Italian and Palestinian Cooperation Strengthens Olive Farming

In a challenging period for Palestinian rural communities, a new initiative titled “Olivi – Cultura di Pace in Palestina” (Olive Trees – Culture of Peace in Palestine) has been launched. The project seeks to unite olive growers across the Mediterranean to strengthen solidarity among producers, cooperatives, and local territories.

Coinciding with the olive harvest season, the initiative aims to sustain the resilience of agriculture in Palestine, an area heavily affected by military operations. In recent months, expert agronomists, cooperatives, organic producers, local administrations, and civil society representatives have taken part in meetings with Palestinian agricultural communities to build a shared and lasting alliance.

The campaign is coordinated by the Padua-based NGO ACS – Associazione di Cooperazione e Solidarietà (Association for Cooperation and Solidarity) and the Palestinian Arab Agronomists Association, supported by a broad network of Italian and Palestinian organizations committed to international cooperation, responsible agriculture, and social justice.

According to Nicola Manno, agroecologist and aid worker with ACS Italia, “The promoters of this initiative are cooperatives and companies that have long supported Palestinian agricultural supply chains through technical assistance, ethical trade practices, and fair pricing. These efforts aim to ensure a stable income for producers and promote sustainable, transparent agricultural systems for consumers. This campaign is a tangible expression of solidarity and commitment to the self-determination of Palestinian communities.”

Participating farmers and cooperatives are also invited to contribute directly by organizing local solidarity initiatives and applying a voluntary surcharge on products, with all proceeds going to Palestinian organizations working to protect farmland and restore damaged olive groves.

The first supporters of the initiative include:

• Agricultural Development Association (PARC)
• Palestinian Farmers’ Union (PFU)
• ACAD – The Arab Centre for Agricultural Development
• Humus Network
• Con.Pro.Bio. Lucano
• UPBIO – Union of Organic Producers
• El Tamiso Agricultural Cooperative
• La Molazza
• BiOl
• Nuovo Cilento Cooperative

To expand this solidarity network, a crowdfunding campaign has been launched on the Produzioni dal Basso platform. Read more about this. 

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