Aqaba, April 8 (Petra) -- The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) organized on Wednesday a training program on the propagation and restoration of native and medicinal plants at ASEZA's nursery, in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Jordan and in cooperation with the Royal Botanic Garden.

The program, held on April 5 and 6, is part of the Enhancing Biodiversity and Resilience in Aqaba's Coastal Ecosystem (EmBRACE) Project, ASEZA statement. It brought together women from the local community and women's associations in Aqaba and coincided with the UNDP's 50th anniversary in Jordan.

UNDP project manager Jafar Omari said the program combined theoretical knowledge with practical application, introducing participants to wild plant species and their importance, nursery systems, tool use, growing media and mixing ratios, as well as hands-on training in soil preparation, container filling, seed sowing and treatment, seedling care including irrigation, fertilization, and thinning, and ultimately transplanting.

The training, he pointed out, is part of efforts to support nature-based solutions, strengthen local capacities to restore vegetation cover, and protect biodiversity in Aqaba.

The training was held under the "Protecting marine biodiversity in Aqaba project," funded by the Canadian government, which aims to restore degraded natural habitats and native plants in Aqaba, enhance their resilience to climate change, and support the sustainability of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

//Petra// AO