Time to HarvestUnlocking the potential ofPalestinian olive farming

Oxfam’s olive oil programme is funded by theEuropean Union (EU), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Projects Direct (Oxfam).

© Photo credits: David Levenewww.oxfam.org/opti

The olive tree – an integral part of the Palestinian landscape, identity and culture, passed on through generations of farmers, and a key contributor to the economy. There are over 8 million olive trees planted in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), which support 100,000 families.

Yet Palestinian farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to make a living. The government of Israel has imposed severe restrictions on their access to land, water and markets. Unable to freely plough and irrigate their fields, or prune their trees, farmers suffer poor harvests and olive oil production has dropped by nearly 40 percent in the past decade.

The annual olive harvest is traditionally a time of celebration and communities working together. However, Palestinian farmers require permits to access land that is near Israeli settlements or behind the Wall. Permits are generally limited to one or two members of the family, often only the elderly, and on some days no permits are issued at all.

The Wall that Israel has constructed inside the West Bank has cut off thousands of farmers from their land. Last year, around 40 percent of farmers’ permit applications to harvest their trees behind the Wall were denied.

An estimated 1 million Palestinian olive trees will be isolated behind the Wall once its construction is completed. Tens of thousands of trees have already been uprooted as a result of its construction so far.

Many village olive trees, water sources, and most Palestinian land suitable for agriculture are in “Area C” – the 61 percent of the West Bank which Israel retains full control of. Palestinians are rarely allowed to build agricultural infrastructure in Area C.

Farmers are often barred from using traditional agricultural roads, meaning they have to endure walks of several kilometres to reach their nearby olive trees.

Tractors and agricultural vehicles are also frequently forbidden, making it harder to farm and transport produce. Farmers are forced to make do with less efficient means of transport such as donkeys.

Palestinian farmers harvesting their olive trees in the area of Kafr Qaddum near Nablus. An Israeli settlement is pictured in the background, expanding on Palestinian land. Israeli settlements now control 43 percent of land in the West Bank.

During the olive harvest, violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian farmers increases, with trees often burnt or uprooted and farmers attacked. In the first half of 2013, at least 7,272 Palestinian-owned trees and saplings were damaged by settlers.

Irrigation techniques can significantly improve crop yield, yet Israel controls most of the water resources in the West Bank and Palestinians are often prevented from building new wells. Israeli settlers receive approximately 30 times more water than Palestinians, and are able to use large quantities to grow produce for export.

A farmer holds the branch of one of his olive trees damaged by Israeli settlers. Damaged trees can take up to 20 years to become productive again. Settler violence is carried out with impunity – over 90 percent of recorded attacks have been closed without indictment in recent years.

The Palestinian Authority only allocates roughly one percent of its annual budget to the Ministry of Agriculture, despite agriculture being central to the livelihoods of many vulnerable families.

Getting produce to markets is costly. Israel continues to control all exit and entry points in the West Bank and restrictions on transportation reduce profits by around $700 a container. Produce often has to wait 15-20 hours at checkpoints, in direct sunlight, which can seriously affect the quality of the oil.

The government of Israel continues to confiscate Palestinian land for settlements and military zones. Palestinians often plant olive orchards to try and prevent their land being confiscated and protect their livelihoods, ensuring they have something to pass on to their children.

Oxfam and our partners work with over 80 olive farmers’ cooperatives and farmer groups across the West Bank, helping to improve agricultural practices and sustain their livelihoods in the face of these challenges. In total our work reaches around 10,000 farmers. 17 of the cooperatives we work with are made up solely of women.

Help the Palestinian olive sector to thrive. Call on the government of Israel to:

• Allow Palestinian farmers unrestricted access to their land, trees and water sources• Hold settlers accountable for acts of violence against Palestinians and their land and property• Remove impediments on trade which prevent Palestinian farmers from being competitive and

reaching markets.

Time to HarvestUnlocking the potential ofPalestinian olive farming

Oxfam’s olive oil programme is funded by theEuropean Union (EU), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Projects Direct (Oxfam).

© Photo credits: David Levenewww.oxfam.org/opti