Zarqa food exhibition showcases small agricultural businesses

AMMAN — The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and officials from the Japanese embassy in Amman recently attended a food processing exhibition organised by Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanian host communities.

The exhibition took place in Zarqa and was also attended by representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC) and several community-based organisations. Similar exhibitions were also organised in Irbid and Mafraq governorates, according to a statement sent to The Jordan Times.

The exhibition was part of a broader undertaking to strengthen the livelihoods of Syrian refugees and their Jordanian host communities, the statement said.

The exhibition was organised by the FAO’s “Social Stability and Resilient Livelihoods for Syrian Refugees and Vulnerable Jordanian Farm Families from Hosting Communities” project and funded by Japan, according to the statement.

The project supports the livelihoods of 3,000 people in Irbid, Mafraq and Zarqa governorates, according to the statement, which added that through the establishment of small agri-food enterprises, the project is working to strengthen food and nutrition security, boost household income and enhance development skills.

The project also corresponded with Jordan’s Response Plan, (JRP) a three-year plan aimed at addressing the needs and vulnerabilities of Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians, communities and institutions affected by the crisis.

More than 50 per cent of the project’s beneficiaries are female members of rural and peri-urban households, the statement said.

The exhibitions were organised in partnership with the Business Development Centre which trained the beneficiaries on marketing and commercialisation skills and conducted the exhibitions.