Ammon News - The Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) signed an agreement on Wednesday for cooperation in climate change adaptation.

The deal was inked under the Rural Economic Growth and Employment Project (REGEP) run by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the government of the Netherlands to conduct natural resources management programs in rural areas in Jordan, said a JEDCO statement.

The project's objectives are to improve small farmers' and small- and medium-sized agricultural companies' technical and competitive capacities, integrate smallholder farmers into value chains, and provide women and young people with employment opportunities in rural areas. Additionally, it aims to raise fruit and vegetable exports as well as economic growth and incomes.

The agreement was signed by JEDCO's CEO Abdulfattah Kayed and FAO's Representative in Jordan Nabil Assaf.

According to Assaf, FAO will work to improve the use and productivity of irrigation water, as well as boost stakeholders' capabilities to adopt appropriate social solutions. The project will also provide technical assistance and capacity-building programs to ensure food security.

JEDCO, for its part, seeks to strengthen Jordanian farmers' resilience in the face of water scarcity and climate change, according to Kayed.