FAO, Agriculture Ministry launch project to enhance food security, livelihoods of vulnerable rural women in Jordan

AMMAN — The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, launched a project to enhance food security and livelihoods of vulnerable rural women in Jordan through the “Enhancing resilience of rural women communities through forest products” project, funded by FAO.

In line with a Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) agreement signed by both parties, FAO conducted an inception workshop to acquaint stakeholders and programme partners with the scope and outlines of the project, in addition to covering the implementation strategy and work plan, according to a FAO statement.

Agriculture Minister Khalid Hneifat and a group of selected stakeholders and government partners attended the event.

The overall aim of the project is to increase rural women’s engagement, enhance their income in forest products and to strengthen their skills. It will target 120 individual women in three governorates, Ajloun, Balqa and Jerash, with an estimated budget of $400,000 fully funded by FAO.

Stressing the importance of building the capacities of rural women, Hneifat said: “In 2018, the Ministry of Agriculture established the Rural Development and Women Empowerment Directorate believing in the crucial role of women in the economic development.”

FAO Representative in Jordan Nabil Assaf highlighted that forests in Jordan play a modest role in meeting the daily needs of woody products. Nevertheless, they play a more important role creating livelihoods opportunities for rural people. This contributes to poverty alleviation and unemployment reduction, he noted. 

“The project will be mainly focused to empower women by building their capacities and by providing tool kits that will support them in enhancing their livelihoods,” Assaf added.

On a different note, Sheri Restima-Anderson, the resident coordinator of the United Nations in Jordan, said: “Jordan’s forests, like in most Mediterranean countries, provide considerable goods and services and contributes to the improvement of the living conditions of rural communities. Important forest resources include non-timber forest products on which a large population is heavily dependent. Moreover, they play an essential role in people's lives because they are an undeniable source of livelihood products and income.” 

“By enhancing the value of forest products, we can increase these communal benefits of the forest further, thereby reducing poverty and unemployment. Communities will have improved access to markets through agricultural fairs and increased access to micro-financing,” she added.