Project Name: Wekaya

Donor: UNDP\ Global Environment Facility (GEF),

Duration: January 2013 – December 2014,

Target Beneficiaries: Farmers,

Targeted Areas: Ramallah \ Tulkarm \ Salfit,

Sector: Biodiversity, Agro-Natural Resource Management, Farming Best Practices, Olive Tree

Budget: $ 48,000

About the Project:

Wekaya project aimed to contribute for the protection of the olive trees and their products from toxic materials that are used against insects and weeds. It targeted rural areas of Salfit and Tulkarm having the Birzeit area as a reference point. In this way a comparison of data could be made. One of the main activities of the project was to develop applied research aimed at delivering a laboratory test report for the soil and olive oil samples. The purpose of the research was also to evaluate the olive farming practices and the percentages of farmers aware about the effect of pesticides on health and marketing. Throughout the field study it was measured the relation between olive oil quality and the ability of farmers to market their product.