FAO, Japan launch project to combat climate change, support resilient communities in Jordan

AMMAN — The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Jordan, funded by Japan, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, has launched a project aimed at addressing the pressing challenges of climate change and natural resource crises in refugee hotspot areas of northern Jordan. 

The project, titled “Emergency response to climate change and natural resource crises in refugee hotspots in Jordan,” will focus on disaster risk reduction, community-based solutions, and forest rehabilitation, according to a statement to The Jordan Times. 

Minister of Agriculture Khalid Hneifat attended the workshop, which was held in the presence of Ambassador of Japan to Jordan Jiro Okuyama and several representatives of project’s stakeholders and government partners.

The project will be implemented in Zaatari Refugee Camp, Ajloun, and Jerash, targeting 150 beneficiaries, including Syrian refugees and host community members. 

Key activities include the rehabilitation of forest areas through cash-for-work programmes, capacity building on disaster risk management, and the establishment of community-based disaster response mechanisms, the statement said.

"Through this project, we aim to build stronger, more resilient communities. I hope that through the participation of both refugees and host communities in the rehabilitation of forests and risk reduction management activities, we can enhance food security and protect the livelihoods of those living near the forests," Okuyama was quoted in the statement as saying. 

Agriculture Ministry Secretary-General Mohammed Hayari expressed the government's keenness to mitigate the effects of climate change on the agricultural sector by working to establish smart agricultural projects that take climate change into account and move away from traditional projects.

“This project is crucial in addressing the urgent needs of both refugees and host communities,” said FAO Representative in Jordan Nabil Assaf. 

“By investing in forest rehabilitation and building community resilience, we aim to create a lasting impact and contribute to sustainable development in the region,” Assaf added.

The project is expected to contribute to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2: Zero hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. 

The project will also seek to achieve SDG 15: Life on land, protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss, according to the statement.