Jordan is rich in flora with over 2500 species including 363 species of vascular plants. It is situated at the Southern edge of the Fertile Crescent and is a hotspot for crop, crop wild relative and medicinal plant diversity of vital global importance. However, due to pressures associated with desertification, many of Jordan's plant habitats are threatened or on the verge of extinction. About 35% of all Jordanian flora can be found at the Royal Botanic Garden of Jordan (RBG). RBG is the only botanical garden in Jordan. It was established by the Ministry of Environment to implement the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity and its mission is to conserve regional biodiversity on the habitat level. RBG is well networked with agricultural, environmental and tourism organisations throughout Jordan and the surrounding region and acts as a natural focal point for botanical and conservation research. Via BOT-ERA, RBG aims to become more closely integrated with ERA through capacity building and strategic collaboration with three excellent European research and innovation organisations: Royal Botanic Gardens - Kew, University of Birmingham, and Innoveo Consulting. The focus of the capacity building will be on three key botanical research topics: A) Plants and Seed Conservation, B) Genetic Resource Diversity and Biotechnology, and C) Utilisation and Access Benefit Sharing. These are research topics highly relevant to the FP7 KBBE and Environment. The BOT-ERA project will last 36 months and be implemented by a dedicated team of experienced RBG researchers. It will be overseen by a steering committee involving the consortium partners plus members of the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, NCARE, ICARDA and Royal Marine Conservation Society of Jordan. The regional environmental, social and economic impacts expected from the BOT-ERA project are precisely the reasons why these organisations have signed letters of support for the proposal.