Ministry of Agriculture: Slaimiya discusses with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) ways to support farmers' resilience and enhance the urgent response

• - Addressing the priorities of the agricultural sector and the needs of farmers, and reviewing existing projects implemented by IFAD.
• - The necessity of identifying funding gaps and avoiding project duplication.
• - Strengthening cooperation with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), focusing on rapid response and protecting farmers' investments.

Ramallah – May 13, 2026

Minister of Agriculture, Professor Riziq Slaimiya, met with a delegation from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), including Krista Ali and Valentina Franchi, to discuss prospects for joint cooperation in supporting the Palestinian agricultural sector and enhancing farmers' resilience in light of difficult field and economic conditions.

During the meeting, Minister Slaimiya emphasized the importance of projects implemented in cooperation with IFAD, noting that the Ministry is working to direct agricultural interventions toward the actual needs of farmers, ensuring that funding is not duplicated or projects are not duplicated with other donors. In addition to ensuring the equitable distribution of interventions,

Slaimiya explained that the agricultural sector faces increasing challenges due to ongoing Israeli attacks on agricultural lands and the difficulty of accessing some areas. This necessitates rapid and flexible intervention mechanisms. He stressed the need to develop a dedicated rapid response mechanism for farmers, enabling the implementation of urgent interventions within a short timeframe, particularly in cases requiring land rehabilitation or crop salvage before damage worsens.

The Minister also highlighted the importance of supporting partner agricultural institutions that have continued their work over the past years despite difficult financial and administrative circumstances. He emphasized that these institutions have played a crucial role in serving farmers, especially during crises and the COVID-19 pandemic.

For her part, Valentina Franchi, representative of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), affirmed the Fund's commitment to continuing cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture in developing and implementing more effective agricultural interventions that respond to farmers' needs. She noted the importance of strengthening coordination with local partners and focusing on building the capacities of agricultural institutions and farmers through practical training, supporting value chains and agricultural marketing, which contributes to enhancing food security and improving livelihoods in rural areas. The importance of identifying funding gaps and intervention priorities was also emphasized, paving the way for mobilizing further support from donors and international partners. This will have a tangible impact on protecting the agricultural sector and strengthening farmers' resilience.

The meeting concluded with an affirmation of continued cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), contributing to the protection of the Palestinian agricultural sector, enhancing farmers' resilience, and directing resources towards the most urgent and needed interventions.

The meeting, held at the Minister's office at the Ministry's headquarters in Ramallah, was attended by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Eng. Bader Hawamdeh, and the Chairman of the Palestinian Agricultural Lending Institution, Dr. Abdul-Moneim Wahdan, along with assistant undersecretaries and several relevant technical staff members from the Ministry and IFAD.