The Jordanian cabinet on Sunday, December 26, decided to distribute JD1 million ($1.4 million) next week to those farmers got affected by the drought of the Al-Wala Dam, says Khaled Hneifat, the Minister of Agriculture.
The government will also pay the dues of those who suffered a loss in cross-border fires which destroyed some 150 dunums (around 37 acres) of land in the northern Jordan Valley, according to the minister.
The Ministry of Agriculture said the cabinet would not only compensate farmers but also take stock of the whole process related to the matter.
It also mandated specialized committees to control the damage done by the cross-border fires in the northern Jordan Valley and the drought-hit Al-Wala Dam, Hneifat added.
He confirmed that the cabinet had approved the disbursement of JD1 million in compensation from the Agricultural Risk Fund.
“The government is aware of the size of farmer’s losses, and these decisions have been taken to enable farmers to continue operations of the agricultural sector and mitigate damages effects,” the minister explained.
He has also underlined that the government is constantly working on collecting costs of damages from the culprit across the border through its diplomatic frameworks.