Foro Global sobre Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (Foro FSN)

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Sr. Amin ABU-ALSOUD

Miembro desde
Organización: JICA
País: Territorio Palestino Ocupado
Campo(s) de especialización:
I am working on:

the field of agriculture development in Palestine with special focus on the following key topics: extension services improvement, farm management, marketing development, farmer groups, technical training development, capacity building of extension agents as well as promoting the market-oriented agriculture.

Este miembro contribuyó a:

    • My contribution concerning "3.3.2 Access to advisory and extension services":

      "Gender mainstreaming in the public extension services system":

      It is worthy to highlight that gender mainstreaming into the agricultural advisory extension services system is a crucial issue. The majority of female farmers in rural and conservative communities do not often receive extension services and training, and if they receive, they do receive extension only in specific field such as food processing. That brought about considerable information asymmetry\technical and marketing information gaps in agriculture. To mitigate it, in my opinion, the active participation of female farmers must be ensured, that would be considered through application of some methods and counter-measures, they can be decided based on predominant culture and social environment in the target area. Of which, for instance,: making sure that female farmers or their groups are selected, considering a tailor-made extension program, knowing women farmers specific performed tasks in agriculture, promoting small-scale farming techniques (a scale fits to female farmers farming), proposing convenient training time and duration, training venues (mixed or separated), introducing kids’ taking care tools during the training session, convenient means of transport (taking part in study tours), listening to their voices and suggestions, etc.

      When access to information is guaranteed, women farmers would be able to engage in a more feasible manner in agriculture and marketing, and their crops productivity and income would be improved significantly. Generally, we can say that we shouldn’t underrated the powerful of information and extension in the women economic and social empowerment and inclusion field.

       

      Amin ABU-ASLOUD

      Farm Management and Extension Expert

      State of Palestine- Ramallah

      See the attachments:

    • United Nations Decade of Family Farming Regional Actions Plan for MENA- Impacts of COVID-19 Outbreak in Palestine- Case Study-Palestine

      Prepared by: Mr. Amin ABU-ALSOUD, Extension and Farm Managment Expert, Palestine 

      (1.). Exacerbating the challenges faced by small-scale family farmers (SSFF) in Palestine:

      The agriculture sector in Palestine was badly hit by the COVID-19 like other countries in the region. The current pandemic could affect the marketing of agricultural products, access to farming inputs, access to animal feedings, converting the conventional payment methods of animal feeds to cash solely, declining demands on the agricultural products, sharply decline in the prices of agricultural commodities, poultry, fresh milk, dairy products such as fresh cheeses, lack of adequate on-farm storage facilities, the inability of some farmers to continue their farming activities due to the high risks and intolerable loses (i.e. cut flowers, poultry), deteriorating of the food security of many households, Job loses of landless agricultural workers which have affected their livelihoods, engaging the entire family members in the field farming activities due to the lockdown measures including the closures of schools and universities.

      While the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating risks for the entire rural population, the impact will undoubtedly be particularly severe on the livelihoods of women. Like many rural women, Palestinian women are largely dependent on the informal economy and the agribusiness sector. Shocks affecting these sectors could spell a drastic decrease (or absence) of the income that is critical for maintaining their families’ food and health needs. The decline in demands on women processed products could lead to a serious cash shortage and inability of women-led food processing units to keep sufficient level of operations.

      (2). Building farmers resilience and ensuring sustainable livelihood:

      The smallholder farmers must be encouraged to use local available resources such as crop residues and animal manures in order to produce value-added products with the application of environment friendly practices. For instance, farmers can produce compost and silage from the unexploited crops residues and be more self-dependent which contribute in minimizing the uses of the imported products during the time and context of the crisis such COVID-19.

      The smallholder farmers’ literacy of ICT must be improved and upgraded so that farmers can resort to the digital tools to solve the faced constraints (i.e., marketing, farming inputs, farming activities, information) during the period of crisis. The digital tools are a gender-equitable activities (or neutral activities) which means both male and female farmers can get access, control and use properly. The digital tools can improve productivity, marketing, profits and contribute in closing the gender gaps of the resources and information.

      Other interventions can be considered in this regard such as: facilitating market access, application of direct selling by targeting profitable crops and appropriate market. The necessity of improving the resilience of rural livelihoods in the context of the crisis by ensuring timely access to inputs, information, markets and liquidity. Improving the access in all possible means such as (Mobile Money Payment Services, Mobile ATM) to the rural financial services.

      The smallholder farmers must be encouraged to apply collective works by joining existing farmer groups or and establishing a new farmers group. The collective works such as group procurement and group selling can significantly contribute in reducing the production costs, improving bargaining power of farmers, increasing the agricultural profits, and raising farmers’ voices, etc.

      Ensuring the on-time provision of market and technical information would help assist small scale farmers take the right decision in regard of crops selection and cultivation at the onset of the crop season as well as deciding the target market and appropriate marketing methods. The technical information would improve farming practices which in its turn enhance the crops productivity and yield and reducing the production costs. By keeping farm records, farmers will also be able to continuously improve their farming practices and then the agricultural returns and profits.

      (3). Sharing success examples from Palestine:

      The Government of Palestine through the MOA has decided to ease the flow of the agricultural commodities and farming inputs supply from the onset of the current pandemic. It has exempted the agricultural business and farming activities from the imposed lockdown measures. The MOA in cooperation with local NGOs have launched what so-called “home-garden initiative”, approximately 1.6 million of vegetables seedlings were distributed on as many as 16 thousand beneficiaries. The MOA has speeded up the process of payment (in forms of cash and materials) of longstanding compensations to Palestinian farmers due to incurred losses caused by the natural calamities and Israeli aggressions. The Government in close cooperation with UNDP/PAPP have launched what-so called “Solve it initiative”, it’s a youth inclusive Agri-food value chain challenge, it is a part of the response to the socioeconomic effects of COVID-19. It focuses on innovation for sustainable social impact. (Click here).

      Promoting the use of digital marketing services: Due to the impacts of imposed lockdown measures, some Palestinian farmers tried to apply online marketing to promote their products. They announced their products and contact information on the social media. This method could help farmers to sell their products to customers easily within the same village and area. In general, when the lockdown measures have increased, demand has risen for home delivery of groceries and E-commerce. This trend should be encouraged and promoted.

      Farmers’ Market Initiative: It gives local small-scale producers a platform to promote their products directly to consumers at a much lower price and enable residents of Ramallah to shop for local seasonal vegetables, traditional bread and home-cooked foods. In addition, it promotes environmentally friendly practices. It is organized regularly every Sunday, from 11:00 a.m till 05:00 p.m. Several small marketing events have already been convened. (Click here).

      Government Assistance Package “Cash transfers”: Unemployed informal workers (including the agricultural workers) need cash income support and must be included in the government assistance package and social protection programs addressing the crisis. The Government of Palestine has provided on May and June of this year NIS 700 (around US$200) only once to the bank account of 40,000 beneficiaries workers (35000 beneficiaries in West Bank and 5000 beneficiaries in Gaza Strip) via the Ministry of Labour and Waqfit Izz fund[1]. The total distributed amount is NIS 28 million equivalents to US$8.115 million. But this too is insufficient, it is far below than the poverty line of a family composed of five members in Palestine. The poverty line was estimated at about 2470 NIS (US$671) in 2017. We need to have a minimum of (US$ 700) per month in cash transfers for the next months (not only one-time payment). The Palestine’s Ministry of Social Development has also distributed (at the end of June 2020) about NIS500 equivalents to 145 US$ on approximately 18,000 social cases in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Some agricultural workers were included but were not a priority.

      The solidarity campaigns among local communities, several campaigns and initiatives were conducted during the lockdown periods which were coincided with the peak production of some agricultural products (i.e., fresh cheeses) and crops (i.e. cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, watermelons, etc.). The campaigns could help assist farmers mitigating the negative impacts of sharply declined of market demands and products’ prices. The campaigns mainly depended on the application of collective works and direct selling of agricultural products from farmers to the consumers directly with a competitive selling price.

      Footnote (1): The “Waqfit Izz” Fund was established by a decision from the Prime Minister in collaboration with the business community to organize fundraising, and enable business, citizens and civil societies donate and contribute to the medical and social needs during the crisis. A bank account was setup for depositing donations from the public. The business community, companies and individuals, and citizens generously donated money and supplies; the Fund collected about 60 million shekels.

      ****** The End *****

      See the attachments: