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This paper aims to study the performance of the construction sector in Jordan and to investigate the most important factors affecting the growth of the sector, during the period from 1985 to 2018. The study overviews the development of the sector by dividing the study period into three subperiods that reflect the extent to which the sector is affected by the volatile political, economic, and demographic conditions. Moreover, the study applies Auto Regressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL) to estimate the impact of some economic variables on the growth of the construction sector in the long run and short run. The results show that there is a direct and positive statistically significant relationship between the bank credit facilities to the construction sector and the number of employees in the construction sector on the growth of the construction sector in the long run and short run, while the real interest rate has insignificant impact on the growth of the construction sector in the long run and short run. The study provides some recommendations, the most prominent of which is the inclusion of the construction sector in the development plans, encouraging and qualifying young people to work in the construction sector, which will be reflected positively on the growth of the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like the other economy sectors, the food industry sector in Jordan has witnessed great developments to keep up with the social, economic and demographic developments which took place in the country since its establishments in 1921. From a humble, farm level and home food production aiming to meet the needs of a small subsistence- living population, the food industries have grown to reach the markets of more than 80 countries. The significance of the food industries lies not only in its role in achieving food security, but also in supporting the agricultural sector and alleviating the unemployment problem in the country. The development of the food industries sector was supported by a number of factors over the past century including the food – related legislations, investment policies, infrastructure and the availability of the expert manpower in the area of food processing. Despite the great developments, the sector suffers from a number of shortcomings such as competition from imported goods, high production cost and lack of sufficient governmental support. However, despite all these problems, the sector is growing and continues to add to the national economy through the superior quality of its products and the dedication of the people who work in it. This paper which came to mark the first centennial celebrations of the establishment of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, aims to shed light on the major landmarks in the century- long march of the sector, identify its strengths and weaknesses and present an overview of the trends and opportunities that should be exploited to shape a better future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last fifteen years, crop protection in Jordan, mainly focused on the curative control of pests, diseases and weeds particularly after the expansion in the protected agriculture. Although pesticides application has a significant role in increasing agricultural production, the extensive use of pesticides in agriculture created many problems such as negative effects on food-safety, public health, serious environmental hazards, and development of resistance in pest populations. This situation resulted in an increasing the awareness that new approaches in crop protection techniques are needed to achieve sustainable agricultural development. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) was the solution to overcome the negative effects of pestcide and sustain the future of agriculture. The IPM concept arose as a strategy to promote new approaches including, agricultural practices, quarantine, biological control of pests, crop resistant, the appropriate use of pesticides, use of organic compounds and other control means. In Jordan, based on the scientific research in the modern approaches that have been studied, the use of integrated pest management to control agricultural pests is commonly used by farmers. The aim of this paper is to review the progress in plant protection since the establishment of Trans Jordan up to the first centenary of the Jordan state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]