Government policies affecting the sheep industry in the northern Jordanian badia and Bedouin responses

Abstract

This study investigates the Bedouin awareness of and responses to the government’s policies that are related to the livestock industry in Jordan. It presents the government’s policies that have both a direct or an indirect impact on the livestock industry. Policies with direct impact are related to credit, rangeland, feed and subsidy, animal health, co-operatives, water, export and import policies and the Bedouin’s vehicles. Policies with an indirect impact on the livestock rearing related to health and education. The study area was the Jordan Badia Research and Development Programme. Information about the government's policies was obtained from all the responsible organisations. Interviews, using semi-structured interview and focus group methods, were held with Bedouin from the study area in order to know the Bedouin awareness of and responses to the government's policies. The most significant finding of this study is that there is a gap between the government’s policies and their implementation from one side and between the government and Bedouin from the other. Bedouin have no clear idea about these polices and no idea at all in many cases. Other countries' experience, from the literature, has been discussed in this study. Jordan can learn lessons from these experiences in order to bridge the gap mentioned above.