Festival promotes pomegranate industry in northern Jordan
The ILO and Directorate of Agriculture back event to support Jordanian communities most affected by the Syrian refugee crisis.
9 October 2015
IRBID, JORDAN (ILO News)—A four-day festival to promote the pomegranate industry in northern Jordan kicked off in the governorate of Irbid on Thursday (October 8).
The annual event, which is now in its eighth year, drew hundreds of visitors, including pomegranate growers, business owners and local residents. Women from surrounding villages also attended to showcase some of their homemade products, such as soaps and handicrafts.
Organized by Irbid’s Directorate of Agriculture, the festival, which highlights the importance of the pomegranate industry to the local economy, is supported by the ILO through a training initiative.
The ILO has been working with the Directorate of Agriculture, and with local partners through the local development committee of the Irbid Governorate, to support Jordanian host communities straining to cope with the influx of refugees fleeing the war in neighbouring Syria.
“We thank the ILO as a partner and supporter of Jordan at a time when the country is trying to cope with the influx of refugees,” said Akef Al-Zoubi, Jordan’s Minister of Agriculture while touring the stalls at the festival. “Jordan is in need of support from all international sides.”
One of the key components of the ILO’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis is to enhance employment opportunities and livelihoods in these communities. While the ILO intervention has so far largely focused on agriculture, a three-year local economic development plan is being drafted and aimed at generating employment in various industries.
“Through our consultations with stakeholders on the development of a local economic development plan, it was evident that there is a need to promote more festivals like these in order to encourage more business opportunities and ways to further develop the country’s vast sectors,” said Maha Kattaa, the ILO’s Coordinator for the Syrian Refugee Response in Jordan.
Last year, the ILO supported an olive festival in Irbid that attracted thousands of visitors and gave local farmers and olive-press owners a chance to market their products on a commercial scale. It also served as a platform for stakeholders to explore business opportunities.
“While the majority of Irbid’s trees are olive trees, the pomegranate sector is still vital for many farmers and this is why we must help them in their businesses throughout the process of production,” said Ali Abu Nokta, head of the Directorate of Agriculture’s Irbid office and director of the festival.
“At the end of the production process, we give them a chance to showcase and market their products through this annual festival.”
Subhi Obeidat, a pomegranate farmer from Irbid, has been participating in the festival since it started eight years ago.
“I come here to display different kinds of pomegranate products. This annual festival is a great way for me to exhibit my work and introduce people to the different products made out of pomegranate.”
Halima al Khateeb, also a farmer from Irbid, makes pomegranate molasses at home with the help of her daughter.
Prior to the festival, the ILO supported a training workshop for the festival’s participants on ways to better present and market their products. The training, held in collaboration with the Directorate of Agriculture and the IRADA Enhanced Productivity Center, also trained participants on how to follow up on any potential business opportunities and ways to further develop their products.
Festival participant Reem Sa’abneh is a marketing student who produces her own soaps and sells them locally to help finance her studies. She hopes that through the festival, she will be able to attract more customers and expand her business.
“I encourage other women to start similar initiatives in their homes. If you have an idea, invest in it, showcase it and see how your ideas can expand and develop.”