Grassroots International

UAWC was established in 1986 to improve the difficult social and economic situation of Palestinian farmers that is a result of the marginalization of agriculture and confiscation of land and water resources under Israeli occupation. UAWC emphasizes sustainable development and food sovereignty rather than emergency and relief projects.

UAWC also helps Palestinian farmers market their produce and provides agricultural employment and training opportunities through cooperation agreements with domestic, Arab and international agricultural development institutions. Local agricultural committees in the West Bank and Gaza Strip formed by UAWC assess farmers’ priorities and involve them in implementing self-help programs and community activities.

UAWC projects have included water and land reclamation and development, income generation projects, digging and rehabilitating wells, a dynamic regional seed bank, and education about gray water use. UAWC does extensive work to support farmers in the struggle to stay on their land in the face of endless threats of demolition and land confiscation. In recent years, UAWC has been making more connections between its work to resist Israeli occupation and to promote food sovereignty with work to address climate change.

UAWC works closely with several of Grassroots International’s partners in the Global South, and in 2013 became a member of La Via Campesina. In 2014, UAWC was a recipient of the Food Sovereignty Prize and the UN Equator Prize.