Jordan’s Role in A Regional Food Hub

Abstract

A Regional Food Hub that covers at least Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt is a necessity now more than any other time.  This hub will allow the optimized flow of not only food products, but also various inputs, exchange of knowledge, coordination of policies, and joint response to emergencies. The hub will be a much-needed catalyst to further the already progressing regional cooperation, drive investments in larger and bigger projects and infrastructure, spur research and innovation in agricultural and food technologies, encourage private sectors involvement as a result of governments’ support and commitment, create jobs in multiple related venues, and enhance overall economic conditions as a result. Jordan has pioneered the concept of this food hub and has a middle position in the region. Jordan has an excellent footprint in many of the agricultural inputs, mainly fertilizers, seeds, and vaccines. Jordan has built a good institutional capacity, data gathering techniques, and has a multitude of regional and international cooperation networks. Thus, Jordan may continue to further drive the concept along with its regional partners. The Regional Food Hub may not happen instantaneously, but it has to start now. The beginning can simply be by a process of stakeholders’ engagement amongst regional partners, that can then develop into further cooperation based on the action plan and active committees that will eventually be crowned by a full-fledged and dedicated institution.