Publications

On 8 October 2026, Jordan’s Ministry of Health banned the sale of chips of all types in school canteens. The decision followed a national school health survey showing that one in three students aged 13–17 is overweight or obese, rising to 42.5% overweight in private schools. This policy brief from the Institute for Sustainable Development and Innovation supports the decision’s health goal. It also takes seriously the concerns of the Jordan Chamber of Industry, which represents some 40 factories and about 4,000 workers. Drawing on the reversal of a similar ban in 2018, the brief argues that a ban tied to a product name is hard to defend. It proposes instead measurable nutrition thresholds for all packaged school snacks, covering sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and calories per pack. The brief sets out a practical transition for manufacturers to produce healthy, affordable snacks from Jordanian produce, supported by JEDCO financing, existing freeze-drying capacity and a reduced sales tax. It also recommends aligning the tax exemption for popular restaurants with the same health goals.

This paper analyses the agricultural holdings (AHs) registration system in Jordan, revealing gaps between the legal framework and actual practices, which have turned the system from a planning tool into a bureaucratic burden. Issues include inconsistencies in definitions, annual rather than five-year certificate renewals, and inefficient procedures. Through legal analysis and interviews, the paper identifies problems like redundant hard-copy submissions and weak field inspections. It offers policy and procedural recommendations to align laws, digitise processes, standardise inspections, and streamline timelines, aiming to restore the system's original purpose while reducing the administrative load on farmers and the Ministry of Agriculture.