Global Environmental Facility / Small grants programme funds eight projects for protecting the environment in Jordan
Amman, 27 May 2008 - Eight grant agreements totalling USD 247000 to support environmental projects by non-governmental organizations were signed on 27 May 2009 by Mr Luc Stevens the UNDP Resident Representative in Jordan, and representatives of the concerned organizations. This comes as part of the activities of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) implemented GEF Small Grants Programme in Jordan, which supports community based projects in the areas of biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation and persistent organic pollutants which all simultaneously contribute to enhance the livelihoods of the local communities and their capacities to manage natural resources.
Therefore, An Noor Cooprative in Madaba will perform a project called “Conservation of Natural Plant Cover: Herbal Plants”. This project aims to preventing land degradation and protecting the fragile environment in a hilly region from overgrazing and the uprooting of the natural plant cover. The grant for this project amounts to a total of 45,000 USD from which 22,500 USD is Global Mechanism/UNDP contribution to the project.
Moreover, Fatima Al Zahraa Women’s Society in Tafila will implement a projected named “Marketing medical, herbal and dry agricultural products”. Where this projects aims to improve the marketability of the planted medical plants by improving their quality and improving their packaging. This will increase their appeal to consumers, in addition to increasing marketed quantities by penetrating new high-price markets through new market connections. The grant agreed for this project sums up to 35,000 USD from which 15,500 USD come from Global Mechanism/UNDP contribution to the project.
Furthermore, The Soldier’s Families Welfare Society in Zarqa will be executing a project called “Dry-land Products; Packaging, Conserving and Marketing” which aims to increasing the amount of planted medical herbs and improving their marketability by improving their quality of the packaging. This in turn will help increase the marketed quantities by penetrating new high-price markets through new market connections. The grant given for this project adds up to 40,000 USD of which 2,000 are from the Global Mechanism/UNDP.
In the Jarash governorate, the Jarasya Women’s Charity Society will be performing a project called “Improving water efficiency, and sustainable land management in Rashaydeh” which aims to contribute to the sustainability of productive agricultural lands and the conservation of local agro biodiversity through supporting soil conservation and rain water harvesting practices. The given grant for this project by the programme is equal to 40,500 USD.
The Al Manshiyeh Women Cooperative in Karak will be initiating a project which will aim to build the needed dexterity and skills to manage and maintain concluded projects, ongoing and potential SGP projects and their activities that will later positively impact the local community. The project is called “Capacity building of the Karak local community in GEF thematic areas” and has a total grant of 40,000 USD.
In the Irbid Governorate, Tubnah Charity Society has been granted 30,000 USD for a project called “The conservation of Roomi olive trees in Tubnah / through water harvesting”. This project will aim at conserving the local agro biodiversity by increasing the awareness of the local community, and aiding in rain water harvesting practices.
In the northern Badia, the Anageed Al Khair Cooperative/ Badia Center for Ecological Education (BCEE) will implement the “interaction of ecosystems in shaping biodiversity in arid environments : A case study in the Eastern Desert of Jordan” project, with technical supervision provided by the Badia Research and Development Center (BRDC). The project aims to preserve the biodiversity of the fauna of the Eastern Desert, enhance public awareness towards the natural heritage of the Eastern Desert, and promote cooperation between the local community and the Badia Center for Ecological Education to engage in money-generating projects. The total grant for this project is 43,500 USD.
In addition, the Al Nasir Cooperative in Lob/Madaba will perform a project called “Sustainable Rangeland Management: Shami Goat Raising in Captivity” which aims at motivating animal raising in captivity towards decreasing desertification in the area, aid in conserving the biodiversity, and help nurture environmental aspects within the local community in daily life activities.
By signing these agreements, and by the lifetime of the GEF SGP from its beginning in 1993 until now, the total number of projects supported is 158 projects in various parts of the country for a total grant of around 5.25 million dollars, with the contribution of 40,000 USD from the Global Mechanism this year.
For further information, please contact Ms. Amal Dababseh, UNDP Environment Analyst at mobile (+962 79) 531 8355 e-mail: amal.dababseh@undp.org
Or, Mr. Muir Al Munir Al-Adgham, National Coordinator, at mobile (+962 79) 688 0665 e-mail: nc@gef-sgp.org.jo