NARC chief, Dutch delegation discuss agriculture cooperation

AMMAN — The National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) and a Dutch delegation on Sunday discussed the implementation of entrepreneurial projects using modern agricultural techniques. 

Director General of NARC Nizar Haddad, in a statement, expressed the readiness of the Kingdom’s research centres to implement entrepreneurial projects towards easing challenges facing scholars and farmers, alike, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The Dutch delegation's visit is part of the cooperation with partners to support small-scale farmers and implement entrepreneurial projects that use modern agricultural techniques towards improving irrigation efficiency and optimising water usage. 

The partnership also aims to provide training for farmers to expand the cultivation of perennial olive trees in addition to developing NARC's laboratories to increase analysis efficiency. 

Lauding the Dutch government's efforts to support the Kingdom’s agriculture sector, Haddad said that a new Dutch-funded project is in the pipeline. 

Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the three-year project would allow for Jordanian farmers to implement "pioneering" projects that "positively" reflect on their living conditions, Manager of Horti Future project at Mercy Corps, Tala Momani, said.