Palestinian Food Security Key Players by Category

1. Palestinian Food Security Key Players by Category UAWC , Food Security Key Players

2. The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture • Land rehabilitation and reclamation projects, in addition to providing greenhouses and other agricultural inputs to marginalized farmers. • An assessment of the Food and Nutrition Situations in the WBGS was undertaken in cooperation with the FAO, WFP, and UNRWA. • The purpose was to assist the PA and relevant stakeholders to better design, target, and implement future development programs and relief interventions for improving food security and nutrition. • In 2005, the PA acknowledged the National Food Security Strategy. UAWC , Food Security Key Players

3. The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture • The National Food Security Strategy aims at achieving four strategic goals: - Improving Food Availability - Enhancing the ability to obtain food - Promoting the quality of food • The Methodology used in completing this strategy was the participatory approach involving the different national and international stakeholders. • The strategy needs activation by introducing a set of plans, mechanisms, programs and relevant resources. UAWC , Food Security Key Players

4. Local Agricultural Committees • Agricultural Committees are composed of a group of skilled leading farmers who have the qualities of initiation and volunteerism to provide others with services. In most cases members of the local agricultural committees are also members of village councils. • Their role includes: - Assessing farmers’ needs, and forwarding them to concerned parties. - Promoting the level of quality and quantity of Palestinian Agriculture. - Enhancing cooperation, social integration, and the spirit of voluntary work. UAWC , Food Security Key Players

5. Local Agricultural Committees • Agricultural Committees are facing obstacles, which limit their ability to completely fulfill their role. • One of the obstacles is due to the continuous increase in farmers’ essential needs, resulting from the deterioration of current economic, social and agricultural conditions. • Agricultural committees are also characterized with weaknesses of financial, logistic, administrative and leadership capabilities. • Lack of enough information on agricultural institutions and not having proper knowledge and agricultural extension resources also contribute to minimizing their role. UAWC , Food Security Key Players

6. Commodity Cooperatives & Councils • This category includes representatives from the different sectors working in specific commodities such as olive & olive oil, grapes, and poultry. • Commodity cooperatives involve farmers, tradesmen, representatives from governmental organizations, and representatives from civil society organizations. • They contribute to improving food security to the Palestinian population. • Their role is limited especially in affecting national policies, and decision-making. UAWC , Food Security Key Players

7. Farmer Unions • They mostly work with farmers by helping them to increase the quality and quantity of agricultural production. • Farmer Unions organize farmers into committees and cooperatives, while supporting farmers in claiming their rights. • Some unions are developing to civil society organizations and are now working as local NGOs. UAWC , Food Security Key Players

8. Civil Society Organizations (Local NGOs) • Palestinian NGOs have been the primary implementing agencies for enhancing agriculture in Palestine. • Their role involves: - Implementing land reclamation & land rehabilitation projects. - Filling in the gaps in the agricultural services provided. - Participating in agricultural training and extension, small-scale agricultural loans for small enterprises, construction of agricultural roads, digging well, construction of collecting water tanks, and providing seeds and fruit and vegetable seedlings. UAWC , Food Security Key Players

9. Civil Society Organizations (Local NGOs) • Other NGOs provide information on agriculture, for example on water management and production projects. • Local NGOs try to influence formal agricultural policy and decision-makers. • Some NGOs have also been working on training and agricultural counseling in participation with the farmers, in a attempt to identify agricultural research priorities. • They also keep a lookout for new agricultural techniques and evaluate their feasibility. UAWC , Food Security Key Players

10. International Organizations • International organizations also provide agricultural tools and other materials to marginalized farmers by: - working with local and other international NGOs as partners to implement agricultural projects in an attempt to ensure food security, - Helping rural populations by raising their levels of nutrition, standards of living, agricultural productivity, and raising public awareness and education among communities, and - Actively assessing prospects for expansion of agricultural development, health and other programs. UAWC , Food Security Key Players

11. United Nations Organizations • UNRWA has been working in the food security sector since many years, and has a great role in ensuring food security for the Palestinian refugees. • UNDP is also working in partnership with local NGOs on land reclamation, and rehabilitation in many parts of the WBGS. • FAO activities in Palestine started in 2002 by fielding a mission for food security assessment answering to a precise request from the MoA. • Since then FAO has been implementing several projects in cooperation with the PA and other national and international organizations. UAWC , Food Security Key Players

12. United Nations Organizations • FAO is leading the establishment of a monitoring system, based on the findings of the 2006 joint WFP/FAO comprehensive food security and vulnerability analyses, and the recent food system fragmentation study (Strengthening Resilience: Food Insecurity and Local Responses to Fragmentation of the West Bank). • ‘Agricultural Revitalization Program’ is one of the most important projects being implemented by the FAO in cooperation with the MoA. • FAO is attempting to build the institutional capacity of the Palestinian counterparts. UAWC , Food Security Key Players

13. The Private Sector • The Private Sector’s role is mainly focused on marketing of agricultural production, however, their role is marginalized in this regard. • It faces many obstacles due to the restrictions of movement imposed by the Israeli occupation. • It is not highly involved in national policies, therefore affecting the Palestinian products as they are continually challenged by the Israeli products. UAWC , Food Security Key Players

14. Recommendations • More Coordination among the local and national NGOs. • Coordination among civil society organizations, governmental organizations, and international organizations working in the Food Security Sector is also needed. UAWC , Food Security Key Players