Job creation for Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities through green works in agriculture and forestry (Phase II)

The project, in its second phase, will be implemented with the Ministry of Agriculture, to boost decent jobs through green works and labour-intensive employment in agriculture and forestry.

Summary

The ILO with the Ministry of Agriculture, is implementing activities which are helping Jordanians and Syrian refugees access decent work in the sector of agriculture and forestry, through the use of employment-intensive methods.

The current project builds on the successes of the first phase which was completed in July 2018. In its first phase, the project supported 1,199 Syrian refugees and Jordanian workers access short-term employment. The new phase is set to benefit 1,000 Syrian and Jordanian men and women, including persons with disabilities

In the initial phase, activities focused on five governorates. The project has extended its activities to eight governorates, including Ajloun, Jarash, Albalqa, Karak, Tafila, Madaba, Zarqa, and Ma’an, which host a significant number of Syrian refugees.

It aims to improve local infrastructure and agricultural productivity in selected areas in the country, and contribute to environmental protection. They focus on soil terracing, the construction of rainwater harvesting cisterns, irrigation system installation, forest tree plantation, greenhouse construction and seedling production. It will introduce Green Works and Local Resource Based (LRB) approaches, which combine and optimise the use of local resources including labour.

It will also assist refugees in obtaining work permits, as part of on-going efforts to formalise their employment in Jordan’s labour market, while ensuring that farmers from both communities are employed under decent working conditions.

Objectives

Promote better living conditions for Syrian refugees and Jordanians through increased decent work in the agricultural sector and an improved environment:
  • Support 1,000 Syrian women and men refugees and Jordanians men and women (with total of 45,000 working days) access short-term employment;
  • improve infrastructure and environmental works through the use of employment intensive methods in agriculture, forestry, and nurseries sector.

Main Activities

  • Expanding agricultural infrastructure of local farmers and local communities, through building 120 rainwater catchments;
  • increasing vegetation cover through tree planting in forests, (including recreational areas and parks) and on roadsides (covering 1,200 dunums of land, with 20 KM of soil terracing and irrigation systems);
  • installing three greenhouses with latest technologies at Ministry of Agriculture’s nurseries to produce 270,000 fruit trees seedlings. (Seedling will be distributed for free to local farmers);
  • building the capacity of 60 staff members of public institutions and private service companies, including those at the Ministry of Agriculture to implement labour-based technologies, introducing Green Works and Local Resource Based (LRB) approaches;
  • supporting workers to access Social Security benefits; ensuring they are employed under decent working conditions (including wages, working hours, Occupational Health and Safety); as well as training and skills development;
  • supporting Syrian refugees to apply for and obtain work permits; and
  • enhancing employment of women through raising awareness at community level.

Outcomes

  • 45,000 working days created for 1,000 Syrian women and men refugees and Jordanians men and women through Employment-Intensive Investment in green works and agriculture development;
  • infrastructural and environmental support for local farmers and local communities provided;
  • vegetation cover, environmental protection improved and increased; and
  • capacity of staff at the Ministry of Agriculture and local contractors enhanced.