The Ministry of Agriculture has concluded the pilot project to establish Palestinian agricultural insurance systems and services, benefiting 333 farmers and livestock breeders with a total insured value of approximately 57.8 million shekels.

⭕ Slaimiya: We are moving from the pilot phase to building a sustainable and scalable national system.
⭕ Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Capital Market Authority to enhance cooperation in agricultural insurance.
⭕ The project moved agricultural insurance from concept to implementation, reaching approximately 1,500 farmers.

Ramallah: September 16, 2026

The Ministry of Agriculture and Oxfam, in partnership with the Palestinian Center for Economic and Social Development, concluded "Building Palestinian Agricultural Insurance Systems and Services" project on Wednesday. Implemented for the Ministry of Agriculture with European Union support, the project wrapped up with a closing event in Ramallah attended by representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, the European Union, Oxfam, the Palestine Capital Market Authority, the Palestinian Insurance Federation, the General Union of Palestinian Peasants and Cooperatives, and the Palestine Monetary Authority, alongside various relevant national and international institutions.
Minister of Agriculture Professor Rizq Slaimiya emphasized that agricultural insurance serves as a strategic national tool for protecting farmers, agricultural production, and investments, while bolstering the sector's resilience against climatic, economic, and political risks. He noted that the project's conclusion marks a transition from the foundational and pilot stages to the creation of a sustainable, scalable national system—led by the Ministry in partnership with national institutions, the private sector, and development partners.
Slaimiya explained that the project transitioned agricultural insurance from the conceptual and study phase to actual implementation within the Palestinian market. The pilot phase involved 333 farmers and livestock breeders, with a total insured value of approximately 57.8 million shekels. Furthermore, the project reached around 1,500 farmers through awareness-raising and knowledge-building activities, alongside the creation of an agricultural risk map, the development of insurance data, technical capacity building, and the design of products and public-private partnership models.
He noted that the next phase would focus on finalizing the legal and regulatory framework, developing data and early warning systems, expanding insurance products and coverage, strengthening the link between insurance and agricultural finance, and establishing a sustainable national financial portfolio for agricultural insurance to enhance resilience against major and catastrophic risks.
As part of efforts to strengthen national partnerships, the event saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Palestine Capital Market Authority. This agreement aims to further develop the agricultural insurance market and bolster its legal, regulatory, and enabling environment. The event also featured a panel discussion on "The Sustainability of Agricultural Insurance in Palestine," attended by Ms. Adiba Musleh, Assistant Undersecretary for Agricultural Aid and Insurance, as well as representatives from the insurance sector and development partners. The discussion addressed key challenges and the practical steps required to transition from the project stage to a sustainable national system. The event concluded with remarks by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Engineer Badr Al-Hawamdeh, who emphasized that the next phase aims to transform the project’s achievements into a comprehensive system. He highlighted the importance of leveraging the data, capabilities, and operational models developed by the project to ensure the sustainability of agricultural insurance and place the Palestinian farmer at the heart of this system.