His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday said the status of farmers will improve in 2009 as the implementation of the nationwide Agricultural Strategy starts.
"When we say the year 2009 will be the year of agriculture, it means that we are working seriously, transparently and with team spirit to upgrade the agricultural sector and assist workers in this field," King Abdullah said at a meeting to launch the strategy.
The government, the private sector and the Jordanian Farmers Union are working hand-in-hand to realise the plan, he added.
King Abdullah said the government would soon be ready with answers to a number of questions raised by the agricultural sector representatives who attended the meeting. Issues of concern include health insurance and social security coverage for farm workers and means to cope with the scarce rainfall this season, in addition to the mission and scope of work of a planned company that will handle the marketing of agricultural produce.
The King added that further meetings will be held to follow up on the issues brought up at the meeting, especially after the government has studied at length the steps it will take to address challenges faced by the agricultural sector.
"I promise you that in 2009, farmers will see the difference," King Abdullah said.
Addressing the agricultural sector's representatives, the King said the meeting is an opportunity to listen to their remarks regarding the challenges they face and look into means to help them.
Prime Minister Nader Dahabi, who attended the meeting, said the government began applying the King's vision of agricultural development and that changes on the ground will be apparent this year.
The premier said several meetings have been held with representatives from entities concerned with the sector. They produced an "agricultural document" outlining objectives, ideas, sources of funding and an action programme for the sector to be implemented according to a fixed time frame.
The document was agreed upon and endorsed by the Higher Council of Agriculture, Dahabi said, noting that it needs JD118 million in allocations, of which the government has set aside JD52 million in the 2009 state budget. He added that the government will work on making available the balance to implement all the projects and steps listed in the document.
The premier said the meetings covered the possibility of increasing the productivity of livestock - three programmes are under way in the northern, central and southern Badia - to plant fodder, eying self-sufficiency in this regard.
In response to remarks on the poultry sector, Dahabi said the Cabinet will take a decision to re-impose taxes on imported poultry to protect local producers.
Prior to the meeting, King Abdullah was briefed on the designs of the Southern Shuneh Airport, designed to facilitate the marketing and export of agricultural produce.
Some of the tenders will be floated this year to start part of the construction work.
Also during the meeting, Minister of Agriculture Muzahim Muhaisin reviewed the agricultural document which entails increasing local production of grain, fodder and seeds, maintenance of agricultural and water resources and intensifying water harvesting projects to cope with draught.
The document also highlights plans to develop agricultural research, support the Agricultural Credit Corporation, upgrade the skills of agricultural sector labourers and utilise investment opportunities available in Sudan, where Jordan has huge projects, among others.
On his part, President of the Farmers Union Ahmad Faour said that the document constitutes an integral part of the agricultural sector's ambitions and that he hoped that it will be a good start to serve the interests of the country, citizens and farmers' aspirations.
Faour demonstrated the challenges facing the sector and called for coordination efforts to enhance the sector's reality in the Kingdom, pursue clear water policies, particularly in the Jordan Valley region and increase support to livestock breeders.