Contracting party:         International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Funded By:                      International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Starting Date:                 May 2022
Ending Date:                   April 2023


The project titled “Smart water management practices for irrigation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories” is funded by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and being implemented by the Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ) in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA).

The overall objective is to improve food security, agro-production and increase resilience to climate change for targeted poor rural/urban families in Palestine through practical and economically feasible agricultural interventions (Wicking Beds and eco-irrigation systems) aimed at self-food production. Moreover, workshops and trainings will be conducted on operation, maintenance and good practices as well as distribution of operation manuals. This project will also contribute in enhancing the health and living condition, protecting land sustainability, preserving natural resources. Furthermore, it will reduce the negative impact on an environmental level.

The project is expected to achieve the following:

4 vulnerable Palestinian communities specifically in the marginalized areas such as those located in Area C will be selected by which 30 families are provided with wicking bed units to optimize water use, increase water-food productivity; increase self-produced nutritional vegetables by the targeted vulnerable families. This will assist these families in increasing their food security and their contribution to CO2 sequestration. Additionally, families’ capacities will be built to manage the wicking bed units in a sustainable manner. Thus, they will have the required knowledge to produce more healthy food.