Amman, Oct. 28 (Petra) — The Agriculture Ministry, in cooperation
with the International Labor Organization (ILO), signed an agreement
on Wednesday to implement the second phase of a project to improve
water use efficiency in agriculture in Amman, Karak and Jerash
governorates.

It aims to complete activities that develop irrigation
infrastructure, reduce water loss and improve the delivery of
irrigation water to farmland. It also seeks to create jobs for people
in local communities.

The labor-intensive project is part of the “Afaq” partnership program
with the ILO, Agriculture Minister Saeb Khraisat said in a press
release.

He said it supports the ministry’s efforts to improve water use
efficiency, upgrade irrigation infrastructure and reclaim farmland.
He added that it provides temporary jobs that support rural
communities and improve farmers’ livelihoods.

The minister said the second phase includes reclaiming farmland
through soil maintenance and protection work and planting fruit
trees. It also includes rehabilitating and protecting 3,300 linear
meters of concrete spring water channels and 1,800 linear meters of
irrigation channels.

He said the second phase is expected to provide about 445 temporary
jobs, stressing the importance of linking water and agriculture
projects to job creation, farmer support and local development in the
targeted areas.

Khraisat said the first phase covered maintenance and construction of
irrigation channels and laying irrigation pipes totaling more than
5,000 linear meters to deliver water to farmland and enable farmers
to obtain their spring water shares more efficiently.

//Petra// NQ