Project ID: 1079
Executive Board Document: EB-98-63-R-21-Rev-1

Participatory Natural Resources Management Programme (to the Palestine Liberation Organization; financed under the IFAD Fund for Gaza and the West Bank)

Building on its ongoing experience of d evelopment assistance in Gaza and the West Bank, and in response to the increasing demand for support for the expanded area of the West Bank under Palestinian Authority jurisdiction, IFAD initiated a broad-based agricultural development strategy in collaboration with the Palestinian Authority and the newly-created Ministry of Agriculture. This five-year IFAD-initiated programme, will be the first major agricultural investment programme to be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and will contribute to the peace process through its support to economic development. Within this context and recognizing that unemployment in rural areas remains very high and potentially productive natural resources are underused, the objectives of the programme will be to increase the incomes and living standards of small farmers (with less than 1 hectare of land). The programme area covers 146 villages and a population of about 350 000 (40000 households). It is expected that 3600 rural families in the programme area will benefit from increased incomes and employment opportunities, and that women will share fully in the benefits generated through increased income and greater economic security for the family. Women are also expected to play an active role in the decision-making process through their participation in the programme committees that design and oversee programme implementation at the village level.

Innovative Features:

The exact details of the programme components are to be worked out in full collaboration with beneficiaries through their organizations. Various participatory platforms are to be established at the planning level during implementation and for evaluation purposes. The private sector will play a major role in the programme and will share its risks, particularly with regard to rural finance.

Loan amount:

SDR 5.8 million (approximately USD 7.8 million) on highly concessional terms.

Total project costs:

Estimated at USD 24.9 million, of which USD 7.9 million will be provided by the AFESD, USD 3.0 million by the Palestinian Authority, USD 0.2 million by the private sector, USD 0.7 million grant financing (still to be determined) and USD 5.9 million by the beneficiaries.

Cooperating institution:

The project will be supervised directly by IFAD.