Memorandum of Understanding between BDC and FMLFA
Under the patronage of His Excellency Engineer Khaled Al-Hunaifat, Minister of Agriculture, and in the presence of Tanya Chapuisat, UNICEF Representative in Jordan, the Business Development Center (BDC) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Fish and Marine Life Farmers Association. The aim is to help girls and local community institutions start their entrepreneurial projects in aquaculture within the "Azm" project (Economic Support for Communities Most Affected by the Corona Pandemic for Self-Employment), funded by UNICEF.
In his speech, Engineer Khaled Al-Hunaifat emphasized the importance of such projects, stating that the aquaculture sector is one of the pioneering income-generating projects that contribute to creating job opportunities at the local level. He noted that the Ministry gives great attention to empowering farmers and directing them towards economically viable projects due to their positive impact on their economic conditions. He mentioned that the Ministry of Agriculture, through agricultural lending, has supported pioneering projects with interest-free loans amounting to 35 million dinars, including aquaculture. Given the limited coverage of local fish production, which does not exceed 4% of local needs, they are in the process of supporting all projects that promote expansion in aquaculture and its impact on rural communities through job creation and agriculture with economic impact and added value, especially in light of major challenges such as climate change, the refugee crisis, and COVID-19. He also mentioned the launch of a training and rehabilitation project for youth in agricultural professions, with more than 5,000 trainees participating in this program.
Tanya Chapuisat, UNICEF Representative in Jordan, said: "UNICEF focuses on interventions aimed at empowering the most vulnerable young women and men in Jordan, and helping in their smooth transition to productive adulthood. We are pleased to see partners coming together today to address the challenges faced by youth in Jordan and further enhance the sustainability of the Azm project."
Mr. Ghaleb Hijazi, the General Manager, highlighted the role of the Business Development Center in contributing to economic development by stimulating entrepreneurial projects that provide employment opportunities for youth and women. He pointed out the uniqueness of the current project as a pioneering project that seeks to enhance the importance of investing in Jordan's agricultural resources with the presence of specialized experts that can bring about a qualitative shift in agricultural investment and provide a source of income and job opportunities in governorates where human and agricultural resources are available. This aligns with the strategic plans set by the Jordanian government to stimulate the economy and Jordanian investment. He indicated that this pilot project within the Azm project funded by UNICEF is expected to create at least 15 self-employment opportunities and 40 direct employment opportunities.
Engineer Mohammed Omar Shaheen, President of the Fish Farming and Animal Husbandry Association, emphasized that the human development represented in this project primarily depends on developing technical and scientific expertise to manage and develop aquaculture projects within a comprehensive plan. These projects will form a nucleus for developing aquaculture at the micro and small level for aquaculture projects. This step is in line with the national continuity for the development of fish wealth, which was formulated in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and forms a basic building block in the development of this sector.
This initiative came as part of joint efforts to promote investment in agricultural opportunities and their role in creating employment opportunities, especially for targeted girls aged 18-24 years and a group of local community institutions, focusing on the northern Jordan Valley areas in Ghor Al-Safi and Deir Alla, reaching the southern Jordan Valley, within the most suitable areas in terms of water availability and weather, in line with the requirements of the aquaculture sector.
It is worth mentioning that through the cooperation between the Business Development Center and the Fish and Marine Life Farmers Association, and through the Azm project funded by UNICEF, suitable lands for aquaculture will be selected and participating girls will be chosen according to clear criteria to reach 70 participating girls to present the project idea to them. Then, specialized technical training in aquaculture, hatching, and ornamental fish will be provided, selecting 15 to 20 participating girls who meet the project's criteria and conditions to start their projects, and 7 associations to establish productive projects that create real employment and self-employment opportunities. The Azm project, managed by the Business Development Center (BDC), will purchase equipment and tools, supervise implementation, and then connect them with local markets to sell and promote products. According to the memorandum, the association will provide technical support and follow-up, and purchase all products from local community institutions and participating girls who are selected.
