Transforming Jordan’s agrifood system for a sustainable future
ASTA collaborated with the Government of Jordan, the Higher Council for Food Security and key stakeholders to identify strategic pathways for agrifood systems transformation. This process aligned with the National Food Security Strategy (2021–2030) and the UN Food Systems Pathway.
In 2024, with support from the Joint SDG Fund Seed Funding Track, Step 1 in the ASTA process identified fruit and vegetables as a priority sector with strong potential to drive sustainable change. Building on this foundation, Step 2 analysed systemic challenges and designed transformation pathways focusing on fruit and vegetable market systems development, climate-smart post-harvest infrastructure and citrus value chain development. Step 3 co-designed a USD 3 million Joint Programme around these three priorities. This is currently being implemented through Step 4 (October 2025–September 2028). The programme pilots scalable solutions while generating evidence and lessons to support wider adoption in Step 5.
Assessment and prioritization
The fruit and vegetable sector is central to Jordan’s agrifood system. It plays a major role in food security, rural livelihoods and the national economy. Starting in December 2024, ASTA worked with stakeholders to assess sector performance and identify key challenges related to climate resilience, market access, finance and value addition.This participatory process identified three entry points for transformative change: strengthening fruits and vegetable market systems, investing in climate-smart post-harvest infrastructure and developing citrus as a high-potential value chain.
Findings from the analysis
Applying an agri-food systems lens, ASTA worked with producers, traders, cooperatives, market actors and public stakeholders to identify key constraints and opportunities across Jordan’s fresh produce sector. The analysis highlighted three priority entry points for transformation:
🥬 Limited access to higher-value markets
Jordan’s fresh fruit and vegetable sector has strong market potential. Realizing this means overcoming constraints related to market information, buyer linkages, quality requirements and coordination among value chain actors.
❄️ High postharvest losses and weak postharvest systems
Limited aggregation, cold storage and post-harvest infrastructure contribute to significant losses in the fresh produce sector, estimated at around 30 percent nationwide. This negatively impacts product quality and market competitiveness.
🍊 Declining competitiveness of the citrus value chain
Jordan’s citrus sector faces structural challenges linked to export disruptions, post-harvest capacity, water scarcity, quality compliance and producer organization.
Key facts and figures on Jordan’s fruit and vegetable sector
- 2.8 million tonnes of fruits and vegetables are produced annually across 180 000 hectares.
- The sector is a cornerstone of Jordan’s rural economy and food and nutrition security.
- Production is concentrated in the Jordan Valley and Highlands.
- 75 percent of farms are smaller than 1 hectare, limiting competitiveness.
- Amman Central Market handles over 70 percent of wholesale trade.
- Reopening regional trade routes is expected to boost exports.
- Growing demand for food processing offers new opportunities for value addition and jobs.
- The sector faces challenges including food losses, climate vulnerability, weak post-harvest systems and limited adoption of climate-smart technologies.
Vision and upgrading strategies
Building on this analysis, ASTA co-designed tailored upgrading strategies, three corresponding investment packages and a concrete project proposal to support the Government of Jordan in kick-starting implementation. The overall investment design functions as an integrated development pathway for the fruit and vegetable sector. It links climate-smart production, post-harvest infrastructure, value addition and formal market linkages across the three priority entry points.
Through a participatory co-design process, an integrated transformation strategy was developed around stronger market governance, digital market information and traceability systems, producer aggregation and business development services, and improved and inclusive market channels for domestic and export markets.
The objective is to improve market transparency, strengthen coordination among market actors, increase smallholder producer participation in higher-value markets, and enhance the efficiency, inclusiveness and competitiveness of Jordan’s horticulture sector.
The total market systems investment package is estimated at USD 4.8 million.
The analysis and co-design process with public institutions and private sector partners resulted in a climate-smart postharvest model centered on modern aggregation and service hubs. The proposed hubs integrate cold storage, sorting, grading, packing and value addition with renewable energy, along with strong market linkages to buyers, retailers and institutional procurement. The overall vision is for an integrated network of postharvest and processing facilities that reduces losses, improves quality, stabilizes market supply and strengthens competitiveness in domestic and export markets.
The postharvest investment package is estimated at USD 8.88 million for two centers, and replication up to six centers nationally.
Through a co-design process with citrus producers, cooperatives, key public institutions, a transformation strategy was developed to focus on restoring the competitiveness of citrus production through a water–soil-quality–processing systems package: solar desalination and shared well partnerships, soil health restoration, IPM and GAP for export readiness, and women-led cooperative citrus processing in Northern Jordan Valley.
The objective is to improve water security and quality, raise yields, enable compliance with higher-value markets, absorb surplus and lower-grade fruit, and create a more resilient citrus economy.
The total citrus investment package is estimated at USD 12.85 million
Stakeholder-driven planning
ASTA worked with key stakeholders to transform their shared priorities into a practical investment programme. This drew on evidence accumulated and the upgrading strategies and investment plans developed during Steps 1 and 2. The result was the Joint Programme “Local Financing Solutions to Support Jordan’s Agrifood System Transformation”.
At the core of the Joint Programme are blended finance, strengthened market linkages, capacity development and targeted investments to support a more competitive, climate-resilient and inclusive fruit and vegetable sector.
The programme is co-funded by the Joint SDG Fund with USD 3 million (2025–2028) and implemented by FAO and UNIDO in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture of Jordan.
Implementation and scaling
Improving productivity and competitiveness among smallholder producers. Connecting technical support, business development and finance enables producers to adopt climate-smart practices and engage more productively, resiliently and competitively in higher-value markets.
Adding value, strengthening market linkages and reducing post-harvest losses. Climate-smart post-harvest centres in Deir Alla and Mafraq function as aggregation, storage, sorting, grading and value-addition hubs linked to domestic and export markets. These facilities improve product quality, reduce losses, strengthen market access and create employment opportunities, particularly for women and youth.
Greater consumer access to safe, diverse and nutritious locally produced food. Piloted investments in local markets and public procurement helps connect producers with local consumers, improve access to affordable and nutritious food, and strengthen local economies and food system resilience.
Enhancing bankability and leveraging investment in the fruit and vegetable sector. A blended finance model combining grants, producer contributions and loans from the Agricultural Credit Corporation and other financial institutions, enables the programme to strengthen the investment readiness of agricultural organizations. In addition, the model de-risks productive investments and mobilizes additional public and private capital for climate-smart agriculture, post-harvest infrastructure and agrifood enterprises. infrastructure and agrifood enterprises.
Expected impact measurement, learning and scaling
Continuous monitoring of sub-projects and partnerships, the adoption of climate-smart agriculture, the creation of post-harvest centres, the establishment of market linkages and the mobilization of investment, all enable stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and adapt interventions in real time. The evidence, lessons learned and scalable financing models generated through implementation are documented and shared through ASTA’s global knowledge platform. This supports replication and adaptation in other countries.
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