Amman, June 7 (Petra) -- The Jordan Valley Authority and the Jordan Cooperative Corporation signed a memorandum of cooperation Sunday aimed at supporting agricultural cooperatives and strengthening their role in achieving sustainable agricultural development.

The agreement is based on a Cabinet decision allocating 4,000 dunams of land in the Ridan al-Aqiliya area of Aqaba Governorate for development projects to be implemented by agricultural cooperatives.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, the memorandum was signed by Jordan Valley Authority Secretary-General Hisham Hayseh and Jordan Cooperative Corporation Director-General Abdul-Fattah Shalabi.

Hayseh said the memorandum reflects the level of cooperation and integration between the two institutions in supporting the agricultural cooperative sector. He noted that the land allocation will enable cooperatives to implement economically viable productive and development projects that promote sustainable agricultural investment, improve resource-use efficiency, strengthen food security, and create employment opportunities for local communities.

For his part, Shalabi said the corporation will oversee procedures related to the utilization of land allocated to agricultural cooperatives, monitor compliance with the applicable terms and conditions, and provide the necessary technical and administrative support, as well as training and capacity-building programs.

He added that these measures will help enhance the efficiency of cooperative operations and enable cooperatives to fulfill their developmental, economic, and social roles.

Under the memorandum, the two sides will regulate mechanisms for the use of land allocated to agricultural cooperatives without transferring ownership. The agreement also defines the responsibilities of each party to ensure optimal investment of the land and provides for the technical and administrative oversight required to support project implementation and achieve the targeted development objectives.

//Petra// AJ