Traditional method of ploughing between olive trees using a donkey to pull the plough. The project gives advice to farmers on ploughing. - - Assistance to Participatory Extension and Training for Olive Production: TCP/JOR/6715(T). The Ministry of Agriculture of the Government of Jordan requested the assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the Untied Nations (FAO) to fund and collaborate in the execution of this project implemented by FAO's Technical Cooperation Programme. Although olive trees grow over 70% of the country and cultivated areas have increased, yields have declined in recent years because of inappropriate agricultural practices and low adoption of modern technology. The objective of the project is to increase olive production through application of appropriate extension methods in five major olive producing regions of the Jordanian highlands.

The project aims to: prepare and set up necessary administrative and management support procedures and facilities; review, identify and select priority technology packages for dissemination to farmers and training of extension workers; assess farmers' levels of knowledge, attitudes and practices to identify problems; and develop extension strategies including messages and multi-media support materials.

Participatory extension and training programmes are therefore being developed using a strategic and cost-effective combination of personal, group and mass media communication activities as multi-media channels for informing, motivating and training farmers on olive tree cropping practices that have proved effective under local conditions, and are sustainable in nature and contribute to environmental conservation.