The Italian Cooperation continues to invest in strengthening the agri-food sector, which is crucial for the Palestinian economy, with a focus on private sector engagement, sustainability, and the empowerment of youth and women.
The Rural Development sector coordinates Italian-funded actions in the agricultural, environmental, and food security sectors, with the goal of promoting employment and improving conditions for entrepreneurship among the most vulnerable segments of the population.
Between 2017 and 2024, Italy allocated a total of €11,800,000 to the Palestinian rural sector, with €2,000,000 disbursed in 2024.
The main projects funded by AICS (Italian Agency for Development Cooperation) include support for the agricultural census, which involves updating agricultural data to facilitate the development of effective strategies in the sector. Additionally, the projects focus on strengthening agri-food cooperative networks, aiming to enhance production chains with particular attention to the inclusion of youth and women. Another significant initiative is the promotion of agro-cultural tourism through the project “Sustainable Tourism and Enhancement of the Agricultural landscape in Battir”, which also support agro-ecological production. Furthermore, the projects aim to improve access to financing, as well as provide technical and entrepreneurial training, promoting the adoption of innovative agricultural techniques and technologies to enhance the agri-food sector in the West Bank.