"Climate change is unifying people from the region"

By
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In the West Bank, political tensions and increasingly poor weather conditions are making farming more difficult. What needs to be done? Questions for Abbas Milhem, Executive Director of the Palestinian Farmers Union (PFU).

Smallholders likely to react particularly sensitive to high and variable fertiliser prices.© Fabiana Woywod

By Jan Rübel

Jan Rübel is author at Zeitenspiegel Reportagen, a columnist at Yahoo and writes for national newspapers and magazines. He studied History and Middle Eastern Studies.

All contributions

By Abbas Milhem

Abbas Milhem is the current Executive Director (since 2014) of the Palestinian Farmers’ Union, providing technical guidance and full supervision on project development and implementation processes. He previously worked with the Sudan Civil Society and Youth Participation (CSDY) Program as a Country Director for Sudan.

All contributions

What is the current situation of agriculture in West Bank?

Abbas Milhelm: The situation is very difficult. Settlers focus in their attacks on farmers. Currently, it is olive harvest season. 50 per cent of farmers were unable to access their farmlands to harvest their olives. And the largest agricultural sector in Palestine is olive production. It is a sector in which more than 110,000 family farmers make a living from olive oil production. Livestock farmers in the Jordan Valley and the southern Hebron region are completely denied access to pastureland. Otherwise, they need to provide three meals of fodder for their animals every day. 75 per cent of livestock farming in Palestine, i.e. meat and dairy products, is produced in these two areas to ensure food security. have been displaced from the Jordan Valley and the Ephrata area. This will have a major impact on food security in Palestine, whether in crop production, olive harvesting or livestock and animal husbandry.

 

Can you already estimate the actual impact on the food system?

It's challenging. The food system in Palestine will collapse soon if nothing is done. Everything we have built in the past to build, despite of all the difficulties and challenges, is at risk. In Gaza there is no functioning food system. It has collapsed, there is no more agriculture.

 

Do you personally own land?

Yes, I'm a farmer from the Jenin area, the son of a farmer who was the son of a farmer. I own three olive groves. My land is officially registered and it is located in area B, wich is completely under the control of the Palestinian Authority. I'm one of the tens of thousands of farmers who have not been able to harvest.  There are also farmers who cannot market their vegetables in the West Bank because the roads between the towns and villages are cut off.

 

More than 160,000 families in Palestine live either from what they own on the olive farms or from their labour in harvesting and picking olives.

 

How important is agriculture for society?

In 1975, agriculture accounted for 35 per cent of the Palestinian gross domestic product (GDP). But due to land loss, agriculture's contribution has fallen to less than 4 per cent of GDP.

 

The food sector was already facing challenges before the current conflict. How is climate change affecting it?

Farmers are suffering from water scarcity. This is not because we don't have enough water resources. Studies show that Palestine has enough and sufficient water resources for the coming 50 generations. But due to restricted access to water resources that are controlled by the Israeli side, we have water scarcity. But due to the limited access to water resources controlled by the Israeli side, we are suffering from water shortages.

 

That is why we at the Palestinian Farmers Union are trying to develop new techniques for efficient water utilisation that enable better production with less water consumption. This is what we call smart agriculture.

 

Climate change poses a major challenge. Large areas of agricultural land in the West Bank are not irrigated as they are dependent on rainfall.

 

And there is less?

The average rainfall in Palestine have been deteriorating year by year over the last 20 years. Take last winter, for example: A winter in Palestine lasts 90 days. The first 40 days are important and crucial for the growth of the olive trees - they need cold temperatures and at least 200 ml of rainfall to bear fruit. Last winter, there was almost no rain in the first 40 days in Palestine. As a result, this year's olive harvest was only 30 per cent of the normal annual production. The PFU has distributed 55 tonnes of seed to livestock farmers in the Jordan Valley so that they can cultivate the land and then harvest the barley and wheat as fodder for their animals. As there was too little rain in the winter, these plants did not grow to the point where they could be harvested - and therefore only served as pasture for the animals.

 

So how can you react to that?

We are expanding our smart agriculture techniques. Last year, for example, we were able to develop twelve income-generating projects based on hydroponic production

 

The use of hydroponic techniques can save up to 85 per cent of the water needed for irrigation, as the water is constantly rotated and filtered.

 

In addition, the use of chemicals is reduced by 90 per cent as no soil is used. Another technique that we have developed in co-operation with high-tech companies in Palestine is called the Auto-Farm system.

 

What is that?

The Auto-Farm system is based on calculating the exact amount of water needed for irrigation to avoid over-irrigation and the flood irrigation, using only the exact amount, reducing the water needed for irrigation by 75 per cent. And it decreased the level of using chemical in agricultural production by over 40%.  In addition, the use of chemicals in agricultural production has been reduced by over 40 per cent. We distribute climate-resilient seeds that are better able to cope with drought and water shortages.

 

When we talk about smart agriculture and research, would that be also an opportunity for cooperations with Israeli players?

We try to benefit from all experiences. We as a union, we have established a regional network in the Arab world among farmers' organizations and unions in the Mediterranean area, including Spain, where we held our conference on climate change in Barcelona under the title “Middle East Farmers Facing Climate Change”. As far as the Israeli side is concerned, co-operation is difficult due to the political situation. However, I would like to give an example of an Israeli irrigation system called "Mitvim". It is a system based on automatic irrigation of farmland. This system is difficult to implement in the West Bank due to its high cost. Furthermore, it is not possible for maintenance personnel to come from Israel, as it requires special coordination with the army. This has encouraged high-tech companies in Palestine to develop alternative systems that are available in Palestine.

 

What can international cooperation do?

The awareness of the impact of climate change is not yet very high, not only in Palestine but in the entire region. Farmers are key players and their awareness of this issue is also low.

 

Therefore, the first thing we need to do is to raise awareness of climate change adaptation. Climate change is unifying people from the region to work on adaptation.

 

But this is not something that can happen in one day or in one year. It is an ongoing process. It is a learning process where you can accumulate the results and achievements until you reach a level where you can say that agricultural practices in Palestine and hopefully in the region are truly climate resilient.

 

And what is needed from the world?

In co-operation with our universities, we need to enable our farmers to do more research - and the universities in turn exchange their experience with universities abroad to develop techniques for water management and efficient water use. We have 20,000 members who belong to the Farmers Union. And for 2024, we together are working on what we call “Climate Action Network for Palestine”. The world must support farmers in adapting to climate change.

 

Are the current conditions an obstacle or an opportunity for the transformation of the food system?

Opportunities are now in the short run. Producing food is very important. Hence, enhancing the access of farmers on their land in these days would be a first step. And hopefully, for the first time in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there will be serious talks about real peace that works for everyone, for Palestine and Israel. A peace that is fair and just for both sides. This conflict should not last forever.

 

Where do you see Palestinian agriculture in ten years?

I am optimistic.

 

The future is for peace.

 

Farmers will have better access to their farmland and water resources and agricultural land will expand. Agriculture will then produce more food and a functioning food system will be established.

 

Back to overview

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Global responsibility: Tackling hunger is the only way forward

A contribution by Lisa Hücking (WHH)

Chancellor Merkel has begun an ambitious European political programme: Striving for compromise in budget negotiations, an orderly Brexit as well as an appropriate response to the corona crisis. Unfortunately, one of her positions that she previously held is nowhere to be found: Africa's prosperity is in the interest of Europe. 

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"Without peace, there will be no development"

Interview with Karina Mroß (DIE)

What contribution does development cooperation make to conflict prevention? What can it do for sustainable peace? Political scientist Karina Mroß talks to Raphael Thelen about post-conflict societies and their chances for peaceful development.

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Innovation Challenge 2021

Competition for ideas by BMZ

Out of 40 consortia that applied from all over the world, 14 were invited to present their innovative concept on agroecological approaches in the form of an online pitch and to face the questions of an international jury of experts. Find out which six semi-finalists were selected by the jury and what happens next in this article.

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Feminist development policy – A new beginning?

An Interview by Journalist Jan Rübel

Cameroonian gender and peace activist Marthe Wandou on the role of women and girls in development policy – then and in the future.

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From reaction to action

A contribtion by GIZ

A Year of Multiple Crises: Russian war against Ukraine, extreme weather events, high prices for energy and fertilizer, food crisis had severe implications for food security and agriculture globally and especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. A Transformation of the food systems is needed.

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How the War against Ukraine Destabilizes Global Grain Markets

A Contribution by GIZ

Since early February 2022, two of the biggest grain and oilseed exporters have been at war. An overview, which countries are affected most severely by the destabilized grain markets, and what comes next.

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The Black Sea Breadbasket in Crisis: Facts and Figures

An infographic by ONEWORLD no Hunger

Rising food and gas prices, physical destruction and supply chain disruptions: Why the Black Sea region matters and how the war in Ukraine affects global food security.

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What the Middle East conflict means for the children in Gaza

An Interview by Jan Rübel

The Gaza Strip depends heavily on humanitarian aid, more than ever with the current war. Gaza population is very young: Half of them are children. What is their situation on the ground? Questions for Lucia Elmi, Unicef Special Representative to the State of Palestine.

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Where can international cooperation in Gaza come in, Ms. Asseburg?

An Interview by Jan Rübel

The armed conflict between Israeli forces and the Hamas is escalating. What does this mean for a Gaza, region that was already heavily dependent on external aid? Questions for Dr. Muriel Asseburg, Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin.

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