TİKA Opens Sapling Production Facility in Palestine

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) established a sapling production facility in the city of Jenin, which is located in the richest region of Palestine in terms of agricultural land and green areas.

In the Jenin region, which is known for its lands suitable for agricultural cultivation, the forestation and agricultural activities generated a demand for saplings that was not met. Therefore, in cooperation with Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture General Directorate of Forestry, TİKA established a sapling production facility in a 3000 square meter area within Jenin Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, including 1500 square meters of greenhouses.

With the project which aims to create the necessary infrastructure for Palestine’s forestation and agricultural production activities and to support the regional and national economy, a fully equipped sapling facility was founded to offer the people in the region infrastructural support on agricultural production. As a result of the production activities to be carried out by Jenin Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, saplings will be provided free of charge for the forestation activities of local administrations, farmers, schools, and non-profit NGOs.

In addition, the saplings to be cultivated for agricultural production will make a significant contribution to the family economy of farmers and indirectly to the Palestinian national economy.

As of October 2018, the first planting works started at the Jenin Sapling Production Facility and 5 people were employed in these activities. This number is expected to reach 15 to 20 people once the production increases and diversifies. The facility features a 500 square meter greenhouse where 150,000 sapling seeds can be sown at the same time; and there are also sections in the greenhouses with a total area of 1,000 square meters, where these seeds can be prepared for plantation. Divisions were made for the experts to carry out their production activities and a 200 square meter indoor workspace was constructed to allow the employees to continue their work without being affected by negative weather conditions. Furthermore, a 200 cubic meter water tank and the required irrigation system was installed to be used for production activities. TİKA provided 50,000 seeds and all required production materials for the facility to start its operations.

–   Palestine thanks Turkey and TİKA which have always supported the country

The opening ceremony was attended by the Palestinian Prime Minister Dr. Rami Hamdallah, Minister of Agriculture Sufian Sultan, Minister of Local Governments Dr. Hussein A. Al-Araj, Minister of Communication and Information Technologies Dr. Allam Musa, Jenin Governor Ekrem Rucub, and TİKA Palestine Coordinator Bülent Korkmaz. Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Hamdallah expressed his thanks to TİKA and Turkey which have always supported Palestine in terms of politics and development through the project which will have a great impact on the expansion of green areas and desertification. Pointing out the importance of the international support of the Turkish Government about Palestinian case in the United Nations meetings, Hamdallah thanked the Republic of Turkey once again for all its support to the Palestinian people and government.

Speaking at the opening, Minister of Agriculture Sultan said 50,000 saplings will be grown at the first stage and more than 200,000 saplings can be grown within 2019 with the project that is carried out by TİKA in cooperation with the ministry. Stating that the necessary infrastructure was provided for the expansion of green areas with the facility, Sultan said the facility, which will provide an area for training activities, will particularly focus on the cultivation of endangered species and stated that an important project has been implemented in terms of the continuity of both economic and natural life. Extending his thanks to Turkey and TİKA for their support to Palestine in every area, Sultan said they are planning to build a 300-decare Turkey Palestine Friendship Garden in Beni Naim Region in Al-Khalil city of Palestine to strengthen the friendship between Turkey and Palestine, as part of the protocol signed with the T.R. Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs.

–   600 projects in Palestine

TİKA Palestine Coordinator Bülent Korkmaz stressed that TİKA has completed more than 600 projects in all industries in Palestine since 2005 and that the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem were considered as one and given service as a whole in all the works. Pointing out that they restored and continue to restore dozens of houses and shops in Jerusalem, the axis of the Palestinian cause, Korkmaz stated that they are trying to pass down the common cultural and historical heritage to next generations.

He added that they built hospitals in the health sector, schools in the education sector, housing estate in the housing sector and delivered them to the Palestinian Government and that they are continuing the construction of a girls' dormitory for 400 people at Jerusalem University. Noting that a modern olive oil production facility and a modern egg poultry facility were established in the production sector, Korkmaz congratulated Palestine for their new sapling production facility and said the works and union carried out with the Palestinian people and government will continue to maintain the existence of an independent and sovereign state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, with the inspiration, effort, and enthusiasm from our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

–   TİKA continues to support production and employment in Palestine

With the egg poultry facility built in Arroub Agricultural Vocational School in the north of Al-Khalil in 2018, TİKA helped students receive applied training on egg poultry and provided an important income to the school with around 80 packages of eggs daily produced in the facility.

In addition, TİKA opened the 100% Turkish-made Olive Oil Extraction Plant within Abasan Municipality in Gaza in 2016 and provided employment opportunity up to 24 people in the olive oil season with the facility producing the highest quality olive oil in Gaza.

TİKA, which has provided model applications for the private sector in Palestine in the field of modern production techniques through its support of the production activities in the country, continues its efforts to boost production and employment in many industries in Palestine.