Petra News Agency
Monday, October 2, 2006
The Small Grants Program of
the Global Environment Facility funds three environmental projects in different
regions in Jordan
Amman, Oct. 2 (Petra)---Three grant agreements worth US$ 110,000 to support
environmental projects by non-governmental organizations were signed at the
United Nations Development Programme headquarter in Amman today. The agreements
were signed by Mona K. Hider the UNDP Resident Representative in Jordan and
presidents of the concerned NGOs.
Funded by the Global Environment Facility/Small Grants Programme (GEF/SGP), the
first grant will go to the Productive Village Cooperative in As Salhiyeh
Village/ Wadi Rum for the implementation of the “Rehabilitation of Plant Cover
surrounding As Salhiyeh Village-Wadi Rum” project, which aims at controlling the
dust and sand dune formation over village dwellings, affecting the health,
social and economic life of the community. This problem was caused by negative
human practices including over-grazing, tree cutting and use of 4-wheel drive
vehicles, in addition to climatic conditions. To address the problem, the
Cooperative, in cooperation with the Wadi Rum Nature Area, will rehabilitate the
area around the village by planting it with indigenous plants and establishing a
nursery to propagate these plants to be grown on a large scale. The project will
mobilize the local community and enhance its participation in the conservation
efforts in the area. It will also build the capacities of the Cooperative to
ensure sustainability of its efforts.
In Al Faisaliyeh village/ Madaba governorate, characterized by its beautiful
rural nature and moderate climate in addition to its significant tourist
attractions, especially for religious tourism, such as Mount Nebo, Siyagha, and
Al Mkhayat, An Noor Cooperative will implement the “Sustainable Rangeland
Management in Al Faisaliyeh Area” project. The project aims to maintain the
rangeland productivity and contribute to sustaining the livelihoods of the local
community through promoting the raising of a special breed of goats
characterized by high milk yield and suitable for confined keeping, thus
alleviating the pressure on natural rangeland. The project will also include an
awareness component for livestock farmers and local community members.
In the north-eastern Jordanian Badia, and in cooperation with the Azraq Wetland
Reserve managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, the South
Azraq Women Society for Social Development will implement a “Pilot Project for
the Conservation of Biodiversity in Azraq Oasis Using Information Technology”.
The project aims at fostering partnership between the local community and the
Wetland Reserve through participation in environmental research and monitoring
programs implemented by the Reserve, such as the Bird Monitoring Program and the
Bird Ringing Program. This will be achieved through establishing an IT center
that will enable students to log into web sites related to nature conservation,
with special focus on wetlands, where they can access information on migratory
birds and the various elements that affect their migration. The project will
organize student visits to the Reserve, various awareness activities, and will
produce outreach materials that would contribute to achieving project
objectives.
The signing of these agreements falls within the local community efforts
supported by GEF/SGP in Jordan ever since it started operation back in 1992.
The supported projects are in line with the strategic objectives of the GEF/SGP,
which focus on achieving global environmental benefits in the areas of
biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation and
persistent organic pollutants, as well as the achievement of enhanced and
improved livelihoods of the local communities and their capacities to manage
their natural resources.