UAWC concludes emergency assistance project to relief sheep breeders in Bethlehem and Jerusalem governorates
The Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) concluded “emergency assistance to relief sheep breeders in Bethlehem and Jerusalem governorates” project that targeted 667 of sheep breeders in eight Bedouin communities and a village in Bethlehem and Jerusalem governorates. The project is implemented by the UAWC in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and funded by the United Nations supported by Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
The project included supply of 100 tons of fodder, which has been cultivated in more than nine thousand dunums in order to provide pasture for sheep, and minimize the cost of fodders on farmers, as well as cultivation of pastoral land in areas idified as “C” with forage crops in order to reduce the production cost, and support sheep breeders as well as increase natural pastures.
Moreover, the project targeted 154 families in Bethlehem governorate through the rehabilitation of 24,000m2 of sheep farms, supplying more than 800 irrigation system, as well as distribution of veterinary Bags, and other materials to provide sheep with vitamins and minerals
In addition, the project included building the capacity of small scale farmers, and providing them with the necessary guidance on how to deal with the effects of climate change
It is important to note that the targeted areas are suffering from the effects of climate change due to lack of rainfall and the decline of grasslands in addition to the expansion of Israeli settlements over their lands.