Higher Population Council: Protecting agricultural land is a prerequisite for sustaining the role of rural women

It pointed out that continued licensed urban expansion on fertile land surrounding cities leads to rising prices, land sales, and the loss of agricultural production, which reflects on the rural household economy.

The Council emphasized that rural women play a fundamental role in the food production system by working in agriculture and livestock breeding, in addition to processing, manufacturing, and marketing agricultural and food products, as well as their responsibilities in caring for the family and managing household resources.

From beneficiary to development partner

The Council explained that the most prominent challenges facing Jordanian rural women include limited access to land ownership and productive resources, poor utilization of technology, services, and agricultural extension, difficulty in accessing markets directly, and the burdens of unpaid domestic work and family care.

It stressed the need to shift from treating rural women as beneficiaries of development programs to considering them active partners in production and decision-making, which enhances food security and the sustainability of rural communities.

Proposals for economic empowerment

The Council called for the development of legislation and policies that regulate land use, preserve productive agricultural land, and limit its loss due to urban expansion, in line with the goals of the Economic Modernization Vision, food security, and environmental sustainability.

It also recommended launching awareness and media campaigns to highlight the success stories of rural women, and organizing markets for female farmers as well as permanent and seasonal bazaars that allow them to sell their products directly to consumers and reduce reliance on intermediaries.

The proposals included organizing free training workshops on e-marketing and the use of digital platforms to create online stores for selling products, and encouraging women to establish or join agricultural cooperatives to facilitate access to finance, purchase raw materials at lower prices, and reach wider markets.

The Council noted that the International Day of Rural Women, established by the United Nations and observed on October 15 each year, highlights the contributions of women in rural areas to achieving food security, reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development, and conserving natural resources.

This year's occasion comes within the framework of the International Year of Women Farmers and their role in agricultural and food systems, a concept that encompasses various stages of production, from farming and livestock breeding to manufacturing, marketing, and entrepreneurship in rural areas.