West Bank and Gaza Strip Project Highlights: Support economic growth through optimized agricultural value chains in the West Bank

Objective

To improve the livelihoods and food security of farming and herding households and increase the competitiveness of cooperatives in the West Bank.

Activities implemented

• Rehabilitated or established eight groundwater wells, 148 km of water distribution pipes, 19 corrugated steels water reservoirs and 169 agricultural rainwater harvesting cisterns, benefiting 3 500 households.

• Rehabilitated 30 km of agricultural roads.

• Distributed farming equipment, including machinery, irrigation systems, processing facilities, nurseries and desalination systems to 40 cooperatives; and trained them on good agricultural practices.

• Established two post-harvest facilities and upgraded seven facilities for 24 cooperatives; and trained them on topics to boost sustainability and profitability.

• Supported business-to-business linkages with 40 cooperatives through 15 promotional campaigns; and established a brand and two farmers’ markets, run by the Palestinian Agricultural Cooperatives Union (PACU), where the cooperatives can sell their items directly to West Bank consumers.

• Trained PACU members and distributed resources needed to better offer core services to member cooperatives, including training on optimal farming practices, marketing support, support to access financing for small-scale farmers, advocacy and lobbying for cooperatives’ interests, product quality certification and branding.

• Partnered with five Palestinian universities and the National Agricultural Research Center to conduct research and train the Ministry of Agriculture on 14 innovative and sustainable practices.

• Distributed 156 tonnes of drought-tolerant seeds, 50 mobile water tanks, fodder storage and other herding and farming equipment to 3 300 herding households.

• Disbursed USD 1.94 million in conditional cash assistance to 2 692 farming households.

• Established 32 Farmer Field Schools and trained 1 260 farming and herding households on climate-smart practices.

• Distributed 15 solar systems to 15 women-led cooperatives; and trained them on solar power adoption.

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