Director-General of National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Nizar Haddad, discussed with a Dutch delegation, the implementation of “pioneering” projects using modern agricultural techniques.
In a NARC statement issued Sunday, Haddad stressed readiness of Jordan’s research stations and centers to implement ‘entrepreneurial” projects that contribute to overcoming the difficulties and challenges facing farmers and researchers alike.
NARC, he said, has been keen since its establishment to integrate outcomes of scientific research, in cooperation with its local and international partners to advance Jordan’s agricultural sector and achieve agricultural sustainability to enhance food security.
The Dutch delegation’s visit comes within the framework of cooperation with partners to implement “entrepreneurial” projects in cooperation with NARC, to support small farmers and using modern agricultural techniques, which would increase irrigation efficiency and optimal water use, the statement added.
The joint cooperation also aims to train farmers to expand cultivation of historical perennial olive trees in addition to developing NARC’s laboratories to increase analysis efficiency, he pointed out.
Haddad expressed appreciation for the Dutch government’s efforts to assist the Jordanian agricultural sector, through scientific research, credit financing, and support for small farmers.
Preparations, he said, are underway to implement a project in cooperation between NARC, the Agricultural Credit Corporation (ACC), and Jordan Cooperative Corporation (JCC), within the framework of the new Horti Future project, which is supported by the Dutch government.
For her part, Manager of Horti Future, at Mercy Corps, Tala Momani, said the project, funded by Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be implemented in partnership with NARC for a 3-year period, which would enable Jordanian farmers to implement “pioneering” projects that “positively” reflect on their living conditions.
Source: Jordan News Agency