Published by City Farmer, Canada's Office of Urban Agriculture

Supporting and Encouraging Initiatives of Urban Agriculture in Gaza Refugees Camps

1 Year Pilot Project Proposal

The following two proposals require funding support. We are posting them on our site in hopes that interested international agencies will contact PARC. [The Editor]

Prepared By:
Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC) March.2003

Contact Person:
Ahmed Sourani, Director of Relations & Cooperation Dept., PARC-Gaza
Tel:+972 8 2805040-41-42
Fax:+972 8 2805039
e-mail: haninahmed@hotmail.com
adming@hotmail.com

Project Name:
Supporting and encouraging initiatives of Urban Agriculture in Gaza Refugees Camps.

Implementing Organization:
Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC)- Gaza Branches.

Project Duration:
One Year Pilot Project from May.2003--May.2004

Project Pilot Locations:
3 Refugees Camps in Gaza Strip;

(i)Jabalya RC.
(ii) Deir El-Balah RC.
(iii)Khan Younis RC.

Background:

The issue of Urban Agriculture in Palestine was launched by the regional workshop on "Future of UA in Gaza Strip" organized by PARC on Dec.1998. By which many of UA activities and practices were highlighted and analyzed by local and external experts. One of the main conclusions of that workshop was "agriculture in Gaza is more urban than rural for many different reasons" ; the rapid increase of population & expansion of cities and Refugees Camps, the limitation of agricultural lands, the high need for safe food, the need for income generating activities, the entire need to improve environment quality and finally the increasing dependency on intensive agriculture .

UA is highly supported by Gaza Urban Agriculture Committee(GUAC) which is a constancy body created and supported by (P.A.R.C). It conducts a quarterly meetings attended not only by the affiliate members but also by other potential local partners interested in rural and agricultural development like NGOs and universities. Both PARC and the committee are interested to achieve the following long term goals:
*Improving use of water resources/ water use efficiency for UA.
*Promoting and encouraging the optimal use of available spaces for UA, like houses and front yards, schools, clinics , hospitals, public gardens and cemeteries... ...etc.
*Establishing adequate support services for UA.
*Enhancing citizens and urban farmers awareness and knowledge of sustainable urban agriculture.
*Enhancing institutional capacity development for UA.

Project Justifications:

The idea of the project emerges from the dilemma of land scarcity or the limitation of cultivable land, the rarity of drinkable and irrigation water, the mass construction buildings as well. Besides, the problematic dilemma of agricultural sector are mainly political as a result of Israeli control of the borders, transportation, materials of the agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, equipment , the high prices and the procedures of marketing . In addition, there is the major problem of Israeli occupying the majority of the cultivable land where they set up settlements under their control over the water resources. On the other hand, the low standard of living in Gaza strip, the low income of individuals, the mass unemployment, the rapid population increase, a great number of families living in and off the cities, depend on UA create job opportunities to elevate their standard of living. The majority of refugees camps & city dwellers in Gaza Strip are farmers in origin. Therefore, they practiced agriculture as an inherited profession and as a result of their intimate love for their land which is considered as an integral part of their existence. For the above mentioned reasons, PARC takes into consideration the implementation of urban agriculture in refugees camps to achieve good level of food security, environment improvement and income generation.

Project Descriptions:

The target project is expected to be implemented within one year, and the implementation is going to be under the full responsibility of (P.A.R.C) in coordination with GUAC as a constancy body. PARC Will manage the project planning, monitoring, and evaluation. In addition, PARC will enhance all the required technical extension . The project will target 3 Palestinian refugees camps in the three districts of Gaza Strip. This target groups are vulnerable to object poverty, and in lack of food self sufficiency.

PARC will target 24 urban public locations , 6 schools of different educational levels, 6 clinics and health center, 6 streets and 6 kindergartens for children.

This pilot project's services and activities are expected to cover the three locations and hopping to work in other locations in future . There will be an important role for PARC's three branches (North, middle, and south of Gaza) in the implementation and following up of the project . The project activities will be reaching the heart of the refugees camps. On the one hand, each of the above mentioned locations will receive a complete collection of different local types of fruitful and flouring trees, samplings, shade trees, vegetables seeds like parsley, strawberries, cabbage, tomato, cucumber, onion, dill, and paper...etc. On the other hand, another 150 households will receive 5 pairs of productive domestic pigeons ( as micro projects ) , and another 150 households will be benefited from agricultural activities (as micro project).

All the above mentioned locations will receive intensive technical training and extension through the period of project implementation . Such training activities will be supported with informative brochures and leaflets, 12 study tours for all the target areas mainly for school pupils and the benefited families . The objective of these tours is to shed the light on the importance of urban agriculture in achieving food security; and to spread promotional information and awareness. Then conducting 2 workshops for evaluation and for the promotion of UA trends in the refugees camps, and special attention will be given to people participation . Accordingly, the local committees, composed by the beneficiaries themselves in each target location, will receive awareness and educational campaign in the following topics:

*Management of micro income generating project at household level.
*Production on rooftops, backyards and balconies.
*Adequate crop selection and cropping techniques depending on the water sources and quality.
*Animal production and UA.
*Collection and reuse of rain water.
*Use of gray water; safe handling of waste water.

Overall Goal:
To share in achieving food security and environment improvement in Gaza Refugees Camps.

Objectives:
* Supporting and encouraging UA initiatives in Gaza Refugees Camps.
*Greening some public locations in 3 refugees camps with different types of plants.
*Encouraging women and poor families living in camps to launch micro income generating activities ( animal & agricultural )by utilizing vacant spaces available on their houses and the backyards.
*Pay attention to the environment, gardening and keeping the beauty of the houses.
*Achieving self-sufficiency at family level from the animal and agricultural products.
*Awareness and enhancing methods, techniques of urban farming for men, women and school pupils.

Project Main Activities:
*Preparation of needs assessment reports concerning the 3 targeted refugees households, camps, schools and clinics.
* Preparation lists of beneficiaries and locations .
*Procurement of all needed equipments and materials for the project.
* Preparation and implementation of training and orientation sessions on UA.
*Qualified agronomists &UA local experts of PARC will technically manage and follow up the activities in the above mentioned locations.
*Establishing local community committees to follow up and facilitate implementation process .
*Produce of leaflets and brochures needed for information dissemination.
*Creating 150 women income generating activities ( animal & production Špigeons for meat- and agricultural production ) in 150 urban households in the 3 RCs.
*Cleaning, greening and improving the environment in 24 different locations either 6 streets, 6 schools, 6 clinics and 6 kindergartens .
*Enhancing new knowledge & scientific information regarding UA in local communities.

Beneficiaries:
Three Refugees Camps(200000 population)will benefit from this pilot project; Jabalya RC, Deir El Balah RC and Khan Younis RC, as follows:
*150 urban poor households, without income and living in the said 3 refugees camps, and owning rooftops or yards (50-150 sq.m). Each household has family member above seven, and women entrepreneurs who have some basic skills & experience in management of house back & front yards.
*24 public locations including ; 6 Refugees schools, 6 clinics , 6kindergartens, and 6 streets .

Project Sustainability:
PARC's 3 branches will implement a plan of monitoring and technical services and extension for the different locations. Such technical services & following up will be so important notably during the first three month, though such services will continue till the end of the project. Sustainability of project's activities will obviously appear within the short, medium and long term impact of food production & processing at micro level and income generating projects . Good impact will be reflected on local environment & health improvement.

The Budget:
The required budget to implement the project:

Planned Activities	No. of Beneficiaries	Costs Per Unit	Total Cost In US$
			Agency contribution	PARC contribution
*Preparation of needs assessment concerning the 3 targeted RCs. ; households, schools, streets, kindergartens and clinics. And preparation of beneficiaries lists . in cooperation with local committees .	The three locations in the RCs.	500	---	1500
* Preparation and implementation of training and orientation sessions on UA. (8 training courses, each 25 participants).	200 (women & men)	500	4000	-----
*Procurement of needed materials for the plantation & greening the public locations ( mainly fruitful, dates and shade trees ), and irrigation network	25 pilot locations	500	12500	-----
*Procurement of needed materials for the plantation & greening households and providing with fruitful, dates and shade trees, seeds, seedlings, and isolated soils with needed irrigation networks .	150 households	200	30000	---
Providing the 150 households with 5 pairs of local pigeons.	150	100	15000
Technical and extension support for the 150 households ( 6 visits per year)	150	20	----	3000
Technical and extension support for the 25 public locations inside the RCs. ( 6 visits per year)	25 location	20	----	500
Promotional information & Awareness services: 3 Leaflets& handouts ( schools, households and public locations)	175 location	500	1500	---
* Monitoring and Evaluation workshops, and preparation of reports .	---	100	100	---
Sub Total			63100	5000
Admin. costs:(8 %)			5048
GRAND TOTAL / US$			68148	5000

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Rehabilitatation of Agricultural Greenhouses & Job Creation in Khanyounes Govern orate

Submitted by:
Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC)

Contact Person:
Ahmed Sourani
Director of External Relations & Cooperation Dept.
PARC-Gaza
Tel.08 2805040
Fax.08 2805039
E-mail: adming@palnet.com
Haninahmed@hotmail.com

March.2003

1.Project Title:
Rehabilitating damaged greenhouses & creating job opportunities in Khanyounis area

2.Project Period:
Six months

3.Project Location:
Khanyounes Govern rate

4.Background:
Gaza Strip depends mainly on the intensive agriculture in greenhouses; about 15.000 greenhouses are cultivated with vegetables, tomatoes, cucumber and other vegetables types .And in Khanyounes governrate only there are at least 3000 plastic green houses , greenhouses planted with tomatoes, peper, cucumber, Jew mellow. The overall area of Khanyounes governrate is 116km2 , and the population is about 170 . Agriculture is the only source of income for thousands of Khanyounes poor families mainly in rural areas (35%). However, the cultivated area in Khanyounes are decreased due to the on-going construction building, the separation of agricultural land, the severe attack of settlements on the target area and land confisication ( 30 of its lands under direct control of the israeli settlments ) . On the other hand, the policy of Israeli aggressive practices to destruct the agricultural sector; about 300 greenhouses were damaged, affected or demolished by the Israeli forces, and other greenhouses are damaged by the bad climate. The poor farmers are incapable of rehabilitating these greenhouses because the needed materials are expensive, and there are no profit income due to the absence of opportunities of exporting their products, and the absence of adequate market for production.

5.Target Group:
* Poor and marginalized farmers who are affected by the Israeli aggressive practices, and the bad climate atmosphere.
*Small scale farmers who are incapable of planting their crops in greenhouses.
*Marginalized and poor farmers who are incapable of rehabilitating the damaged greenhouses
*Jobless people in Khanyounes govern orate
*Seasonal and permanent laborers who lost their source of income

6.The general Objective:
Helping the farmers of greenhouses to sustain their plantation and rehabilitating the greenhouses which destructed by the Israeli occupation forces, or damaged by the bad climate conditions.

7.Specific Objectives:
*Rehabilitating 300 greenhouses
*Creating job opportunities for 400 seasonal or permanent farming laborers .
*Promoting plantation in greenhouses and increasing production with a percentage of 30%.
*Minimizing production inputs for nearly 300 farmers.

8.Project Justifications:
Generally, Gaza Strip areas and mainly Khanyounes govern rate live under catastrophic and tragic circumstances due to clear deterioration in different socio-economic and environmental fields in the light of the imposed Israeli policy and its harsh aggression against assets and properties mainly areas near to the crossing borders and Israeli settlements. In Gaza Strip, the farmers incurred big losses in agricultural sector where it reaches 188.319.026 US$ till the end of January 2003.About 60000 donums of agricultural lands, planted with important crops, are demolished. In Khanyounes govern orate , there are about 3025 greenhouses, and each greenhouse spaced one donum 1000 M2 . Nearly 9000 farmers are working in these greenhouses. About 300 greenhouses are completely damaged and swept by the Israeli occupation forces .A matter which leads to growing unemployment, low standard of living and malnutrition levels. Due to the prevailing conditions, the majority of farmers suffer economic collapse and food shortages and poverty is so pervasive that it has ceased to be a stigma. In case of implementing the target project, it will surely contribute in minimizing the hard situations and the burden for hundreds of affected and poor farmers. This project will target the rehabilitation of 300 greenhouses and creating job opportunities for 400 jobless laborers. On the other hand, the project will contribute in minimizing products' inputs for nearly 300 farmers. At the same time, consumers of the Khanyounes governor ate will find vegetables and crops available in the local markets.

9.Project Description and Implementation:
Accordingly, the project is considered one of the main projects that will contribute in rehabilitating the infrastructure of agricultural sector mainly in the marginalized areas in Khanyounes govern orate . The project will be implemented by the south area branch and farmers' gatherings. Speed study will be prepared to identify and estimate the affected farmers by farmers' gatherings. Then, purchasing the required equipment by farmers' gatherings. The implementation of the project will be carried out by the farmers' gathering and CBOs in different locations and cooperatives, but under the supervision and follow up of technical agronomists from south area branch. Qualified coordinators will be recruited by south area branch working as full time for six months providing that they will contact directly and continuously with the basic gatherings and the administration of south area branch. The coordinators will be responsible for purchasing and providing materials needed for rehabilitating the greenhouses. In addition, they will be responsible for facilitating and monitoring the achievement of the project completely. The two coordinators in cooperation with farmers' gatherings will collect sufficient information about the affected farmers and poor families according to the criteria and distribute the materials and the logistic facilities smoothly to the farmers.

10. The Required Budget for the project's implementation:

Planned activities by PARC ( south area branch)	Implemen-tation Period May–sept.2003	No/Unit		Cost $US/ unit	Total Cost in US$
					Funded Agency Contribution			PARC Contribution
Need assessment meeting with participation of farmers’ gatherings in Khanyounes govern orate, & preparing questionnaire to be distributed to the affected farmers	6days	6meetings		0	0			0
Selecting the affected farmers	15days	300		-	0			0
Starting the purchase of materials &equipment	15 days	-		-	0			0
Installation of new irrigation networks (one donum for each greenhouse)each donum compromises of 1000 M2	1 month	300		120	36.000			0
Rehabilitation of plastic sheets for the greenhouses	1 month	300		430	129.000		0
Installation of net meshes for the greenhouses	1 month	300		342	102.600		0
workers will start their work.200x25 working days=5000	25 daysx200	5.000 working days		10	50.000		0
200 voluntary farmers will start their work Community contribution	25 daysx200	5000 working days		10	0		50.000 (as community contribution)
Full time Project Coordinator ( coordination, supervision & follow up)	6 months		1X6	1000		6000	0
Technical & Extension field visits for the 300 farmer (donums) .	Along the project		1800 technical fields visits	10		0	18000
Transportation, shipment & other administrative costa and follow up						20000
GRAND TOTAL US $						343600	68000

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