Ammon News - Jordanian specialists from the ministries of energy and agriculture on Tuesday discussed, during a forum organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), mechanisms to use small-scale renewable energy technologies for entrepreneurial development and gender mainstreaming in productive sectors in rural areas.

In the forum, which comes within the Regional Initiative for Promoting Small-Scale Renewable Energy Applications in rural areas of the Arab Region (REGEND) and as part of the 11th International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development, the Director of Electricity and Rural Electrification at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ziad Al- Saeeda, spoke on behalf of the energy minister and said that the initiative aims to improve livelihood, economic benefits, social inclusion and gender equality of Arab rural communities, particularly marginalized groups, by addressing energy poverty, water scarcity, vulnerability to climate change, and other natural resources challenges.

For her part, Chief of Energy Section at the ESCWA Radhia Sedaoui indicated that the initiative includes a number of energy projects supporting some 850 beneficiaries in the southern governorates of Karak and Maan.

"The Agriculture Ministry is combating poverty and unemployment, marketing rural products and developing rural women’s skills," head of the ministry's Rural Development and Women Empowerment Directorate Abeer Soub stated, adding that the ministry has cooperated with various donor agencies, such as the ESCWA initiative.