The Intifada and the Israeli response in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have left Palestinian society in crisis. Military blockades and sieges cause the most serious damage to the economic situation and the general welfare of the population. Rural Palestinians and small farmers have particularly suffered in this conflict, as they are no longer able to access markets to sell their produce.
Olive oil is the backbone of the Palestinian agricultural economy, providing employment for 65% of the population, but the last five years have left the industry decimated. Large swathes of olives groves been razed by Israeli bulldozers or been burned to the ground by settlers, and huge amounts of olive oil go to waste because it is too dangerous for farmers to harvest the crops or because of restrictions on movement.
Every year over half of the oil produced in Palestine is literally poured down the drain due to the lack of access to international markets. Zaytoun, a UK-based not-for-profit organisation, was established in early 2004 to help Palestinian farmers gain access to these markets and to make improvements to the existing agricultural infrastructure. Al Zaytouna is a small farmers’ cooperative that was started by a group of Palestinian olive oil farmers who realised that organisation is essential to improve the quantity and quality of the product on which their livelihoods depend.
War on Want works in partnership with Al Zaytouna to support Palestinian farmers by providing training to improve the quality of the olive oil, setting up local farmer committees to share knowledge about harvest and storage methods, and facilitating exchanges with other farmers co-ops in the territories. The project will ensure that poor farmers can access international markets to sell their olive oil.
Watch a short film of one of the farmers Al Zaytouna supports!
| Al Zaytouna's achievements |
- Al Zaytouna-supported cooperatives have eradicated the olive fly, a major threat to production
- Oil production increased 40% between 2005 and 2008
- Created local committees that train farmers in harvest, storage and production techniques
- Provided improved storage equipment such as stainless steel tanks to maintain the oil's quality
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| The Facts |
- Since the start of the second Intifada, the proportion of Palestinians living below the poverty line has reached almost 60%
- There are more than 12 million olive trees planted in Palestine, covering nearly 200,000 acres
- Over the last four years the Israeli occupying forces have uprooted almost 400,000 olive trees with a value of over $60 million
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 |  | War on Want's Palestine Campaign
Read more about our campaign to call for sanctions on Israel, oppose the construction of the separation wall and boycott Caterpillar who supply bulldozers to the Israeli military. | |
 | | Zaytoun
Zaytoun's external website contains in-depth information about the project. | |
