Amman, June 4 (Petra) – Minister of Agriculture Khaled Hunaifat on Wednesday welcomed Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General Qu Dongyu, who is on a visit that underlines the strategic partnership between Jordan and the United Nations organization.

The meeting was attended by senior officials on both sides, including the ministry's Secretary-General Mohammad Hiyari, Director-General of the Cooperative Corporation, Abdel Fattah Shalabi, Director-General of the Agricultural Credit Corporation, Mohammad Dougan, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, Abdul Hakim Elwaer, and FAO Representative in Jordan, Nabil Assaf.

Hunaifat hailed the visit, the third by the FAO chief to Jordan, which, he said, reflects the strong relationship between Jordan and the UN organization.

"This historic partnership yielded qualitative projects, most notably support for the Kingdom's efforts to enhance food security and the launch of the Regional Food Security Observatory, as well as programs to empower women and youth in the agricultural sector," said the minister.

He hailed FAO support of Syrian refugees and its contribution to achieving regional stability through sustainable agricultural development.

For his part, the head of FAO commended the efforts of His Majesty King Abdullah II in consolidating political stability in Jordan and the region, and his continued support for the agricultural sector.

During the meeting, a FAO decision was announced to award His Majesty with the Agricola Medal, which honors distinguished personalities for their commitment and support to the promotion of sustainable food production, world food security and combating poverty. The medal has not been awarded to any leader in 15 years.

Dongyu also announced that FAO will establish a regional training center in Jordan specializing in smart agriculture techniques, focusing on the use of AI and modern technology to improve the use of agricultural resources, such as water, fertilizers, and pesticides.

The Agriculture Ministry's Secretary-General, Mohammed Hiyari, stressed the need for a rapid response plan to address the continuing decline in rainfall rates due to climate change, and developing programs to address food system transformations and combat transboundary animal diseases.

//Petra//SS

04/06/2025 17:15:22