Jerusalem : The European Union made a new contribution of €2.37 million to support Palestinian farmers and agro-businesses in the West Bank.

The contribution was channeled through the Palestinian Authority’s program “Assistance to Agriculture in the West Bank (AAWB)”, the EU said in a statement published Thursday by Palestinian news agency WAFA.

A total of 241 Palestinian farmers and agro-businesses affected by the Israeli occupation in the West Bank will benefit from this new contribution. This support will help the farmers relaunch, repair or replace damaged businesses through different activities including the acquisition of agricultural supplies, rehabilitation of land and other small infrastructure works.

This contribution also brings the total beneficiaries of the program up-to-date to 365 farmers, according to the EU statement.

”The agricultural production is a crucial sector of the Palestinian economy. The support to the agricultural sector is essential to build a future Palestinian State with a viable economy. In this context, the EU contributes to programs run by the Palestinian Authority to support agro-businesses in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,” said EU Representative Ralph Tarraf.

The overall financial envelope of AAWB program amounts to €7 million. It is expected to serve about 450 eligible beneficiaries in the West Bank with a focus on Area C. The program is managed by the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture and the Palestinian Agriculture Disaster Risk Reduction and Insurance Fund. The payments are made by the PA’s Ministry of Finance and Planning through a network of local banks in the West Bank.

—AB/UNA-OIC