Princess Basma honours women-led agricultural, entrepreneurial projects

AMMAN — HRH Princess Basma Bint Ali on Monday honoured successful entrepreneurial, agricultural, and rural development projects led by women and youth, supported by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Jordan Islamic Bank.

During the ceremony, participants showcased their projects, which were funded by the Agricultural Credit Corporation (ACC) after receiving training from the Zaha Cultural Centre, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

ACC Director Mohammed Balawneh said that the corporation provided consultation, training, and financial support through soft loans, noting a success rate of over 70 per cent for the projects.

FAO Representative in Jordan Nabil Assaf highlighted the demand from women to convert loans into grants, noting that FAO has provided grants to 120 women in the Balqa.

Assaf also stressed the importance of partnerships and cooperative efforts to achieve rural development in a bid to transform rural areas into sustainable liveable communities.

CEO of the Zaha Cultural Centre Rania Sbeih said that the success of these pioneering projects is attributed to effective partnerships with the ACC and both public and private sector institutions. 

Sbeih also highlighted the centre’s mission of offering services that foster talent, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation while reaching communities across all governorates.