Page 40 - AA 2023 Year Book Website

Palestine

FAO’S HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE STRENGTHENS THE

RESILIENCE OF ENDANGERED PALESTINIAN BEDOUINS

With political and economic shocks fur- households in the Gaza Strip. The proj- ing communities, with an emphasis on
ther imperiling food and nutrition secu- ect was implemented with funding from supporting women and youth.
rity in rural Palestine, FAO is distributing Belgium through FAO’s Special Fund for
essential inputs and equipment to help Emergency and Rehabilitation Services. In the face of political, environmental
sustain the livelihoods of almost 40 000 and economic shocks, FAO provided 155
members of underserved Bedouin com- Through its emergency programming, tonnes of barley fodder to increase the
munities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. FAO is protecting the livelihoods of highly resilience of more than 150 households in
vulnerable groups such as Bedouin herd- the West Bank area of Masafer Yatta.
About 1.8 million people in Palestine
are estimated to be moderately or se- Production (Tonnes) of some agricultural
verely food insecure. This includes the
vast majority of Bedouin herders in Pal- commodities in Palestine (2020- 2021)
estine and their families, who are particu-
larly vulnerable to rising inflation, high Item 2020 Flag 2021 Flag
agricultural input costs, and the negative Almonds, in shell 3896.49 I 3914.35 E
impacts of the occupation.
Apricots 1074.41 I 1071.6 I
In August 2022, FAO completed an Bananas 3187.16 E 3145.1 E
18-month project funded by Japan that
provided local Bedouin communities with Barley 20115.8 E 20278.85 E
drought-tolerant fodder crops, small- Cabbages 17952.07 E 18740.77 E
scale farm inputs such as animal health Cantaloupes and other melons 5483.98 E 5139.19 E
items and energy blocks used by herders
and their families for heating in winter- Carrots and turnips 5121.82 I 5141.98 I
time. The project also constructed, reha- Cauliflowers and broccoli 31260.15 I 31639.09 I
bilitated or provided more than 76 water Cherries 1177.36 E 1177.03 E
cisterns; 100 mobile plastic water tanks;
and 277 animal sheds. To enhance resil- Cucumbers and gherkins 99803.9 E 98694.09 E
ience, FAO implemented trainings for lo- Dates 8188.86 I 8198.48 I
cal herders, women and youth aimed at Eggplants (aubergines) 48499.84 I 48390.12 I
helping them overcome structural barri-
ers that prevent their effective engage- Figs 4272.84 E 4241.56 E
ment in the livestock value chain. Grapes 40395.43 E 40088.35 E
In July, under a separate project funded Green corn (maize) 9808.69 I 9757.77 I
by the European Union, FAO distributed Green garlic 1074.41 I 1056.84 I
Lemons and limes 13128.15 E 14277.46 I
Lentils, dry 1406.31 E 1372.3 E
Lettuce and chicory 1846.28 E 1846.16 E
Okra 3314.63 E 3296.84 E
Olives 76630 A 67551 A
Onions and shallots, green 2308.88 I 2386.85 E
Oranges 11832.1 E 11483.91 E
Peaches and nectarines 2276.24 E 2276.12 E
Peas, green 1661.25 E 1625.95 E
155 tonnes of barley fodder to 155 house- Plums and sloes 2289.39 E 2285.95 E
holds in Masafer Yatta, where movement
restrictions and the threat of forced evic- Potatoes 60256.75 I 60507.99 I
tions posed an imminent threat to their Pumpkins, squash and gourds 47290.29 I 47395.93 I
livelihoods. The support is helping the Spinach 4098.53 I 4138.24 I
herders feed their small ruminants for an
average of about six weeks. Over the next Strawberries 3186.86 I 3172.76 I
year, the project will also provide herders Sweet potatoes 2974.68 E 2962.18 E
across about a dozen communities with Tomatoes 98160.12 E 104312.4 E
plastic sheds, energy heating blocks,
dairy processing units and cisterns. Watermelons 10848.5 E 10263.99 E
Wheat 34388.31 I 34396.47 I
These recent activities come after FAO
distributed more than 2 300 tonnes of fod- A : Official figure, I : Imputed value, E : Estimated value
der, barley and wheat bran to almost 5 500
Source: FAO Statistical Division 2022
38 Arab Agriculture 2023