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The Princess Basma Center for Jordanian Women's Studies, in collaboration with the Geography Department at the University's College of Arts, organized the symposium on "Urban Agriculture and its Role in Achieving Food Security," and Dr. Batoul Muheisen, the Center's Director, represented the President of Yarmouk University and sponsored its opening. The Deputy Director spoke. Dr. Mervat Mhairat heads the Greater Amman Municipality's City Health and Agricultural Affairs Department.
In her inaugural statement, Muheisen emphasized Yarmouk University's interest in diverse national concerns and eagerness to play a developmental role for our beloved motherland, citing urban agriculture as a key national development instrument for achieving food security.
She emphasized Yarmouk University's belief in the role of women in it, whether they are students, employees, or professors, as a symbol of development and giving, just as Jordanian women are throughout the country, noting that women, through urban agriculture and every development effort, will create the bright future that our country deserves in all fields, particularly food security, which is a national necessity.
For her part, Al-Mhairat explained during the symposium moderated by the Head of the Geography Department at the College of Arts, Dr. Khaled Hazaima, that Jordan has witnessed great urbanization in recent years, with the percentage of the urban population in 2021 reaching about 85% of the total population, pointing out that rapid urbanization has led to changes in land use patterns, with agricultural land near urban areas being converted into residential and industrial
She explained that the demand for food in densely populated urban areas has led to challenges in food supply chains, storage, and distribution, as urbanization affects the length and complexity of food supply chains, resulting in increased transportation costs, food waste, and decreased product freshness.
According to Al-Mhairat, urbanization has pushed city dwellers into urban agriculture, which involves small-scale agriculture such as rooftop gardens or communal gardening to supplement their food supply.
She cited many reasons for altering Amman's agricultural food system, including food security. The expanding population needs a flexible food system to assure a consistent and inexpensive food supply, while the second reason is economic development, in addition to sustainability, resilience, health and nutrition, community building, and environmental impact reduction.
Al Mhairat emphasized the importance of transforming the agricultural food system in Amman to ensure food security, economic growth, sustainability, resilience, and improve residents' health and nutrition, all while increasing a sense of community and reducing environmental impact.
She emphasized that Amman, the capital, can play a significant role in transforming the agricultural food system by implementing urban agricultural initiatives, establishing farmers' markets, enacting incentive policies for sustainable agriculture, developing infrastructure, implementing educational initiatives, and lowering waste.
She explained that the Greater Amman Municipality aims to increase green spaces in the city, improve solid waste management in collaboration with the private sector, use technology and innovation to improve urban agriculture systems, create job opportunities in organic agriculture, raise awareness of the importance of local food, and promote sustainable development.
At the end of the symposium, an extensive discussion took place on the topic of the symposium and its issues.
