State of Palestine
Ministry of Agriculture
National Priority Interventions in the Agricultural Sector
(2013-2015)
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Agriculture is an essential component of the Palestinian national, cultural, social and economic
fabric, and is considered a symbol of steadfastness, resistance and attachment to the land
threatened by confiscation and settlement activity. Also it is a refuge and a source of income and
food in times of crisis.
Being productive, the agricultural sector is one of the main components of the Palestinian
economy due to its contribution to the GDP by (5.6%), and to employment rate by (11.2%), in
addition to its contribution to the national commodity exports rate by (12.2%). Of the 292,000
workers employed in agriculture, about 94 per cent are non-paid, family members (PMA, et. al.,
2012). The sector supplies roughly 15 per cent of Palestinian exports, with olives, olive oil,
vegetables and cut flowers being the primary exports. Moreover, agriculture has a main
contribution to food security, the income which is not calculated in the statistics, the protection
of water and environmental rights, not to mention the fact that agriculture is a tributary to other
economic sectors.
Cultivable agricultural land in the West Bank and Gaza is estimated at 1,925 km2 (31 per cent of
the total area). 91 per cent of the arable land is in the West Bank and the remainder is in the Gaza
Strip. Due to limited access to water resources, irrigated agriculture represents 14 per cent of
arable land, of which 56 per cent is in the West Bank. Rain-fed areas account for 86 per cent of
cultivated land, of which 97 per cent is in the West Bank. Ground water represents the main
source of irrigation in Gaza (PNA MoA, 2010).
Currently operating at perhaps one quarter of its potential, agriculture acts as a strong shockabsorber for rural families, especially in times of crises. Recognizing its potential contribution to
laying a strong economic foundation for future development, not to mention that it is a source of
food, income and employment, especially during times of crises, the PA articulated a goal to
build a sustainable, internationally competitive agriculture sector (Shared Vision, 2011-2013).
However, the mounting difficulties facing the PA since 1999 have prevented it from providing
adequate support to the sector as recurrent emergencies, economic and humanitarian crises
claimed much of its attention and resources. Consequently, agriculture accounted for 1 per cent
of donor support and PA budget allocation in recent years (UNCTAD, 2012).
The Israeli occupation, with its arbitrary measures, is considered one of the main obstacles that
limit the development of agriculture in Palestine. Those measures include the devastating
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invasion of the Gaza Strip 2008/2009 and the ongoing barbarian siege which led to the
destruction and hindrance of all aspects of life. The largest damage has been done to the
agricultural sector as the value of the direct losses was more than $ 270 million. Moreover, the
establishment of the apartheid wall has destroyed 75 thousand dunams of agricultural land and
isolated more than 700 thousand dunams, including more than 150 thousand dunams of fertile
agricultural land. The direct agricultural losses resulting from the occupation measures in the
West Bank has amounted to about $ 140 million. The fact that the Occupation controls more than
62%, the area classified as “C”, of the West Bank, which includes most of the land and natural
resources, constitutes the most important obstacle to the development of the agricultural sector.
Furthermore, the land confiscated by the Israeli occupation for the purposes of settlement and
bypass roads is estimated at around 220 thousand dunams, and more than 85% of the rangeland
is still controlled by the occupation, in addition to the continued control of more than 80% of the
Palestinian water rights, as noted by the World Bank report issued in 2009. In case the
Palestinians obtain their water rights, the percentage of the agricultural sector’s contribution to
the GDP may increase by about 10%, which would create 110 thousand jobs through increasing
the irrigated area.
The agricultural sector still suffers from a chronic weakness in the supply of internal and external
funding, with the current and capital expenditures allocated to the agricultural sector in the PNA
budget for the years 2011 and 2012 being less than 1%. It must be noted here that the National
Development Plan 2011-2013 has allocated 7% of the total plan budget for the expenses of
development in the agricultural sector. However, only a very small part of this percentage was
granted by the donors, which prevented the implementation of a large part of the agricultural
interventions and targeted activities contained in the plan. Therefore, There has not been a
significant progress in agriculture in terms of raising agriculture's contribution to GDP,
increasing agricultural exports, expanding the agricultural area, or reducing the importation of
foreign agricultural products.
The agriculture sector led by MoA with technical support from FAO, has recently conducted a
midterm review of the Agriculture Sector Strategy “Shared Vision”, 2011-2013. The mid-term
evaluation is envisaged to inform MoA and other stakeholders on the progress achieved in the
roll out of the “Shared Vision” over the past 1.5 years, and indentify necessary adjustments
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needed to ensure relevance and effectiveness of current and planned interventions, and enhance
donor coordination in light of the changing context of the agriculture sector. Linked to the
general findings of the midterm review, MoA has identified the below priority interventions to
be focused on over the next three years. The estimated cost required for these interventions
and activities amounts to about ($ 361 million):
First: development of natural resources efficiently and sustainably, which includes:
1.
Reclamation and rehabilitation of approximately 45 thousand dunams at an estimated
cost of about (24 million dollars), especially in area "C", drilling and rehabilitation of 4500
rainwater harvesting cisterns at a cost of approximately (18 million dollars), cleaving and
rehabilitation of 900 km of agricultural roads at an estimated cost about ($ 13.5 million), and
construction of 1.5 million square meters of retaining walls at an estimated cost ($ 6 million).
This would provide more than 3 thousand permanent jobs in the agricultural sector, in addition to
1.08 million days of temporary work.
2.
Improvement of water supply and demand management (providing 30 million cubic
meters) through:
Rehabilitation of agricultural springs and groundwater wells at an estimated cost of about
(7.4 million dollars), which would provide about (9.7 million cubic meters), water harvesting
through the construction of small and medium dams, ponds and cisterns at an estimated cost of
around (22.9 million dollars), which would provide approximately (7.2 million dollars), using
unconventional water, especially treated sewage water in agriculture at an estimated cost of
about (19.74 million dollars), in addition to enhancing the efficiency of the distribution systems
and upgrading the irrigation systems at an estimated cost of about (5 million dollars), which
would provide about (13.1 million cubic meters) and, therefore, would increase the irrigated area
by 50000 dunams and provide about 10000 permanent jobs in the agricultural sector.
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3.
National Green Palestine Programme which includes:
Planting about 2.25 million pastoral and forestry seedlings ( to be produced at the nurseries of
the Ministry of Agriculture) at a cost of ($4.7 million), as well as planting about 4.05 million
fruit-bearing trees ( to be supplied by private nurseries) at an estimated cost of around
($ 10.8 million). This, in turn, will lead to the cultivation of about 135 thousand dunams and the
creation of about 8.6 thousand permanent jobs in the agricultural sector.
Second: strengthening the capacity of Palestinian agricultural products to
compete in the domestic and foreign markets, which includes:
1.
The establishment of a National Agricultural Marketing Company ($ 30 million).
2.
Preparation and application of quality standards and specifications and raising the
awareness of the farmers and exporters of the quality standards and market demands
($ 6 million).
3.
Promoting export crops, that are alternative for imports ($ 15 million)
4.
Contributing effectively to boycott settlement products
Third: development of agricultural lending as well as insurance and risk prevention
services, which includes:
1.
Establishment of agricultural lending and financing organization / bank to enable
farmers and rural women to access agricultural lending services, at an estimated cost
($ 40 million).
2.
Set up an agricultural insurance and risk prevention fund to support and protect farmers,
and
3.
strengthen
their
steadfastness,
at
an
cost
($
30
million).
Providing legal and financial support to farmers affected by the Occupation, at an
estimated cost ($ 20 million).
4.
estimated
Establishment of agricultural insurance company.
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Fourth: improving the plant, animal, and fishery sub-sectors’ productivity, which includes:
Supporting and developing research, extension, plant protection, veterinary and animal health
services and agriculture marketing at an estimated cost ($ 22.1 million dollars), improving the
productivity of olives at an estimated cost ($ 25 million dollars), improving the productivity of
small ruminants by about ($ 20 million dollars), developing the bee sector at an estimated cost
($ 6.5 million dollars), and developing the fishery and aquaculture sector at an estimated cost
($ 11.2 million dollars).
Fifth:
development
of
institutional
building
and
capacity,
which
includes:
Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of agricultural sector institutions and the completion
and upgrading of the agricultural laws and regulations, at an estimated cost ($ 3 million).
The implementation of the above-mentioned interventions and targeted activities will bring
about a real developmental leap in the agricultural sector, which will reflect positively on
the economic development in Palestine, according to the following sectoral and economic
indicators:
1.
Increasing the contribution of the agricultural sector in GDP by (1.2%).
2.
Increasing the agricultural exports by (7%).
3.
Reducing the agricultural imports by (7%).
4.
Increasing employment opportunities in the agricultural sector by (12%).
5.
Increasing the contribution of the agricultural sector in reducing the rate of food
insecurity by (3%).
6.
Increasing the cultivated land by (7%).
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Summary of the agricultural interventions and targeted activities for the next three years and
their estimated cost
Objective
First: Development of
natural resources efficiently
and sustainability
Intervention
Estimated coast ($
million)
1. Agricultural land development
- Reclamation and rehabilitation of 45
thousand dunams
24
- Drilling and rehabilitation of 4500
cisterns
18
- construction and rehabilitation of 900
kilometers of agricultural roads
13.5
- Building of 2.5 million square meters
of retaining walls
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‫ا‬
2. Development of water supply
and management
- Rehabilitation of agricultural springs
and wells
7.4
- water harvesting
22.9
- using unconventional water, especially
treated sewage water
19.74
- enhancing the efficiency of the
distribution systems and upgrading the
irrigation systems
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3. National Green Palestine
Program
- Planting 2.25 million pastoral and
forestry seedlings
4.7
- Planting 4.05 million fruit-bearing
seedlings
10.8
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Objective
Intervention
Second: Strengthening the
capacity of Palestinian
agricultural products to
compete in the domestic and
foreign markets
- establishment of National Agricultural
Marketing Company
Third: Development of
agricultural lending,
insurance, and risk
prevention services
Estimated coast ($
million)
30
- Preparation and application of quality
standards and specifications
6
- Promoting export crops, alternative for
import
. Establishment of agricultural lending
and financing organization / bank
15
- Setting up an agricultural risk
prevention fund
30
- Providing legal and financial support to
farmers affected by the Occupation
Fourth: improving the plant, - supporting and developing research,
animal, and fishery
extension, plant protection, veterinary
productivity
and animal health services and
Agriculture Marketing
40
20
22.1
- improving the productivity of olives
25
- improving the productivity of small
ruminants
20
6.5
- developing the bee sector
- developing the fishery and aquaculture
sector
Fifth: institutional building
and development of services
Improving the efficiency and
effectiveness of agricultural sector
institutions and the completion and
upgrading of the agricultural laws and
regulations
Total Estimated Cost
11.2
3
361
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