Irbid: The wheat harvest for the National Seed Multiplication Project (SMP) began on Sunday at Maru Agricultural Station in Irbid governorate, affiliated with the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC).
According to Jordan News Agency, the event was attended by Dr. Muhammad Ayad, a crop expert from the Saudi National Center for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Development, along with several researchers and agricultural engineers. Dr. Ibrahim Rawashdeh, NARC Director General, inaugurated the harvest and highlighted the results of the current agricultural season, which he described as promising. These results reflect the success of the Jordanian center's research programs in developing wheat varieties and improving their productivity and adaptability to different environmental conditions.
Dr. Rawashdeh noted that the average yield per dunam (0.25 acres) of some research varieties reached approximately 400 kilograms, with an expectation of producing more than 70 tons of wheat this season. This quantity indicates the potential for expanding the cultivation of superior varieties and supports efforts to achieve national food security.
Discussing policy, Dr. Rawashdeh emphasized that NARC prioritizes the seed multiplication project as a strategic initiative to provide farmers with improved, high-quality seeds. This initiative aims to enhance productivity and efficiency in the agricultural sector. He further mentioned that NARC leverages scientific research outputs and its research infrastructure to support pioneering agricultural projects, continuously upgrading research stations to ensure optimal research and development outcomes.
During the event, attendees toured the research fields and observed the cultivated varieties. They were also briefed on the implemented research projects and their preliminary results, which demonstrated the performance of several promising strains and varieties in various Jordanian agricultural environments.