Palestinian agricultural work organizations founded an

exceptional network (Sham’a) to face the current

crisis in the OPT


17 May 2006

On May 4, 2006, a number of non- governmental organizations, cooperative unions and specialized agricultural councils* working in Palestinian rural areas held a massive meeting at the premises of the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees in Ramallah. The meeting aimed at discussing the political developments in the area particularly the implications of the imposition of the Israeli repressive blockade backed by the US administration on the Palestinian people and the agricultural sector.

The participants paid a great attention to the agricultural situations inflicted on Palestinian farmers as a result of the Israeli persistent oppressive policies. They highlighted the huge losses of the agricultural sector incurred by land expropriation, the annexation and expansion wall, uprooting of trees, closure of borders to prevent Palestinian exports/ imports, and erection of military checkpoints.

The participants in their capacity as representatives of various reputable organizations assuming national, social and technical responsibilities toward rural people especially the marginalized needy farmers, decided to develop coordination working relations, and unite efforts between themselves for achieving two fold purposes; (1) maximizing the benefits of the target beneficiaries attained from their implemented projects and actions, and (2) contributing to building a democratic civil society.

At the meeting, the participant organizations hereinafter referred to as the founding members announced the establishment of a specialized network of the agricultural work organizations called “Sham’a”.  

The network comes in response to the hard situations that farmers and rural families lead due to the current crisis in the OPT, which have led to the exhaustion of their meager income and savings.

The network perceives the importance and pressing need for coordinating efforts and networking with all stakeholders involved in the agricultural process; the government, PLC, local organizations, funding agencies, and friendship associations in order to stand up to the current crisis and help to alleviate farmers’ distress.

The network is intended to seek information and expertise exchange between its members. It also undertakes to improve and build the capacity of the relevant organizations and stakeholders including staff and volunteers. The network envisions a major role in influencing and participating in realizing national policies, plans and strategies pertaining to agriculture through lobby and advocacy activities. Simultaneously, the network will conduct a comprehensive need assessment for its members and target groups, and will implement joint public service projects for the interest and benefit of all.

Toward the end of the meeting, the participant organizations elected a founding board comprising nine members. They also elected Dr. Ismail Daiq the general director of PARC as the chairperson of the board.  They welcomed PARC’s proposal to host the network during the foundation period that lasts one year.

Profile of the Founding Members:  

Organization	No. of Branches	No. of Beneficiaries	Geographic Domain	Year of Establishment
Palestinian Farmer Union (PFU)	11	8000	WBGS	1993
Agricultural Development Association (PARC)	13	30000	WBGS	1983
Union of Cooperative Societies for Olive Pressing, Processing and Marketing (UCSOPM)	13	10000	WBGS	1966
Union of Cooperative Societies for Animal Wealth (UCSAW)	7	500	WBGS	2005
Land Research Center (LRC)	2	5000	WBGS	1986
Youth Development Association (YDA)	84	300	WBGS	2003
Agricultural Cooperative Union (ACU)	8	14000	WBGS	1987
Union of Rural Women Associations for Credit and Saving (URWACS)	12	6070	WBGS	2005
Olive Oil Council (OC)	Central	30000	WBGS	2005
Grape Council (GC)	Central	20000	WBGS	2006
Rural Women’s Development Society (RWDS)	150	12000	WBGS	2001
Total		130870

Strengths and Opportunities:

1. The Sham’a network is the first of its kind in Palestine; it is unique and exceptional because it embraces rural organizations of wide spectrum; syndicates, grassroots, agricultural, specialized, cooperatives and non-governmental organizations.

2. The founding members provide net of services to a huge number of beneficiaries reaching more than 100,000 rural families.

3. The services of the founding members cover a large scale of the Palestinian territories across the West Bank and Gaza Strip including rural areas.

4. The founding members target different groups including women, youth and farmers.

5. All the founding organizations are legally authorized from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labor.

6. They are committed to the principles and values of the civil society particularly the democratic practice, and they are led by elected boards of directors.

7. They seek to create a positive paradigm of coordination, cooperation and consultation for the purpose of developing the agricultural sector by collectively reaching a comprehensive and integrated plan.

8. They search for establishing distinguished working relations among Palestinian, Arab and foreign friendship organizations.

9. The founding organizations are actively involved in the Palestinian national struggle for the establishment of an independent democratic state in the pre 1967 territories in conformity with the international legitimate resolutions.

Profile of the Elected Board:

Name	Title	Organization	Tel/Fax
Ismail Daiq	General Director	Agricultural Development Association (PARC)	02- 2963840
Mohamad Aref Darweesh Rajabi	Secretary	Agricultural Cooperative Union (ACU)	02- 220161
Jihad Saber Mahmoud A’bdo	Cooperative work coordinator	Palestinian Farmer Union	02- 2971354
Fawzi Radhi Ela’bed	Chairperson of UCSAW and Goat Breeding Cooperative Society	Union of Cooperative Societies for Animal Wealth (UCSAW)	02- 2488318
Hussein Mohamad Abdel Hamid	Secretary	Olive Oil Council	09-2535251, 09-2535207
Rima Sliman Mohamad Abu Sharif	Women Clubs Coordinator	Rural Women’s Development Society	02-2963840 02-2963850
Monjed Mithqal Hafez Abu Jesh	Chairperson of Board of Directors	Youth Development Association	02-2963840 02-2963850
Siham Abbasi Othman	Chairperson of URWACS	Union of Rural Women Associations for Credit and Saving	02-2963840 02-2963850
Mohamad Saleh Mohamad Hasasneh	Deputy Director	Land Research Center	02-2217239

Contact Information

Shadi Shahin

Network Coordinator

Tel.: 02- 2963847

Fax: 02- 2963848

E-mail: shadi@pal-arc.org

            aon2006@gmail.com
 

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* PARC, PFU, UCSOPM, UCSAW, LRC, YDA, ACU, URWACS, OOC, GC, RWDS.

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