Farmers in the West Bank face unprecedented challenges in accessing land and water. In 2009, ACTED’s areas of implementation faced a third consecutive year of lower than average levels of rainfall. This sustained period of drought has jeopardized the ability of farmers to grow their own crops for animal feed. Without recourse to fodder grown on their own land, breeders are relying more and more heavily on purchased commercial fodder to feed their herds. The increased demand for commercial fodder has coincided with an increase in price, threatening income and livelihoods.

Effective solutions to a complex crisis in the West Bank

In response, during six months, ACTED provided fodder to 537 small-scale breeder households in the West Bank districts of Nablus, Qalqiliya and Salfit. When Ali Mohammadeen heard that ACTED would be implementing a project in his hometown of Salfit, he wasted no time visiting the ACTED office to learn about the application process.

Ali Mohammadeen, known as Abu Nayef, relies on the income of his herd of approximately 60 heads of goats and sheep to support a family of 12. While this medium-scale breeding enterprise has the potential to provide sufficient income, the rise of input prices has seen profits drop in recent years. The cost of water is becoming an increasingly expensive necessity: “In the summer I need 2,400 NIS (460 Euro) a month to pay for water,” Abu Nayef explains. “And in winter I need 500 NIS (96 Euro) a month. It is a big price to pay every month. The cost of water means the profit from selling milk and meat is less than it was 10 or 15 years ago.”

The drought and the increased cost of water are not the only factors impacting Abu Nayef’s ability to farm. Salfit is located adjacent to Ariel, one of the largest settlements in the West Bank. As Israeli settlements expand, the land traditionally used for grazing herds of goats and sheep is no longer available to Palestinian breeders. Abu Nayef has felt the strain of lost access to grazing lands that formerly provided a source of nourishment for his livestock.

Faced with this combination of man-made and natural obstacles to farming, Abu Nayef greatly appreciates the support he received. The breeder witnessed a visible improvement in the health and productivity of his animals as a result of this intervention: “The fodder received from ACTED is good. I can tell because my goats are making more milk and reaching a healthier weight.” As Abu Nayef and his fellow farmers face complex challenges in the future, such European Commission Humanitarian aid Department-funded actions can provide crucial support to farming communities throughout the West Bank.