Khaberni - In light of the significant challenges faced by the Jordanian agricultural sector, particularly in the field of marketing rural products, and with the rising costs of participation in festivals and temporary exhibitions, operational burdens, and often difficulties in reaching them, the idea of establishing permanent exhibitions for agricultural and rural products emerged as one of the most important tools to support the local economy, improve product quality, and provide a stable marketing platform for individuals, producing families, and cooperative associations. The importance of this was noted in a previous article under the title "Transitioning from Promotional Activities (festivals, bazaars, ...) to Actual and Sustainable Support for the Agricultural Sector and Farmers"
The creation of such exhibitions aims to provide a continuous annual marketing location instead of relying on seasonal events, thereby becoming a promotional center and permanent market for rural and Bedouin products in Jordan, featuring supporting services such as training and rehabilitation units for rural women and youth, packaging and wrapping facilities, productive kitchens for developing food products, display areas, and direct sales, along with other facilities.
The partners and sponsors include the Ministry of Agriculture as the main donor of land, institutional support, and executive tracking, and international and developmental organizations such as the UN Development Program (Rehabilitation Program for the Badia), which supported the idea of operating a permanent exhibition to market Badia products and connect a large number of farmers to the market, and local institutions such as (Irbid Reconstruction Foundation, Community Organizations and Productive Associations) participating in construction and operation. Among the most important locations for permanent exhibitions, there is the permanent exhibition in Amman with an approximate area of 8,000 m², and the permanent exhibition in Irbid, King Abdullah II Gardens, with a total area ranging from 4,000-4,500 m².
The idea behind such exhibitions relies on achieving operational goals in general, the most important of which are creating a permanent marketing window for producing families and small farmers instead of relying on short-term festivals and varying locations, increasing rural income, and reducing poverty and unemployment in the provinces, enhancing the added value through food processing, drying, packaging, and promoting the improvement of various product qualities.
The economic significance of these exhibitions lies in providing stable and permanent marketing locations to display rural products such as jams, pickles, herbs, natural soap, bee products, fresh and seasonal products, among others, increasing household income and providing employment opportunities offering producers a stable and sustainable income source, which reduces poverty and unemployment especially in remote areas, enhancing the agricultural value chains by opening opportunities for marketing home-manufactured or semi-manufactured products, which increases their value compared to raw products, and encouraging rural entrepreneurship and agricultural innovation by providing a ready market for small projects without needing large capital or significant promotional costs.
Furthermore, the social importance through empowering rural and Bedouin women as most projects are led by women, and the exhibitions provide them with a safe and organized environment for selling, which enhances their social and economic role, while preserving Jordanian food heritage like local ghee, molasses, local thyme, among others that reflect the Jordanian cultural identity, thus contributing to protecting it and promoting Jordanian heritage, supporting local communities which form a meeting point between producers and consumers, and contribute to building local support networks and cooperation between associations in different regions of the Kingdom.
For tourism and promotional importance, the exhibitions play a role through attracting domestic and international tourism, thereby familiarizing visitors with the rural culture of Jordan through displaying heritage products, which contributes to promoting the provinces and making these exhibitions part of the Jordanian tourist product and family trips and outing activities.
Focusing on environmental importance, these work to enhance local production and reduce emissions by relying on local rural products, reducing the need for imports, decreasing the carbon footprint and encouraging sustainable agriculture through supporting circular economy products like organic compost, recycling agricultural waste like palm fronds, and clean and environmentally friendly foods.
Finally, the institutional and networking importance forms a link between producers, government agencies, and donors, providing a suitable environment for training, financing, and capacity building which helps improve product quality through various dealings from improving packaging and standardizing standards within the agricultural value chain.
In conclusion
The permanent exhibitions for rural agricultural products in Jordan are the gateway out of the temporary exhibition's shadow. They are not only sales points, but comprehensive developmental sites contributing to the economic empowerment of women and youth, enhancing environmental sustainability, supporting circular economy, preserving Jordanian food heritage, boosting tourism and rural promotion, improving product quality, enhancing national food security and providing direct and indirect employment opportunities, in addition to increasing household income and reducing rural poverty and unemployment by supporting small projects and stimulating the rural economy.
