Ministry of Agriculture: The North Hebron Agriculture Directorate and FAO conduct a field visit on farm management and health safety of dairy products with the participation of 20 female farmers in Masafer Bani Na’im.

Hebron: July 8, 2026

The North Hebron Directorate of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), conducted an exchange field visit for 20 female livestock farmers in Masafer Bani Na'im. The visit focused on farm management and dairy product safety, as part of the project "Strengthening the Skills and Practices of Livestock Breeders at All Stages of the Animal Value Chain in the West Bank – Palestine," funded by the European Union and implemented by the FAO in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture.

Participants in the visit included the Head of the Rural Development Department, Engineer Shawq Bahr; the Head of the Ruminants Department, Engineer Jihad Alami; and the Director of the Bani Na'im Agriculture and Veterinary Department, Engineer Maher Shalaldeh, along with their staff. Also present was the FAO Project Coordinator, Engineer Intisar Ishtayeh.

The visit was attended by The visit included a tour of the Wa'ad Cooperative Society for Dairy Products, where participants learned about best practices in dairy production and the application of health and safety requirements. They also visited a model sheep farm and an azolla plantation, where the plant is used as a feed alternative that helps reduce feeding costs. The participants learned about the management mechanisms and how to utilize azolla to improve production.

The North Hebron Agriculture Directorate affirms that this visit is part of an initiative to exchange expertise and empower women working in the livestock sector, enhancing their knowledge of sound farm management and the production of safe, high-quality dairy products. This aligns with the Ministry of Agriculture's strategy to develop the livestock sector, improve production, and raise the quality of national products.