Jordan Times
Thursday, August 18, 2005
PM calls for overhaul of agricultural sector
AMMAN (Petra) — Prime Minister Adnan Badran on Wednesday called for the overhaul
of the agricultural sector to enable it to play a more effective role in
combating unemployment and poverty.
In remarks made during a visit to the Ministry of Agriculture, Badran said the
sector is essential to the country's comprehensive development process and its
growth would help reduce migration to the cities.
The premier said the sector should be given priority as it has the potential to
increase the country's gross domestic product (GDP).
The sector currently accounts for no more than two per cent of the country's
GDP, said Badran.
At the meeting, attended by Minister of Agriculture Muzahim Muhaisin, the prime
minister said the sector had suffered from years of neglect.
In his capacity as chairperson of the Higher Agricultural Council, Badran called
for the creation of a company to promote the Kingdom's agricultural products
abroad and urged the ministry to help boost agricultural production in the
Jordan Valley.
He also called for the construction of more soil dams in desert regions to
channel water and prevent soil erosion, and instructed the Agricultural Credit
Corporation to offer more loans for small projects.
Badran said the council, which met for the first time in seven years, should be
holding monthly meetings to follow up on the implementation of the ministry's
strategy.
According to the ministry, the agricultural sector currently employs 78,000
workers, nearly 15 per cent of Jordan's population and accounts for 16 per cent
of the overall national exports.