Meet Mr. Thiyab, a 42-year-old resident of Al-Auja in Jericho Governorate. He is the sole provider for his family of seven, most of whom are children. Mr. Thiyab used to work as a laborer in his brother’s farm, earning a monthly income of 1,500 shekels.
Mr. Thiyab owned a 3-dunam agricultural land that remained unused due to his inability to afford the necessary production inputs such as irrigation networks. His fortune changed when he became a beneficiary of the “Economic Empowerment and Building Livelihood Resilience of Vulnerable men and women headed households in the West Bank and Gaza Strip” project in 2021, implemented by ARIJ in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Development and funded by the World Food Programme. Through this project, he acquired a balanced drip irrigation network and all the essentials to start his farming operations.
According to Mr. Thiyab , “Being targeted by the project activities provided me with a tremendous opportunity to cultivate my land and produce various vegetable crops. My previously idle land is now the foundation of my own project, increasing my monthly income and providing a better life for my family.”
He continued, “The balanced pressure irrigation network I received through the project saves me at least 50% of the annual irrigation water needed for my farm, which used to cost 500 shekels monthly. It also reduced the number of hours required for irrigation per dunam from 4 hours to just 2.5 hours.”
Furthermore, at present, Mr. Thiyab expanded his agricultural activities by renting an additional 3.5-dunam piece of land adjacent to his own. This expansion allowed him to cultivate approximately 6.5 dunams continuously, creating new employment opportunities for his wife as they now work together in managing the farm, harvesting, and production using new techniques and technologies.
As a result of the project’s impact, Mr. Thiyab ‘s monthly income increased by 100% to 3,000 shekels per month. Additionally, his family achieved self-sufficiency in vegetables, saving about 50% of their monthly vegetable expenses, amounting to 250 shekels.
In conclusion, Mr. Thiyab and his wife expressed their gratitude to the ARIJ and the World Food Programme for their efforts, which have brought about a profound change in their lives and the lives of their family members. He is now committed to further developing his farm and continuing to produce safe, pesticide-free products.