Category Archives: Events & Activities

The Jordan Dates Association (JODA) and the National Center for Agricultural Research (NARC) organized the Palm Scientific Day in Jordan yesterday, Monday, at the National Center for Agricultural Research (NARC), in the presence of His Excellency the Director General of (NARC), Dr. Khaled Abu Hammour, representing His Excellency the Minister of Agriculture, Engineer Khaled Al-Hunaifat, sponsor of the ceremony. And Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Jordan Dates Association (JODA), Engineer Anwar Haddad, along with a large number of scientists, experts, and palm growers.

The scientific day included an important group of lectures related to the date palm sector and the latest scientific research, techniques, and innovations that were achieved at NARC, where papers were presented in on pests and diseases, irrigation, fertilization, heat cummulation, fruit peeling, types of bags used in palm trees, and research related to modern technologies.

His Excellency, the Director General of NARC, stressed the importance of cooperation with all sub-sectors in agriculture and the Center’s readiness to make more efforts for the sustainability of agriculture. He also praised the palm sector as a promising national sector.

On the one hand, the President of JODA, Engineer Anwar Haddad, stressed the importance of scientific research in raising the level of the sector and the quality of dates. He praised the efforts of the Center in the field of palm trees and thanked all those working in this field. Haddad stressed that the Association and the Center meet on the principle of the scientific approach on which the date palm sector in Jordan was based. He also emphasized the number of challenges facing the date palm sector, which require more applied scientific research. He also stressed that he will work with the center to make the Palm Scientific Day an annual day on which stakeholders meet with the researchers and experts. Haddad thanked the center and its staff for their efforts, and also thanked the audience, which included universities, research centers, and date palm growers in the Kingdom.

At the end of the day, a set of recommendations were agreed upon that will be adopted by both NARC and JODA.

---

Yesterday, Tuesday, a cooperation agreement was signed in the Ministry of Water and Irrigation between the Jordan Valley Authority (JVA) represented by its Secretary General, Engineer Hisham Al-Haisa, and the Jordan Dates Association (JODA) represented by its president, Engineer Anwar Haddad.

This agreement aims to improve the Kingdom’s production of dates and enhance its competition in the international markets, by improving the water management services provided by the Authority to date palm farmers in the valley. And by exchanging experiences and information, and encouraging the use of latest technologies in managing irrigation water for the date palm sector. In addition to educating and guiding farmers on the optimal use of water resources, using modern irrigation techniques and methods to prevent waste, and improving ground drainage services in agricultural units, and providing JVA’s laboratory services to farmers. Along with building databases for this vital and important sector that constitutes high economic importance as an employer of Jordanian labor, and an important contributor to empowering women in the valley.

During his meeting with the Board of Directors of the Jordan Dates Association (JODA) and the signing of the agreement, His Excellency Eng. Hisham Al-Haisa, Secretary General of the Jordan Valley Authority (JVA), stressed the importance of providing all forms of support to farmers and building effective cooperation with civil private sector institutions in implementation of the royal directives to provide the appropriate environment for the advancement of national agriculture and enabling it to compete in markets. As well as developing, modernizing, enhancing, and strengthening cooperation links between the government sector and the private sector, especially in the areas of managing irrigation allocated water.

Eng. Al-Haisa also stressed that JVA will work to provide all capabilities for the success of national agriculture, such as the cultivation of date palms, which has achieved tangible success. He indicated that the date palms in the Jordan Valley are considered one of the most efficient crops in using water, especially in light of conditions of climate change, water shortages, and increased pressure according to JVA’s sources. Furthermore indicating that the Jordan Valley Authority (JVA) has many programs and projects to advance this cultivation by providing the appropriate environment and making it easier for farmers, calling on them to adopt modern agricultural patterns and benefit from the unique advantage of the Jordan Valley environment.

For his part, Eng. Anwar Haddad, President of the Jordan Dates Association (JODA), praised the ongoing cooperation with JVA, stressing that JODA’s goal is to develop, sustain and develop the date palm sector and its producers in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan through a number of regulatory, promotional and marketing activities. Along with raising the capabilities of palm farmers and improving their optimal agricultural practices, of which water management. This is considered one of the most important inputs that affects production quantitatively and qualitatively, expressing his appreciation for the distinguished efforts made by the Jordan Valley Authority and constructive cooperation to overcome all obstacles facing our fellow farmers.

Stressing that, this memorandum of understanding will be translated into programs that serve the palm sector in the Jordan Valley, and JODA is fully prepared to participate and contribute to supporting the role played by the cadres of JVA. This cooperation between the public and private sectors will be a model to be emulated. Haddad also stressed that the agreement includes topics that address most of the water problems and challenges facing date palm growers.

On Wednesday morning, 5/6/2024, the Jordan Dates Association (JODA) held a special workshop for palm growers in the southern Jordan Valley. The workshop took place in Gawr as-Safi municipality building, in the presence of His Excellency the Superintendent of Major General Mr. Wael Al-Sharafa; Eng. Raeda Al-Maaytah, Director of the Southern Jordan Valley Directorate; Mr. Ismat Al-Majali, President of the Farmers Union, in Al-Karak Governorate; Eng. Basil Al-Shawara, Assistant Secretary-General for Water Management in the Southern Jordan Valley. Along with an audiance of date palm growers in the Southern Jordan Valley.

---

---

The aim of the workshop is to inform date palm growers in the Southern Jordan Valley about the latest developments of the sector in the Kingdom, and the challenges it faces. The meeting was also attended by the president and board of directors of the association and its technical staff.

---

In the presence of His Excellency the Minister of Agriculture, Engineer Khaled Al-Hanifat, the Plant Protection Directorate presented the outcomes of the first phase of the national plan to combat the red palm weevil, which was prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Jordanian Dates Association (JODA), and a group of local and international experts, which came to overcome the spread of this pest. The data of achievement indicates that The success of the plan in achieving the goals. It was pointed out that it is necessary to take residual readings at intervals. Everyone emphasized the importance of continuing the plan in the next three years and the necessity of monitoring the plans. Everyone also stressed that this plan is considered one of the best programs that contribute to limiting the spread of this dangerous scourge, and everyone praised it. On the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture cadres in this field.

Under the patronage of His Excellency the Honorable Minister of Agriculture, Engineer Khaled Hanifat, and in a special ceremony, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Al-Balqa Applied University/Faculty of Technological Agriculture and the Jordanian Dates Association (JODA), in the presence of the University President, Professor Dr. Ahmed Fakhri Al-Ajlouni, and distinguished university professors.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by Dr. Amal Al-Abadi, on behalf of the College of Agricultural Technology, and on behalf of the Jordanian Dates Association, Engineer Anwar Haddad, President of the Association.
This memorandum came to strengthen relations between the two sides in terms of academic and technical cooperation, technology transfer, facilitating training and qualification for students, faculty members, workers, supervisors and agricultural engineers, and exchanging educational resources between the two teams, as well as cooperation in the field of research and publishing, based on the principle of mutual equality and the principle of reciprocity. .
At the end of the ceremony, honorary shields were exchanged for both parties in appreciation of the efforts made.