Netherlands signs projects worth 6m euros to support youth engagement in agriculture, tourism sectors in Jordan

The ceremony took place at the embassy, in the presence of Ambassador Harry Verweij, Finn Church Aid Country Director Mazen Khzouz and President and CEO of Partners for Good Walid Al Tarawneh, according to a Dutch embassy statement. 

Funding allocated for the two projects totals 3 million euros each and will be implemented by a consortium of local partners over a period of three years. 

“Jordan’s resources lie in its human capital. In launching these two new projects we aim to continue supporting the youth by training and employing them in the agriculture and tourism sectors, which are primed to contribute to the Jordanian economy. Youth bring energy, creativity and innovation to these two sectors and their continued engagement is of utmost importance,” said Verweij.

The “COOL-YA” project, which stands for Creating Attractive Opportunities for Livelihood of Youth in Agriculture, will be implemented by the consortium led by Finn Church Aid, in partnership with Jordan Exporters & Producers Association for Fruit & Vegetables (JEPA), Jordan Agricultural Engineers Association (JAEA) and a local Jordanian university. 

Over a period of three years, “COOL-YA” seeks to overcome the challenge of low youth engagement in the agriculture sector by highlighting the sector’s competitive, dynamic and profitable potential, the statement said. 

To attract youth, partners will focus on introducing innovative technologies, entrepreneurship opportunities, and agri-ventures to young people. Furthermore, the project will support young farmers and cooperatives with infrastructure enhancements, skills training and state of the art pre- and post-harvest techniques. It will be implemented in Mafraq, Irbid and the Jordan Valley. 

“Throughout the different consultation sessions we had with youth during the conceptual phase of this project, we were able to better understand their hopes, concerns and challenges regarding their economic empowerment in the agricultural sector. We have also realised that technology, ICT solutions and innovation are crucial entry points for youth engagement in this economic sector. By deploying the relevant tools and platforms, we will get a better chance to encourage youth interest in participating in this perceived conventional economic sector,” said Khzouz. 

The second project signed on Tuesday titled ‘Youth-JO: Level UP!’ will be implemented by Partners for Good in partnership with Luminus Education, Advance Consulting and ECEAT. The aim of this project is to increase the economic participation of 1,500 youths in Jordan through upskilling, job placements and matchmaking, and developing their entrepreneurial capabilities. 

The project will be delivered through an integrated approach that capacitates young people to overcome their barriers, work together with their communities to stimulate self-employment, and use technical and soft skills to their advantage in ensuring self-employment in agricultural and tourism value chains, according to the statement.

Tarawneh highlighted the importance of this project in enabling young people in a number of governorates of the Kingdom and linking them with job opportunities in specific sectors, as well as supporting young people to explore opportunities for self-employment by connecting them with the many opportunities offered by the value chains in targeted sectors. 

Tarawneh noted that all project activities will be implemented in partnership and in coordination with all relevant officials and civil parties, highlighting the valuable partnership with the Dutch embassy and the efforts it is putting to support Jordan to achieve its development goals.

Through both projects, approximately 3,000 Jordanian and refugee beneficiaries, including farmers, students and youth interested in agro technology will be reached. Synergies between the “COOL-YA” and “Youth-JO: Level UP!” projects will be formed during the inception phase of both projects.

The two projects bring together a number of priorities of Dutch development programming in Jordan, namely developing TVET pathways for the youth, bridging the gap between skills and jobs, promoting decent and long-term jobs for young people and women, and supporting the agriculture sector to become more productive.