EU funded FAO Grant Scheme to support agriculture, employment

AMMAN —The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Jordan, in cooperation with the World Food Programme (WFP) and with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, is encouraging vulnerable farmers, smallholders and family-based agri-food enterprises within the Kingdom to apply for a financial grant.

The European Union-funded financial grants for agricultural activities, along with the job creation programme for Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities, are being promoted to those vulnerable in the agricultural sector, according to a FAO statement.

This support programme is within the framework of the “Enhancing resilient livelihoods and food security of host communities and Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon through the promotion of sustainable agricultural development” project that is funded by the EU through its Regional Trust Fund in response to the crisis in Syria. 

The project is also in cooperation with the International Fund for Agricultural Development. 

The grants will support Climate Smart Agricultural initiatives such as agricultural land reclamation, agricultural activities related to forests, livestock breeding, milk and dairy production, vegetable and fruit and fodder production, along with other complementary works such as modern irrigation and fertigation systems, planting of vegetable and tree seedlings, grading and packaging of agricultural products and other environmentally-friendly agricultural activities. 

The FAO Grant Scheme will target specific locations in the governorates of Maan, Madaba, Ajloun, Irbid, Balqa, Karak and Tafileh. The grant will cover 85 per cent of the total costs of the proposed project and five labourers from Syrians refugee and Jordanians host communities. 

Applicants interested in submitting proposals should fill out the “registration form” and “grants application form”. 

A total of 300 beneficiaries will be selected by FAO according to the criteria envisioned in the guidelines, the statement said.