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Source: European Commission	12 October 2012

Helping rural people to produce food in North West Bank occupied Palestinian territory

Two years ago my land was empty and sad, now it's greener and happier. With the seedlings that the EC gave to me, which I planted on my land, I am now producing almonds that I sell in the local market. From the revenue I am supporting my son who just started his first year at Birzeit University"
Abu Ali, farmer, Enabta village. Tulkarem

EC Partner
Agriculture Development Association – PARC

Facts and Figures

• EC contribution: €1.5 million (87% of the total)
• Duration: 2007 - 2010
• 80 hectares of land levelled
• 4 hectares of land under irrigation
• 30km of roads built

As a result of the economic situation and the shrinking purchasing power of Palestinian households, food security has become an area of concern for many development and humanitarian organizations, resulting in the launch of several emergency food security programmes.

Objectives

• The promotion of home-gardens and the construction of rain-fed water cisterns.

• 744 families benefit from the project. For several beneficiary households production from home-gardens now provides a significant proportion of the food they consume.
• Women beneficiaries enjoyed improved status within their households and communities. Several women stressed that attitudes towards them changed when they started noticeably contributing to their household's income.
• 150 rain-fed water cisterns were built under the project helping the population cope with future water shortages.
• Project activities contributed to improving the living conditions of unemployed workers. More than 2000 workers were involved in the activities of the project, over a total of 20 000 working days.

Helping rural people to produce food in North West Bank occupied Palestinian territory

The Girl Effect - Nabila's Story
Nabila lives in a small house in Kufur Ra'I, in the Jenin Governorate of the northern West Bank, with her husband and six children, two sons and four daughters, between the ages of 6 and 20. Her husband, the sole employed person in the family, is a waged employee but does not work on a regular basis. In fact he has no more than ten days of employment per month.

Nabila was selected as a beneficiary of the home-garden project and as a result she received seeds, seedlings and a rain-fed water cistern. She planted vegetables, including potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, beans, peas, squash, and aubergines, as well as fruit trees and thyme.

The crop was enough to feed the family, and even produce extra, which she sold to local markets, generating a total income of 2 000 NIS (around € 400) last year. The rain-fed cistern installed in their garden helped the family to secure their daily water requirements.

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