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Inadequate water supply is one of the most pressing issues facing Palestinian farmers and herders in the West Bank. Without a consistent supply of water, farmers cannot achieve the productivity gains that support rural economic growth. This threatens food security in rural communities and could ultimately limit employment opportunities for landless workers and other vulnerable groups living in rural areas. Particularly in Jenin and Hebron governorates, water supplies are becoming increasingly erratic and scarce due to low or almost no rainfall. The poorest farming households are the worst affected as they rely on rain-fed agriculture. To address water scarcity and boost rural employment, the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture, with support from FAO and the European Union, launched a $1.9 million project in 2011. The project assists communities in rehabilitating old water tanks and building new ones, and provides training to local beneficiaries on good agricultural and water management practices.
Promoting food security and decent rural employment through a twin-track approach
We have a twin-track approach to address water scarcity and create decent rural jobs.
In the first phase of the project, a total of 456 new water tanks were built through a cash transfer program. In addition, villagers were hired to help repair 35 water tanks. The project provides short-term employment opportunities through public works programs while involving target communities in the construction and repair of water tanks.
In the second phase, the project provided training to local farmers and agronomists on good agricultural and water management practices to ensure that farmers could effectively use, manage and maintain the new water storage tanks. As a result, beneficiaries gained the skills and knowledge needed to increase productivity and income.
Overall, 500 of the most vulnerable farming households in the West Bank gained access to stable water supplies, and project monitoring showed that these households also benefited from increased agricultural income and improved food security.
Infrastructure investments also create a large number of short-term jobs for poor rural workers. This generates an inflow of income for the target communities, which is likely to have positive spillover effects.
In these communities, female-headed households face significant challenges in accessing productive and decent employment opportunities. To close the gender gap, the project focused on 158 female-headed households (32 percent of all project beneficiaries) and supported them in accessing alternative income-generating opportunities.
“I would like to thank the European Union for its support and funding of this project, and FAO for its successful implementation in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture,” said Palestinian Minister of Agriculture Walid Assaf, who explained that the effective completion of the project “has inspired resource partners to put the agriculture and water sectors at the center of their investment strategies.”
Long-term sustainability
“The use of non-conventional water sources for irrigation in Palestine is considered a promising and important option for addressing climate change. Careful planning should be ensured to minimize its suitability and sustainability while eliminating any potential negative environmental impacts,” said Yusuf Abu Safiyeh, Palestinian Minister of Environmental Affairs.
Indeed, sustaining decent jobs and livelihoods in the long term is one of the main objectives of the dual track system. The 500 water tanks built during the project are expected to have a lifespan of 40-50 years. In addition, by providing training to beneficiaries, the project ensures that infrastructure is fully utilized, managed and maintained, thereby creating long-term employment opportunities.
Cisterns are essentially a form of resilience-building infrastructure: they can act as reservoirs in times of crisis to reduce the risks poor households face from rainfall fluctuations. By involving community members in building their own cisterns, the project helps ensure greater local ownership of infrastructure.
Good practice models that can be replicated
The project’s approach can be replicated in other rural areas with high water shortages, poverty rates and food insecurity. Combining infrastructure development with teaching methods can help unleash the production potential of local farmers.
The project’s approach, which provides both social protection and essential rural infrastructure, can be further scaled up to promote decent rural employment and sustainable development.
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