FAO conducts a field tour to its Hydroponics, Aquaponics and Fish Hatchery project in Jerash

The Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Jordan, Eng. Nabil Assaf, carried out a field visit today to the hydroponics, aquaponics and fish hatchery systems in the AlFaisal nursery in Jerash Governorate, in the presence of H.E the Minister of Agriculture, Eng. Khaled Al-Hanaifat, H.E Minister of Water, Eng. Mohammed Al-Najjar, and H.E Ambassador of the European Union to Jordan, Mrs. Maria Hadjitheodosiou.

The visit included a presentation about the project " Introduction of Aquaponics and Hydroponics in Support of Effective Use of Water", which supports and enhances the national competencies and capabilities regarding the management, design and implementation of hydroponics projects, in addition to a tour of the modern farming systems in the AlFaisal nursery.

The tour aims to shed light on the hydroponics, aquaponics and fish hatchery systems implemented by FAO to emphasize the importance of adopting such projects to raise the efficiency of water use compared to traditional agriculture, in addition to benefiting from modern agricultural projects to provide job opportunities for agricultural engineers and investment opportunities for farmers.

In his opening remarks, FAO Representative in Jordan, Eng. Nabil Assaf, praised the continuous efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture to develop the sector, and said, “Hydroponics helps reduce the consumption of water, fertilizers and pesticides, and therefore it is considered one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural systems, as well as an attractive factor for investors, especially young people.” The project mainly seeks to prepare the appropriate environment for the use of integrated hydroponic systems in Jordan. Assaf also referred to the new strategic framework launched by FAO for the period 2022-2031, which seeks to support the 2030 Agenda through the "Four Betters", which are better production, better environment, better nutrition, and better life.

For his part, H.E Minister of Agriculture, Eng. Khaled Al-Hunaifat, confirmed that these projects support the ministry’s efforts in the national plan for sustainable agriculture, which works to develop water-saving projects in light of the expansion of production according to crops with added economic value, in addition to building the capacities of agricultural engineers through the use of modern technologies. And the generalization of these crops, especially that the ministry has allocated, through its financing program, interest-free loans for the purposes of projects that use modern technologies to provide water.

Eng. Jaafar Al-Emyan, the project coordinator, gave a presentation about the project objectives, implemented activities and achievements. A multi-model hydroponic system was designed and installed; a fish hatchery system, an aquaponics system in the Faisal nursery in Jerash, and an aquaponics system in the Northern Shouna Agriculture Directorate. A three-month theoretical and practical technical training has been conducted under this project, where 64 newly graduated agricultural engineers and farmers were trained on economic feasibility study and financial management of such projects to increase their employment opportunities in the sector.  

This joint project falls within FAO’s regional initiatives on water scarcity and encouraging small-scale family farming across the Near East and North Africa to address water scarcity and encourage family farming systems. It is also part of Jordan's 2025 vision, which aims to improve national water security and agricultural productivity.