Water, high costs major challenges facing small-scale farmers in Jordan — FAO study

Water, high costs major challenges facing small-scale farmers in Jordan — FAO study

AMMAN — Water shortages and high costs are the most significant challenges for small-scale farmers, according to a study issued by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Small-scale farms face a number of challenges that impede the access of their products to foreign markets, in addition to other obstacles that limit their effectiveness, according to FAO’s recent study titled “Promoting rural advisory services in Arab countries to promote market orientation and comprehensive transformation” which covered Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Oman.

The study focused on small farmers in the Jordan Valley and Irbid and concluded that broker-buyers in particular set low prices for agricultural products, depriving farmers of access to foreign markets.

The study also considered that water shortages and high production costs are additional challenges faced by farmers in Jordan.

In particular, farmers face high costs of fertilisers and pesticides, electricity, water pumps, land rents, transportation and packaging. These challenges are exacerbated by deteriorating infrastructure and a lack of modern agricultural processing equipment.

According to the study, these conditions disproportionately impact women, given their reduced access to funding and technology as well as limited mobility.

The study indicated that the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, the Jordan Valley Authority and