Khaberni - The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation signed agreements worth $116 million with the World Bank to provide additional financing for the program to enhance the resilience of the agricultural sector, develop the value chain, and innovate (Land).
According to the report published by the Ministry of Government Communication on the achievements of government institutions for the past January, monitored by "Al-Mamlaka", the first agreement valued at $112.5 million included a loan of $90 million from the World Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and a grant of $22.5 million from the Global Concessional Financing Facility (GCFF).
Last month, the ministry also signed an additional grant agreement with the World Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the same program, valued at $3.5 million, from the (PROSPECT) fund financed by the Dutch government, with the Ministry of Agriculture implementing the entire program.
The agreement represents additional funding complementing a previous loan and grant approved in September 2022, funded through three main instruments: a loan from the World Bank valued at $95.6 million, financing from a trust fund supported by the Netherlands valued at $5.5 million, and additional financing from the "Global Program for Facilitating Concessional Financing" valued at $23.9 million.
The new agreements aim to enhance the agricultural sector's climate resilience in Jordan and improve the enabling environment for developing selected agricultural value chains, increasing competitiveness and export capacity, with a focus on sustainability, innovation, and resource use efficiency, particularly water.
The program focuses on an integrated package of components and key outcomes, including enhancing climate resilience and sustainability through expanded rainwater harvesting at the farm and community level, particularly in the Badia regions, and the restoration and rehabilitation of arid and semi-arid lands, alongside developing national governance for water harvesting, improving agricultural and veterinary advisory services through digital solutions, and establishing early warning systems and digital applications to support farmers.
In addition, the program aims to enhance the competitiveness of the agricultural sector and develop value chains and exports through improved water use efficiency, support investment in water-saving agricultural technology, enhance the food safety system, traceability, and laboratory accreditation, and enable agricultural cooperatives and organizations to access financing and markets, further developing post-harvest value chains, marketing, and exports, according to a document translated by "Al-Mamlaka".
* Annual Meetings
The report also mentioned that the ministry participated in the annual meetings of the World Economic Forum (Davos) and a series of bilateral meetings and events aimed at discussing major economic, political, and developmental issues affecting the world, contributing to the foresight of future trends and building partnerships supporting stability, growth, and sustainable development.
The ministry also held a meeting with donors to review the progress of work in the first implementation program (2023–2025) and the priorities of the second phase within the roadmap for updating the public sector, as well as the eighth meeting of the Jordan-Japan Dialogue on Economic Development Policies, which discussed enhancing investment cooperation between the two countries, in addition to reviewing development projects funded by Japanese aid and discussing the priorities proposed to be supported during the next phase.
