Jerash: Faisal Nursery in the Jerash Governorate is preparing over 1 million seedlings as part of a national plan to enhance Jordan's vegetation cover and achieve environmental and agricultural balance across the Kingdom.
According to Jordan News Agency, Faisal Nursery Director Bahjat Sawalmeh announced that work is currently underway to prepare approximately 600,000 carob seedlings as part of a national project.
Sawalmeh highlighted the importance of expanding carob cultivation due to its economic and environmental benefits, with future plans to establish factories for manufacturing carob-based products. To date, the nursery has produced over 750,000 seedlings, primarily forest and fruit trees, with a target to complete the production before November, when sales to farmers and agricultural institutions are set to begin.
The nursery employs more than 40 contract workers to prepare the seedlings according to optimal specifications to meet local agricultural market needs. Sawalmeh emphasized the seedlings' high quality and climate change resistance, providing farmers with viable alternatives to traditional varieties that may no longer be economically or durably viable.
In addition to carob, this year's production includes various forest trees such as cypress, pine, sycamore, and eucalyptus, alongside fruit trees like olive, fig, pomegranate, and pistachio. The forest seedlings are distributed free of charge to all governorates, while fruit-bearing trees are sold at low prices to encourage farmers.
The nursery has also become an accredited training center for agriculture students and recent graduates, offering practical training in modern agricultural techniques, including soilless agriculture, hydroponics, and fish farming. Sawalmeh mentioned a project implemented with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), valued at $400,000. This initiative includes five types of hydroponics, a fish fingerling hatchery, and aquaponics systems, offering innovative solutions to water scarcity and economic opportunities in agriculture.
Established in 1963, Faisal Nursery is located south of Jerash governorate on a 500-dunum area, with 300 dunums dedicated to agricultural production.