Agriculture in Jordan is concentrated in the rain-fed and high-altitude northern and central areas where wheat, barley and other field crops are cultivated. In the Jordan River Valley, fruits, vegetables and other citrus crops are produced.

Much of Jordan’s land is unsuitable for agriculture, and with limited rainfall. This has significantly limited agricultural productivity, as crops are prone to drought, resulting in high dependence on import of food, particularly cereals.

Through the “increasing water productivity for nutrition-sensitive agriculture and improved food security and nutrition” project, FAO in partnership with IFAD, will support the Government Strategy for Agricultural Development 2016-2025 that aims to improve agricultural productivity, efficient use of irrigation water and high self-reliance in food security. In addition, the project will contribute to the ongoing IFAD’s “Small Ruminant Investment and Graduating Households in Transition” Project, which aims to reduce poverty and enhance national food security by improving the productivity of the small ruminant sector that faces challenges such as water scarcity, feed shortage and degraded rangelands.

In Jordan, the project will be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture.