Evaluation of Developing Equitable Agricultural Production and Market Systems for Resilient Economic Development in the occupied Palestinian Territory

The 'Developing Equitable Agricultural Production and Market Systems for Resilient Economic Development in the occupied Palestinian Territory' programme aimed to contribute to resilient and equitable agricultural growth benefiting small-scale women and men producers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.

The evaluation assessed the programme's relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability using a MSD approach. It provides insights on programme achievements, challenges and lessons learned to guide future programming, focusing on small-scale agricultural productivity, market inclusivity and policy advocacy

The programme's strategies included establishing better-functioning market services, extension and training services, and advocating for more enabling policy frameworks. It focused on four main value chains: cucumbers and grapes in the West Bank, and potatoes and olives in Gaza, as well as small ruminants, livestock, and traditional food processing.

Intervention description

The interventions focused on several key areas within the agricultural sector including improving value chains for various crops, enhancing production techniques, and increasing access to markets for small-scale producers. Specific activities included training farmers on new crop varieties and agricultural practices, such as drip irrigation and extension services.

The project worked with local cooperatives, government agencies and private sector partners to implement these interventions. While some interventions were aligned with the value chain analyses, there were inconsistencies in linking the strategies to the analyses, indicating a need for more adaptive management and clearer documentation of the process.

Evidence methodology

The evaluation used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, including key informant interviews (KII), semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGD). Fieldwork was conducted remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions, supplemented by on-ground field visits where possible. Data collection focused on understanding the implementation process, programme impact, and sustainability of results.

The evaluation adopted a mixed-method approach, combining performance evaluation of value chains with a process evaluation of project management and delivery.