The conference aimed to improve coordination between stakeholders and sustain open channels of communication in support of food security in Jordan. The event highlighted the important role that stakeholders play in improving food security, aiming to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and best practices among attendees. 

In addition to strengthening stakeholder communications, the conference also sought to highlight the importance of nutritional care at all levels of healthcare in public hospitals, including both preventive and curative healthcare, in order to encourage healthcare practices that prevent or reduce disease, especially those related to malnutrition. 

The conference also focused on the essential role of women in food security. Forty women-led agriculture and food processing businesses based in rural areas participated in the exhibition, demonstrating the variety of agri-products produced by women in rural locales. 

The “Transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems” project aims to further a sustainable path towards food security among Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanian citizens in rural areas by enhancing their capacity to participate in efficient and sustainable agri-food systems. 

The project also endeavours to help build beneficiaries’ capabilities in alignment with decent work opportunities. In addition to these efforts, the project also hosts training sessions to advocate for the reduction of food waste, which has a profound effect on sustainability, food security and rural development.  

The conference was attended by representatives from multiple scientific institutions, including three universities, the Ministry of Health, FAO, the National Agricultural Research Centre, as well as stakeholders from the commercial and industrial sectors, other private sector representatives, members of community-based organisations and smallholder farmers.