Beit Furik, West Bank – 5 February. The field visit to Beit Furik took place within the framework of the Italian NGO ACS project ‘Food Production Intervention for Nutrition and Sustainable Food Security in At-Risk Areas of the West Bank’, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). The visit provided an opportunity to monitor ongoing activities and engage in dialogue with local partners.
The village of Beit Furik, located approximately seven kilometers east of Nablus, has historically been characterized by a strong agricultural and livestock-based economy, particularly linked to sheep farming.
In recent years, due to restrictions on movement and limited access to natural resources, the livestock sector has experienced a significant decline. A traditionally used grazing area near the locality of Tana, where two water springs are located, is no longer accessible to the community. This has had a direct impact on livestock availability and the production of animal-derived products. At the same time, the loss of external employment opportunities has pushed many families to once again rely on local resources.
Within this context, the ACS project focuses on three key areas: technical support to the agricultural sector, improvement of sheep farming conditions, and strengthening women’s economic capacities, particularly in the dairy processing sector.
During the visit, one of the fifty garden houses established under the project was visited. Through project funds, beneficiary families received equipment and materials, including irrigation systems, valves, pumps, water tanks, compost, seeds, and seedlings of various seasonal crops. The cultivation activities, launched in the previous month, enable families to improve household food consumption and, in some cases, to sell surplus produce on the local market, thereby contributing to household income.
The visit continued at the construction site of the enclosure designated for sheep shelter and forage storage. Technical staff presented the characteristics of the infrastructure, space management arrangements, and the organization of livestock rearing for the animals purchased through the project, highlighting the importance of the structure for protecting livestock and ensuring more efficient resource management.
A significant moment of the visit was the meeting with the Beit Furik Women Club, which brings together 55 women from the village and has been active for years in the field of women’s empowerment. The club has initiated training and production activities in the dairy sector, particularly following the pandemic, in response to growing demand for traditional products—especially yoghurt (including labneh, a fresh yoghurt) and local cheeses.
Beit Furik cheese, produced mainly from sheep’s milk, is regionally recognized for its quality and represents an important economic resource for the community. Within the framework of the ACS project, ten women will take part in training courses on modern cheese production and packaging. A room made available by Arij, one of the club’s coordinators, will be equipped with specialized machinery, improving production processes, increasing output capacity, and enabling a more effective response to market demand.
The visit highlighted how the project contributes to strengthening existing local value chains by enhancing traditional skills while introducing tools and knowledge that improve sustainability in the medium term.
