The Ministry of Agriculture discusses with the European Union, Oxfam, and ACF ways to strengthen the resilience of farmers in the West Bank

Ramallah: February 15, 2026

The Ministry of Agriculture held a coordination meeting at its headquarters in Ramallah with the Office of the European Union Representative, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Oxfam, and Action Against Hunger (ACF). The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Minister of the Ministry, Eng. Bader Hawamdeh, and attended by assistant undersecretaries and several directors general from the Ministry.

The European Union Office in the West Bank and Gaza Strip was represented by Ms. Lucia Castillo, Director of Agriculture and Environment Programs, and Eng. Ammar Khatib, Director of Infrastructure and Agriculture Programs. Ms. Mira Al-Ansari and Eng. Nasr Samara also participated on behalf of the FAO.

Oxfam was represented by Eng. Mustafa Tamiza, Ghassan Kashk, and Ahmed Al-Dabouqi, while Action Against Hunger was represented by Eng. Muhammad Amayreh and Ashraf Zeidan. In addition to the assistant undersecretaries, the Ministry was represented by Ms. Maram Sawalha, Director General of Planning, and Eng. Mahmoud Fatafta, Director General of International Relations. The participants discussed the challenges facing the agricultural sector amid escalating attacks on farmers, emphasizing the importance of unifying efforts and strengthening international partnerships to support farmers' resilience and enable them to continue production. This aligns with the Ministry of Agriculture's strategy and its four pillars aimed at achieving sustainable agricultural development and enhancing food security.

The meeting reviewed a comprehensive two-pronged development intervention. The first prong is a project to develop a low-carbon olive value chain in cooperation with FAO. The second prong focuses on a socio-economic recovery project in partnership with Oxfam and Action Against Hunger, aimed at strengthening the resilience of farming communities in the West Bank.

The proposed project will be implemented over 42 months (three and a half years), with a total budget of approximately €14 million.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the participants recommended reviewing the project's implementation framework and clearly defining the Ministry of Agriculture's role at all stages of implementation. This will ensure institutional integration and strengthen governance. The importance of selecting target sites in full coordination with the Ministry was also stressed, to guarantee that interventions are directed to priority areas and aligned with national plans and the actual needs of the agricultural sector. The Undersecretary stressed the importance of continued European and international support for the Palestinian agricultural sector, emphasizing that investment in agriculture is a fundamental pillar for strengthening resilience and achieving sustainable economic recovery.