Agricultural Development in the West Bank (ص 111)

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Agricultural Development in the West Bank (ص 111)

المحتوى

Table (111-13 .
countries of the Middle
Ratio of land under irrigation in some
East (%)
Quntry of total cultivated untry 2%
Traq 49.3 syria 9.3
*erdan 7.4 Lebanon 29.3
West Bank 5.0 Israel 44.0
Sources: 1, Adbulla Arar, op cit, p 3l+
2. Statistical Abstract of Israel 1960, op cit, p %
While the foregoing statistics emphasize the significant role of
Tainfed patterns of agriculture, irrigated farming is much more
Significant than is implied statistically. Thus while irrigated
‘Sriculture occupies only 5% of all cultivated land, its
Nntribution to agricultural income amounts to about one third of
the total net income. Furthermore, it is quite clear that irrigated
farming lends itself much more easily and rapidly to technological
change and intensive production. Therefore it is important for
ay forthcoming Palestinian authority to expand water use in
“Sticulture to whatever limits are inposed by political realities.
By aed
tin the meantime it is rainfed agriculture which will continue
to j
™intain a critical role in West Bank's socio-economic life.
The importance of rainfed agriculture relates to many attributes
°F the west Bank economy, politics, and social structure. Its
Ntribution to the domestic product (GDP) as could be assessed
tron Table ( V-16) is certainly sizeable and amounts to about
ny fourth of the GDP for mst years. But when the figures of
— And income are viewed on a regional basis the share of
wn Patterns of farming in local economies can be far more
st,
antial (examples: grapes in Halhoul, olives in Salfit,
Wain,
is be
in Jenin and sheep in Yatta). Furthermore it could
"
211
argued from a distributional point of view that small size family
holdings provide a critical shock-absorbing capacity for peasant
families in the lower levels of the economic strata.! In this
sense it is observed that the importance of most rainfed products
48 sources of staple food for local communities ges mich beyond
their purely monetary remuneration,
The labour absorption potential of rainfed agriculture deserves
Special notice. Although there is no detailed statistical evidence
on the vocational distribution of agricultural workers, yet it is
Clear that the vast majority of them are absorbed in non-irrigated
forms of agriculture.
But the real absorptive capacity of rainfed agriculture is certainly
™ch greater than is indicated in statistics on labour distribution.
The important point to remember is that dry farming patterns have
Sawn heavily on forms of labour which have a markedly low opportunity
St (eg. old family members, women and children, and the spare-time
‘rkers), In this way it has been possible to mobilize certain
toms ©f non-marketable labour into active production and at
x ;
“Asonable levels of efficiency, given the constraints imposed by
“dsting Political and socio-economic realities.
The Yamifications of land use in rainfed agriculture deserve
Peciaa attention. In the first place it should be re-emphasized
“ee this kind of agriculture utilizes about 95% of all cultivated
Nand? The economic rationale here is clear enough, and it focuses
s :
a's Widely common proverb in rural communities says that "the
Fand 1 1 as it has got two lions at
Y need not worry as long
home: wheat and (olive) oil" - both are rainfed products.
ce
Administered Territories Statistics ly 1 op cit, p 95.

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Agricultural Development in the West Bank

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المنشئ

Hisham Masoud Awartani

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