(Jun. 20) – The creation of a quality-control brand for Jordanian farm products is the goal of a twinning project between the Italian Ministry of Agricultural Policies and the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture, who have launched a collaborative effort to build a national quality-control system for farm products. The undertaking, which will last through March 2013, aims to outline a legal framework and establish standard control and supervision procedures in the farming sector, with the goal of ensuring consumer protection and encouraging the export of Jordanian agri-alimentary products, especially to the European market. As part of the program, it has been organized a competition, which was announced in the schools of Jordan for the design of a logo to identify this system. Among the various other activities planned are numerous training courses in quality control for Jordanian farmers and technicians, and on strategies and methods for promotion and marketing, aimed above all at developing a greater capacity for exportation toward the European market, where Italian firms could play a vital role and find attractive opportunities for commercial cooperation. Speaking of cooperation in Jordan, Italy is the fifth largest donor and has a long tradition of intervention in areas such as food aid, health, cultural heritage and assistance to Palestinian refugees. (red)
