Balqa, June 3 (Petra) – The National Agricultural Research Center
(NARC) officially launched 39 pioneering research projects for the
2026 cycle Wednesday, following final approvals from the center’s
scientific committee.

This comprehensive initiative is strategically designed to accelerate
agricultural innovation, optimize resource management, and drive
sustainable development across the Kingdom’s farming sectors.

NARC Director General Dr. Ibraheem Al-Rawashdeh emphasized that this
extensive portfolio reflects the center’s institutional commitment to
directing scientific research toward climate-adaptive, smart
solutions.

By integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital agriculture
tools, and integrated natural resource management, the projects aim
to optimize water-use efficiency, build resilient production systems,
and equip smallholders with advanced agritech capabilities.

Al-Rawashdeh added that investing in human research capital is vital
to fostering applied knowledge that delivers tangible socioeconomic
impacts, stimulates creativity among researchers, and generates
practical solutions capable of transforming the sector.

The newly approved research tracks establish an advanced framework
for agricultural technology transfer, food security enhancement, and
public-private-academic partnerships. This approach aligns directly
with national sustainable development goals (SDGs) to boost the
regional and global competitiveness of Jordan’s agricultural output.

The approved projects span a diverse array of specialized technical
disciplines, ranging from enhancing crop productivity and developing
plant varieties capable of enduring harsh environmental conditions to
optimizing water resource management and mitigating plant pests and
diseases.

Furthermore, the portfolio includes specialized studies in livestock
production, artificial insemination networks, and the preservation of
indigenous plant and animal genetic resources.

The research also leverages advanced biotechnologies and agricultural
intelligence to maximize production efficiency, deploys modern
cultivation systems, utilizes agricultural and animal waste
byproducts, and conducts analytical macro-studies on climate change
variables and their structural impacts on local agricultural
sub-sectors.

NARC noted that these projects will be executed by specialized,
multidisciplinary research teams in close coordination with national
institutions and public-private sector stakeholders, anchoring
scientific research as a primary driver for national economic
development and sustainable agricultural growth.

//Petra// AA