Jordan launches agricultural innovation initiatives

The Jordanian government on Sunday launched a package of strategic initiatives targeting the agriculture and food security sector as part of the second executive program of the Economic Modernization Vision (2026–2029). Framed within the "High-Value Industries" engine, the program is intended to support research, development and innovation, expand the use of modern technologies, enhance Jordan’s global competitiveness and improve the efficiency of the national food security system. Implementation of the sector’s executive plan is scheduled for 2026–2029 under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and in cooperation with the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC).

"Encouraging modernization and innovation in the agricultural sector and expanding the use of modern technologies"

The announced initiative sets out a clear methodology to achieve strategic objectives through a series of projects and institutional measures. According to the government statement, the Ministry of Agriculture and NARC will lead multiple projects from 2026 to 2029, with one additional project slated for 2027–2029. Key projects named in the plan include:

• Promoting the use of water‑saving technologies across the agricultural sector during 2026–2029 under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture.
• Establishing an "artificial insemination center for small ruminants" during 2026–2029 under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Research Center.
• Setting up a "Center for the Propagation of Agricultural Biological Control Agents" during 2026–2029 under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Research Center.
• Creating a "shared‑economy company to organize labor and provide integrated agricultural services" through partnerships and alliances based on shared‑economy models, to regulate agricultural labor and provide an integrated package of services to farmers during 2027–2029 under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture.

The plan’s stated strategic objectives include increasing public spending on agricultural research, food security and innovation, and strengthening Jordan’s global competitiveness as a destination for living. The government also linked the initiatives to measurable improvements on international food security benchmarks, citing the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) and the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) index as reference points for enhanced performance.

In addition to boosting research and technology adoption, the executive plan aims to extend the sufficiency period of the strategic stockpile of wheat and barley and increase the self‑sufficiency rate of basic food commodities. Those measures are presented as part of a broader effort to support the stability of the national food security system and to bolster the Jordanian economy’s capacity to adapt to regional and international challenges within the framework of high‑value industries.

Outlook

With projects rolling out between 2026 and 2029, the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Research Center will be central to the operational phase of the program. If implemented as described, the package seeks to combine technology adoption, research investment and new institutional arrangements — including a shared‑economy labour model — to raise resilience in Jordan’s food system. Progress will likely be judged against spending commitments on agricultural R&D, changes in self‑sufficiency rates for staple commodities, and movement on international indices such as the GFSI and SOFI.