Amman, June 4 (Petra) – Minister of Agriculture, Khaled Hneifat, on Wednesday received the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Qu Dongyu, in a visit which confirms the joint "deep-rooted, strategic" partnership.

During the meeting attended by a number of the two sides' senior officials, Hneifat praised this visit, the third of its kind by FAO head to Jordan in recent years, which reflects the mutual "strong" relations.

Hneifat noted this "historic" partnership has yielded "qualitative" projects, mainly support for the Kingdom's efforts to enhance food security and establishment of the Regional Observatory for Food Security.

The minister also referred to FAO's programs aimed to empower women and youth in the Kingdom's agricultural sector.

The minister also praised FAO's role in supporting Syrian refugees and its contribution to achieving regional stability through sustainable agricultural development.

FAO Director-General, in turn, commended His Majesty King Abdullah II's efforts in consolidating political stability within Jordan and the region, noting his continued support for the agricultural sector.

Additionally, he announced the organization's decision to award AGRICO Medal to His Majesty, one of the highest honors awarded to heads of state, who have made a tangible contribution to supporting global food security and combating poverty.

Qu Dongyu stated the medal has not been awarded to any leader in 15 years.

On future plans, he revealed the organization's intention to establish a regional training center in Jordan specializing in smart agriculture techniques.

The FAO head said the projected hub will focus on integrating artificial intelligence and modern technology to improve feasibility of agricultural resources, mainly water, fertilizers, and pesticides.

In the same context, the ministry's Secretary-General, Mohammed Hiyari, stressed the importance of developing a rapid response plan to address the continuing decline in rainfall rates due to climate change and launch programs to tackle food system transformations and combat transboundary animal diseases.
//Petra// AG

04/06/2025 16:56:57