His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday underlined the need to expand and accelerate the implementation of a strategic national fodder project.

King Abdullah made his remarks while visiting the Mohammadiya fodder project initiated by the Hashemite Fund for Badia Development (HFBD) in the north of Maan Governorate.

The first phase of the project, implemented on a 50,000-dunum plot of land, meets the Kingdom's annual need of 2,000 tonnes of barley. Jordan's total annual fodder consumption stands at 1.3 million tonnes, of which 80 per cent are imported.

During a tour of the Mohammadiya project, Sharifa Zein Bint Nasser, a member of the HFBD's board of trustees and a consultant to the fund, briefed King Abdullah on the fund's vision and goals

She said the project included planting some 55,000 olive and palm trees, and that work is under way to diversify the crops planted. The project, which relies on the use of underground water, created some 30 jobs, she noted.

The fund was established upon directives of the King following a visit to the Badia in 2003 where he contributed JD3 million to the fund. The government also allocated JD500,000.

King Abdullah was accompanied by Royal Court Chief Nasser Lozi, the King's Advisor Ayman Safadi, Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abu Al Saud, Minster of Agriculture Saeed Masri and Royal Court Advisor Yousef Issawi.

During the visit, also attended by Senator Faisal Fayez, who chairs HFBD's board of trustees, Sharifa Zein said the fund will implement similar projects this year in the eastern and southern parts of the Kingdom, while other areas will be covered in the future.

Masri said the Mohammadiya project is one component of the nationwide fodder project, which was launched last year, and is part of efforts to realise food security in the Kingdom.

Stressing the significance of planting crops that the Kingdom currently imports at high prices, Masri said plans are being drafted to implement water harvesting programmes for use in crop irrigation.

HFBD Director Omar Rafi said the national fodder project comprises three agricultural projects.

Under the programme, a total of 20,000 dunums in Rweished will be developed for planting fodder and barley, while 4,500 dunums will be planted with fruit trees in the Hassa area.

Another project will also be implemented in the Sabha reserve in the eastern desert over an 8,000-dunum area.