Sustainable agri-tech vital to help reduce costs, address water crisis — sector representatives

AMMAN — Sustainable agri-tech allows for more productivity and better efficiency in the Kingdom’s agricultural industry, according to sector operators and farmers.

Sector operators’ statements came following a workshop titled, “Advancing into the Future: Unleashing Potential to Modernise the Economy”, which discussed ways to develop the local agricultural sector.

The session was part of the second round of the National Economic Workshop, held at the Royal Hashemite Court on Saturday.

Regarding the Agricultural Ministry’s strategic plan, Minister of Agriculture Khalid Hneifat said in a statement made available to The Jordan Times: “Implementing the ministry’s new strategic plan for the years 2022-2025 will positively reflect on employment creation and thus contributing to poverty reduction.”

The minister also highlighted the need to introduce modern technologies in order to facilitate sustainability in Jordan’s agricultural sector, as well as increase the sector’s production capacity while using less water.

“Technology is indeed important for the agricultural field, and will help in addressing Jordan’s water crisis,” Nawash Al Yazjeen, a farm owner, told The Jordan Times on Monday.

One of the key challenges facing farmers in Jordan is the increasing operational costs, and applying agri-tech would help enhance the production and reduce costs,  he said. However, before the adoption of modern technology in the local agricultural market, farmers and sector operators must be trained and properly introduced to it, Yazjeen added.

“The integration of modern technology in the local agricultural sector will boost national food reserves, increase the sector’s productivity, and will help in creating environmentally friendly farms,” according to Khalil Abdullah, a farmer based in the Jordan Valley.

If the ministry’s plan is properly implemented through introducing modern technologies to the sector, this would positively change the future of agriculture in Jordan, Abdullah added.