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www.enpi-info.eu It was a cultural barrier that the European Union had to address together with its partner at the start of a new programme to assist Palestinian farmers in the Jordan Valley. How can owls be good for farming? In Arab culture, owls are a symbol of doom. But as time goes by, results speak for themselves, and farmers are starting to believe that the birds can be an excellent alternative to chemical pesticides At the same time, by working together, Jordanian, Palestinians and Israeli organizations foster a culture of understanding and dialogue across this troubled region.
Text by : Elias Zananiri Photos by: Mounes Abu Shilbayeh ENPI Info Centre
JERUSALEM How can owls be good for farming? At first farmers wouldnt believe it. It was a cultural barrier that the European Union had to address at the start of its new programme to assist Palestinian farmers in six villages of the Jordan Valley. EU representatives and their local partners have had a hard time convincing farmers that owls are good for their land, when, in Arab culture, they are a symbol of doom. In the past, farmers relied a lot on chemical pesticides: but the programme is telling them that once This publication does they skip the chemicals they have the option of producing organic products. Today, at least 13,000 not represent the Palestinian farmers in the Jordan Valley are considering this organic alternative. Owls can be the modocial view of the EC ern substitute to chemical pesticides, because they eat mice and rats at night. Kestrels do the rest of or the EU institutions. the job, feasting on the rodents in broad daylight. The EC accepts no Raptor pest control as a sustainable resource management model ENPI Info Centre Feature no. 46 responsibility or in the Jordan Valley is a three-year project implemented under the This is a series of features on liability whatsoever projects funded by the EUs EU Partnership for Peace programme, financially supported by the with regard to its Regional Programme, prepared by European Union. The initiative aims at the preservation of environcontent. journalists and photographers on mental quality and ecological balance in the Jordan Valley. At the the ground or the ENPI Info same time, the project's overall objective is to improve co-operation Centre. ENPI Info Centre/EU 2011 and long-term dialogue between Arabs and Israelis in the Jordan
A good recipe for farming? Trading pesticides for owls. ENPI Info Centre - Feature no. 46
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The EU is deeply committed to the support of these areas of the West Bank: it is critical at this very time to sustain Palestinians living in communities like these
Building stronger communities People talk about their own experiences, their challenges and how they meet them Facing concrete common problems helps people to overcome their differences.
The European Union Representative, Christian Berger, is engaged in a tour of many villages throughout the West Bank. During his visit to the village of Jiftlik, Mr. Berger stressed that "the EU is deeply committed to the support of these areas of the West Bank: it is critical at this very time to sustain Palestinians living in communities like these. In fact, Jiftlik and its surroundings are also the target of a second EU intervention, designed to turn ordinary residents into advocates for their rights and services. Fostering Community Change is a three-year project with a budget just over half a million euros. It is implemented by Oxfam GB and its overall aim is to provide Palestinians with access to the decision making process and with defending their rights within the community. The target population is people living in the severely impoverished villages of Jiftlik, Fasayel, Uja, Walajeh, Jabaa and Zbeidat across the West Bank. "This project will help community residents to realize and exercise their rights on a local level," continues Berger. "They will learn how to work with local authorities to demand fair access to services. What is the main element here? A proper communication and cooperation. According to Joan Summers, Oxfam GB acting Country Director, people who are informed and engaged find it much easier to feel they have a stake in what happens, which is especially important when trying to support a family in such dicult circumstances. At the end of the day, she says, these farmers need a better future and a stronger community. And providing ordinary people with access to the decision making process is the key to building a stronger community. The EU has a number of local partners that work on this programme, including Palestinian Vision (PalVision), the Ansar Centre for Children, The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH), and the Women's Study Centre. Represen-
It is through the empowerment of local communities to realize and exercise their rights, that real, long-term change in the everyday life of Palestinians can be achieved
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tatives of those organizations work with village councils, local organizations, women, youths, and other stakeholders in the community to form community committees. In turn, these committees work with the local authorities to identify the needs of the community as a whole. A citizens handbook defining rights and services will also be produced in the framework of the project. The EU is deeply committed to the support of these deprived areas, concludes Mr. Berger, and this project is central to this EU objective. It is through the empowerment of local communities to realize and exercise their rights, that real, long-term change in the everyday life of Palestinians can be achieved.
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