Jordan’s Labour Ministry Signs Two Deals to Boost Agricultural and Food Sector Jobs

Jordan’s Ministry of Labour has signed two agreements aimed at increasing employment in the agricultural and food industries, with a particular focus on raising women’s participation in the workforce. Together the agreements aim to support the employment of 171 Jordanian men and women.

Overview of the agreements

The deals were concluded with Millennium Agricultural Investments and Safe Food for Food Industries. Minister of Transport and Labour Nidal Qatamin signed on behalf of the ministry, while the companies were represented by their general managers, Ali Al-Madani of Millennium Agricultural Investments and Hassan Al-Qudah of Safe Food for Food Industries. The ceremony was attended by the ministry’s Secretary-General, Abdul Halim Doujan.

Details of the first agreement

The first pact concerns Millennium Agricultural Investments in the Wadi Araba area. It provides support for the employment of 121 Jordanian men and women for a period of one year under the National Employment Support Programme. The arrangement is designed to create new job opportunities and to strengthen female participation by offering additional incentives for hiring women.

Details of the second agreement

The second agreement covers Safe Food for Food Industries located in the Developmental Agricultural Industries Complex of the Southern Jordan Valley in Karak Governorate. It supports the employment of 50 Jordanian men and women, with wage subsidies extending for three years and priority given to local residents. The goal is to reduce unemployment and to make use of the job openings generated by agricultural and food-sector investments.

Support mechanisms and conditions

Financial assistance will be supplied by the ministry’s Vocational and Technical Education, Training and Skills Development Support Fund, in line with approved regulations. For each worker the fund covers 50% of the minimum wage, a monthly transportation allowance of JD 25 and a monthly social security contribution allowance of JD 25. The agreements also require the companies to provide training and qualification programmes, to sign written employment contracts, to enrol workers in social security, to comply with national labour legislation and to ensure that the positions remain sustainable after the support period ends.

Broader objectives

The initiative forms part of the Ministry of Labour’s strategy to deepen partnerships with the private sector and to direct support toward sustainable employment opportunities. It also seeks to align the skills of Jordanian workers with labour-market needs and to promote economic development in the targeted areas. Additionally, the cooperation aims to raise awareness among job seekers and their families about the importance of workplace commitment and adherence to the companies’ internal regulations.

According to Al-Mamlaka.