Social stability and resilient livelihoods for Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanian host community farming families
There are 1.3 million Syrian refugees in Jordan with 80 percent living within host communities and the remaining 20 percent in camps. There is a particular concern in terms of the impact of the crisis in the northern governorates of Amman, Irbid, Mafraq and Zarqa, which host the highest number of refugees, and the consequent pressure on local service delivery, natural resources and the local labour market. Moreover, 72 percent of Syrian refugee households living within host communities continue to be either food insecure or vulnerable to food insecurity with a continued prevalence of micro-nutrient deficiency. Furthermore, 28 percent of Syrian refugees are consuming a sub-optimal diet due to diminishing purchasing power and limited nutrition education.
It is estimated that more than 20 percent of the Syrian refugees have an agricultural background or were engaged in agriculture in Syria before their displacement, but only about ten percent of them are currently engaged in agricultural related work, mostly in the form of informal employment for low skill jobs. This mismatch denotes existence of a potential space for scaling up employment or engagement of Syrian refugees in the agriculture sector.
Goal
To increase social stability and improve the food security, livelihoods and employment opportunities of vulnerable, crisis-affected Syrian refugee and Jordanian host families by leveraging the agricultural potential within the targeted areas.
Impact
The Project aims to reinforce Jordanian social stability and local economies by restoring the livelihoods of Syrian refugees and their Jordanian host communities. In this context, the Project will make a significant contribution to JRP for the Syria Crisis (2017-2019)’s goal of “addressing the needs and vulnerabilities of Syrian refugees and Jordanian people, communities and institutions affected by the protracted Syria crisis”, in particular “enhancement of the food security situation” while “sustaining livelihoods”.
Activities
- Undertook rapid skills and market assessments for host communities in order to identify potential agri-food products as the basis for home-based/micro agri-food businesses.
- Conducted 25 feasibility studies from which eight product categories were selected for home-based/micro and group-based/small-scale agri-food enterprises.
- Developed beneficiary selection criteria and identified project beneficiaries in the three targeted governorates.
- Led six introductory meetings in the three targeted governorates, aimed at raising awareness of the project, and to collect baseline data regarding beneficiaries’ socio-economic status.
- Identified and trained a cadre of trainers from MoA and NARC.
- Developed and carried out a training for beneficiaries and facilitators on various topics (production of jam and pickled vegetables, packaging, food safety and hygiene, entrepreneurship, etc.).
- Selected a list of tools that were delivered in the form of kits to each beneficiary who completed the training successfully to be used for food production.
- Held three exhibitions to market beneficiaries’ products.
- Facilitated the official registration of 42 home-based food-processing businesses.
- Provided beneficiaries with USD 100 upon completing the training; a voucher valued at around USD 300 to purchase tool kits for food processing; and USD 271 after receiving tool kits to initiate production.