Irbid, June 7 (Petra) — The results of the current agricultural
season are highly promising, reflecting the success of research
programs aimed at developing wheat varieties and improving their
resilience to diverse environmental conditions, the head of Jordan’s
top agricultural research body said on Sunday.

Ibrahim Al-Rawashdeh, Director General of the National Agricultural
Research Center (NARC), made the remarks while overseeing wheat
harvesting operations for the national seed multiplication project at
the Maru Research Station in the Irbid Governorate.

The event was attended by crop expert Mohammed Ayyad from Saudi
Arabia’s National Center for Research and Development of Sustainable
Agriculture.

Al-Rawashdeh noted that the average yield per dunam for certain
research-developed varieties reached approximately 400 kilograms.
Total wheat production at the station is expected to exceed 70 tonnes
this season, which he described as a positive indicator that supports
plans to expand the cultivation of high-performing strains and
bolsters national food security efforts.

The NARC prioritizes the seed multiplication project as a strategic
initiative designed to provide local farmers with improved,
high-quality seeds to elevate the productivity and efficiency of the
broader agricultural sector, Al-Rawashdeh said.

The experimental fields at the Maru station host a variety of
research trials conducted by NARC scientists, alongside joint
initiatives with Jordanian universities, international organizations,
and the private sector. These projects are carried out in direct
coordination with local farmers to accelerate knowledge transfer and
apply agricultural research in the field.

Al-Rawashdeh added that the center focuses on channeling scientific
research outputs and advanced infrastructure into pioneering
agricultural projects. He emphasized that NARC will continue to
upgrade its research stations to deliver the best possible scientific
and developmental outcomes.

He praised the ongoing scientific cooperation and exchange of
expertise with Arab research institutions, highlighting the value of
regional partnerships in transforming the agricultural sector and
addressing shared challenges, particularly in grain production and
agricultural sustainability.

Attendees toured the research fields and inspected the cultivated
varieties, receiving detailed briefings on the active research
initiatives and their preliminary results, which demonstrated strong
performance across several promising strains within Jordan’s varying
agricultural environments.

//Petra// AF