The Ministry of Agriculture and the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Jordan signed an agreement on Sunday to conduct a labor-intensive project to plant 1,750 dunums in Irbid, Jerash, Ajloun, and Balqa. Over 24 months, the German-funded Employment through Labour Intensive Infrastructure in Jordan (Phase 6) project will cost pound 18 million provided by the German Development Bank (KfW), with a JD2.3 million contribution by the Jordanian agriculture ministry. The agriculture, local administration, and labor ministries and several municipalities will come together to implement the initiatives and create 420 paid working days and 1,250 jobs for Jordanians and Syrians through labor-intensive projects. Minister of Agriculture Khaled Hneifat said the agreement will contribute to Jordan’s national afforestation plan and generate jobs in governorates with high unemployment rates. In turn, Director of the KfW Office in Amman Mark Schwiete said the Bank and the German government are committed to supporting economic opportunities and creating jobs in Jordan through afforestation activities that will enhance the sustainability of forests and contribute to a green and clean environment, the thing that is essential to confront climate change. Shailendra Jha Kumar, the project’s director at ILO, noted the “great experience” during the project’s previous phases, which were completed successfully and with high quality.
Source: Jordan News Agency
