Italian grant to boost food security, empower rural farmers — Minister

AMMAN — Minister of Agriculture Khaled Hneifat, announced on Wednesday the Cabinet's approval of a grant agreement with the Italian government will fund a new project, titled "Food Security and Inclusive Economic Growth through Sustainable Rural Products and Efficient Use of Local Resources."

Hneifat said the 1.65 million euro grant aims to enhance Jordan's food security, empower small-scale farmers, and improve quality of local food production.

Hneifat noted the initiative supports development of "resilient and sustainable" agricultural systems, in line with national priorities, including the Ministry’s Sustainable Agriculture Plan, National Food Security Strategy (2021–2030), 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, the Economic Modernization Vision, and environmental frameworks, mainly Green Growth Plan and Climate Change Adaptation Plan, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He stated this agreement builds on a "longstanding" partnership with Italy, referencing prior cooperation including a 2018 framework agreement and a 2021 subsidiary agreement under the Italian Cooperation Program for 2021–2023.

Hneifat described the agreement as a reflection of Jordan’s "strategic" partnership with Italy, affirming "historic ties and a practical" step to strengthening the agricultural sector, increase its resilience, and turn climate and economic challenges into sustainable development opportunities in rural areas.

The project will also implement a "scalable and replicable" rural development model aimed at supporting food security and rural stability.
On its key activities, the project aims to provide technical assistance to smallholder farmers to improve production efficiency and quality, capacity-building programmes in modern agricultural techniques, business management, and sustainable practices.

Meanwhile, additional components would introduce agricultural machinery, cold storage facilities, and agricultural waste treatment units.

The project will also promote small-scale food processing initiatives to empower rural women and enhance market access for small producers.

The initiative targets a broad segment of the rural population, primarily smallholder farmers, cooperatives, women, and seasonal agricultural workers, with the objective of generating job opportunities, alleviating poverty, and bolstering rural resilience in the face of climate and economic pressures.