Amman, Aug. 3 (Petra) — Minister of Agriculture and Chairperson of
the Jordan Cooperative Corporation, Saeb Khraisat, said a recent
study by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
underscores the progress achieved by Jordan’s cooperative sector and
reflects growing international recognition of the Kingdom’s efforts
to develop cooperative work.

Khraisat said in a statement that the FAO study’s praise for the
corporation’s achievements reflects the success of Jordan’s national
vision for developing cooperative work and strengthening its role in
sustainable development.

He said highlighting the corporation’s progress in developing its
tools and operations confirms that the cooperative sector is moving
in the right direction, particularly in agriculture and the use of
modern, smart technologies in cooperative projects, which, he said,
is boosting productivity and sustainability.

Khraisat described the partnership with the FAO as a key pillar in
supporting Jordan’s agricultural and cooperative sectors, noting that
agricultural cooperatives account for about 25% of all registered
cooperatives in the Kingdom, with 355 of Jordan’s 1,455 cooperatives
operating in the sector, reinforcing their contribution to national
food security.

He said cooperatives’ growing use of modern technology is helping cut
production costs, save time and effort, and improve the quality of
agricultural and food products.

He linked this progress to royal directives and the Economic
Modernization Vision, as well as government efforts to update
cooperative legislation and ease access to local and international
grants and loans.

Khraisat said the FAO’s 2026 publication “Voices of Cooperatives”
highlighted success stories from Arab and African cooperatives, with
Jordan receiving the largest share, 19 cooperatives most of them
agricultural, reflecting the advanced position Jordanian cooperatives
have reached in adopting smart technologies.

JCC Director-General Abdel Fattah Shalabi said the study reflects
international confidence in the ability of Jordanian cooperatives to
adopt best practices in development and innovation.

He said the corporation continues to implement programs to build
cooperatives’ capacity, expand partnerships with national and
international bodies, and enable the use of modern technology to
strengthen their contribution to local development, food security and
sustainable economic opportunities for youth and women.

The study found that the corporation adopted an integrated national
strategic vision that enabled it to develop its tools and strengthen
cooperatives’ leadership in implementing projects using smart
technologies.

It also praised the activation of the Cooperative Development
Institute, which provides training and technical and administrative
consultations, and the preparation of a strategic plan for the
cooperative sector in partnership with the FAO.

The study said the corporation has worked to empower youth and women
in rural areas, ease cooperatives’ access to donor agencies and
technical compliance certification, and develop initiatives in
hydroponics, aquaponics, soil-less farming, agricultural waste
recycling, medicinal plant and saffron production, and the use of
artificial intelligence to improve quality and production efficiency.

It also cited the corporation’s success in building financial and
social empowerment networks, providing financial inclusion tools and
low-cost savings funds, and showcasing 19 Jordanian cooperatives as
leading models in agriculture, production and empowerment for
adopting innovative solutions in water management, smart farming and
post-harvest techniques, bolstering their capacity to address water
scarcity and add value to agricultural output.

//Petra// NQ