Agricultural Research and demonstration organic farm

Project Back ground:

Gaza strip lies on the south east coast of the Mediterranean sea, and has 1.1 million population with measuring total area 360 square kilometers, whereas the Israeli settlement occupied 20% of the total area. The climate is dry and hot in summer and becomes rainy and warm in winter, with rain annual average is about 300-400 mm.
There are 180,000 dunes(1 dunum= 1000m2) of land cultivated by 15,000 farmers and planted with vegetables 62,000 dunums, citrus 43,000 dunums, fruits 40,500 donums, Rain fed crops 37,500 dunums and flowers about 3,000 dunums.

The Gaza Strip is divided into 5 Governorates by the Palestinian Authority:

1- North Governorate ( Beit Hanon, Beit lahia and Japalia village and Japalia Camp.)

2- Gaza Governorate (Gaza city and around ).

3- Deir El–Balah Governorate (Deir el-Balah and Zwaida village and Moghazi, Nosirate, Borrije camps)

4- Khan Yonis Governorate (Khan Yonis city and camp, also Abassan, Bani Sohila , and Khozaa villages)

5- Rafah Governorates:( Rafah city, camp and around)

The average farming property is 2-4 dunums with lack of existing fresh water, high price of raw materials (seeds, fertilizer, plastic and pesticides).and lack of existing Agricultural Research center and demonstration organic farm which will contribute towards increasing and developing its productivity.
The farmers in Gaza strip are using massive quantities of chemicals to fight pests and also for fertilizers, which is also hazard for human health, air, soil and to the ground water. Pesticides lead to further pollution, spoil the environment and reduce the natural enemies, which fight pests.
Moreover it leads to produce new more immune races of pests. So there is high demand to establish an agricultural research center and demonstration organic farm to contribute towards developing the agricultural production and to reduce the environmental pollution.
There is as of now no organization which can advise, monitor and certify organic produce in this area. This makes marketing highly problematical, especially abroad, where consumers are used to buying certified brands.

Project Goal and objectives

The main goal of this project is to identify and develop alternatives to the massive use of chemicals and to increase the agricultural production in various fields through the following objectives:

Reduce the amount of pesticides used in Gaza strip.
Reduce the health risk of farmers and consumers of vegetables.
To establish joint working relationships between Palestinians and Israelis, Jews and non-Jews.
Reduce the environmental hazards caused by pesticides.
Improve farming techniques and disseminate the information through Gaza Strip and West Bank farmers.
To establish an organic farming association which will monitor, advise, certify and market organic produce, both within the Palestinian market and abroad, specifically Europe.

Project Description:

The project aims to establish an experimental center in north Gaza city (Japalia village) this center will be on 5 dunums of land, and will serve as test plot where farmers and researchers can look for the new agricultural problems arising and the solutions to these problems. Also to educate local farmers in proven new farming and income-generating techniques.

The project will be done through the following activities:

1- Establish one and half dunum as a green house and divide into 6 parts to implement several experiments such as:

A- Three parts will be planted with vegetable crops by using hydroponics technique (soilless)

B- Two parts will be planted with vegetable crops by using organic technique.

C- One part will be used as a controller unit.

2- Three dunums will be planted with different crops by using the rotation system and heat sterilization technique.

3- One and a half dunum will be planted by short fruit seedlings as diversification crops.

4- Small unit for producing compost from the solid-waste of the farm.

5- Conduct training courses for farmers

6- Serve as a center for the Palestinian Organic Farming Association.

The farm staff

a- Project manager.

b- one agronomist will be as supervisor.

c- two young farmers will work on the farm.

d- Three specialists in agricultural field will be as consultants for the project.

Project justification:

· Lack of existing experimental and research station.

· Lack of existing a good market for organic products.

· The massive of using pesticides and chemicals.

Project Partners

Institute of World Affairs Office for the Middle East - IWA

The Sustainable Development Center (SDC)

Who will implement the project?

Project Coordinator: Jan Martin Bang

Works in the organic olive groves at Kibbutz Gezer, 24 dunams registered with the Israel Bio-Organic Agriculture Association, National Diploma in Agriculture from Lincoln College of Agriculture, UK. In 1980 co-founded the first registered Worker’s Cooperative in Lincoln County, UK, retailing certified organic produce. He is also the Israeli representative of the Global Ecovillage Network, and teaches environmental design.

Consultants:

The Israel Bio-Organic Agriculture Association

The Soil Association

One of England’s certified organic farming organization

International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements

And Others

Some of these consultants will be used as trainers, others will be in touch with developments via electronic mail.

Project beneficiaries

Direct beneficiaries of this project would be several hundred of farmers through the Palestinian territories with a focus on Gaza strip farmers (male and female). This project will serve as the focal point of sustainable Development center agricultural development efforts in Gaza and West Bank Governorates, with the potential to benefit the farming population at large.

Project output:

· 1000 farmers will visit this project in two years.

· At least 12000 farmers and agricultural people will get new ideas in the field of new agricultural techniques through news letters and pamphlets.

· Create jobs for at least 10 persons two of them women.

· Protect our environmental from pesticides pollution through implementing experiments and disseminating these experiments among the farmers.

· Protect the local people (consumers) particularly the women and the kids by producing fresh vegetables with out any chemicals.