Amman: he intricate tapestry of challenges confronting Jordan’s rural economy, encompassing climate volatility, water scarcity, poverty, and unemployment, underscores the imperative for concerted action and strategic intervention to fortify economic sustainability in rural areas.
Despite concerted efforts, both governmental and non-governmental entities, grapple with the multifaceted challenges, deploying an array of initiatives aimed at buttressing the resilience of the rural economy, which remains deeply intertwined with agriculture and related endeavors.
Participants at the recent Forum for Promoting the Rural Economy, convened by the Jordanian Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO) under the auspices of the Rural Economic Development and Employment Project, generously funded by the Dutch government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), emphasized the pivotal role of agriculture as the cornerstone of rural livelihoods.
Against the backdrop of pressing water challenges, pove
rty, and unemployment disparities vis-à-vis urban areas, stakeholders underscored the urgency of capitalizing on regional opportunities to foster collaboration and integration, thereby advancing rural development objectives crucial for ensuring dignified livelihoods for all rural denizens.
Themes elucidated at the forum spanned a gamut of subjects ranging from entrepreneurial pathways within rural communities, sustainable food security paradigms, gender dynamics, to the catalytic role of youth in rural empowerment.
These discussions also traversed the terrain of sustainable agricultural investment amidst climate vagaries, access to financial resources, innovative marketing strategies, and the nascent field of agro-tourism.
Importantly, deliberations grappled with challenges such as water scarcity, infrastructural deficits, technological gaps, and the imperative of nurturing an enabling environment for rural youth to spearhead transformative initiatives.
A policy brief disseminated by the United Nations Ec
onomic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in January cast a stark light on the far-reaching ramifications of climate change on agriculture and food security across the Arab region.
Rural populations, tethered to climate-sensitive natural resources for sustenance, find themselves disproportionately vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate variability.
Official statistics underscore the agricultural sector’s modest contribution to Jordan’s gross domestic product, pegged at approximately 4.5 percent in 2022, with a monetary value of 1.5 billion dinars.
However, the quest for sustainable food security amidst the crucible of climate flux and economic exigencies demands a concerted emphasis on bolstering agricultural productivity, underscored Fadel Zuabi, a seasoned food security expert and erstwhile advisor to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Zuabi accentuated the indispensable role of empowering rural youth as harbingers of rural economic resurgence, positing that t
he creation of viable employment opportunities and the reversal of rural-to-urban migration trends are imperative imperatives for sustainable rural development.
Echoing this sentiment, Abdelkader Khasasi, Deputy Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean, called for multifaceted investments and collaborative partnerships spanning governmental, private sector, civil society, and international organizational realms to undergird local development and mitigate unemployment conundrums.
Naif Estitiyeh, CEO of the Business Development Center and former Minister of Labor, underscored the need to transcend conventional paradigms of the rural economy and embrace innovation catalyzed by the creative prowess of rural youth.
Estitiyeh advocated for diversifying economic activities beyond agriculture and surmounting barriers to marketing, financing, and women’s integration within the rural economic tapestry.
Agricultural tourism emerged as a promising avenue for rural economic diversification, contended Ayman
Abu Kharoub, Assistant Secretary-General for Tourism Affairs at the Ministry of Tourism.
While acknowledging the nascent state of agricultural tourism in Jordan, Abu Kharoub underscored its potential as a strategic tourism product, offering immersive experiences amidst pastoral landscapes and verdant farmlands.
Financial inclusion and access to credit emerged as linchpins for rural economic development, underscored Maher Mahrouq, Director General of the Association of Banks. Mahrouq underscored the imperative of expanding financing mechanisms tailored to rural enterprises and agricultural activities to unleash their latent growth potential.
Nabil Assaf, the representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Jordan, underscored the organization’s unwavering commitment to advancing food security, poverty alleviation, and sustainable development. Assaf emphasized the necessity of adaptive measures to climate change and prudent water resource management to safeguard agricultural l
ivelihoods in Jordan.
Despite these concerted endeavors, the geographical imbalance in population distribution poses a formidable challenge, with the lion’s share of Jordan’s populace concentrated in urban enclaves. Addressing this spatial disjuncture mandates holistic strategies aimed at revitalizing the rural economy, enhancing food security, and fostering sustainable development across regional swathes.
In sum, concerted action, informed by collaborative partnerships and undergirded by innovative approaches, constitutes the sine qua non for surmounting the myriad challenges bedeviling Jordan’s rural economy.
By harnessing the vibrancy and ingenuity of rural youth, investing in sustainable agriculture, promoting financial inclusivity, and nurturing burgeoning sectors such as agricultural tourism, Jordan can chart a trajectory towards inclusive, resilient, and sustainable rural development.
Source: Jordan News Agency