EU provides €7.44 million to revitalise Palestinian agriculture

The EU is providing €7.44 million to five new projects to help revitalise the agricultural sector in the occupied Palestinian Territory. The aim is to back the effort to promote sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental dimension.

The programme is fully in line with the priorities of the Palestinian Authority under the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan, which Prime Minister Fayyad presented to the International Donor community in Paris in December 2007. The reclamation of new agricultural land, as well as providing an important source of revenue for poor rural families, contributes to the fight against desertification. The total value of the projects amounts to € 8.8 million (€4.8 for olive oil, €4 million for land reclamation) out of which the European Union has granted €7.44 million euros (84%). The following organisations will implement the projects: OXFAM Great Britain, Palestinian Farmers Union, Fair Trade Development Centre (ICP – Bethlehem University), Agricultural Development Association (PARC), Centre of Organic Agriculture in Palestine (COAP), Italian Association for Cooperation for Development (ACS), Gruppo di Volontariato Civile, Union of Agricultural Work Committees, OXFAM Solidarité.